ALAS (missile)

ALAS (АЛАС) - LORANA

Advanced Light Attack System, on display
Type Long range multipurpose missile
Place of origin  Serbia
Service history
Used by SRB
Production history
Manufacturer EdePro , Yugoimport SDPR
Specifications
Weight 55 kg ALAS
Length 2300mm ALAS-A , 1800mm LORANA
Diameter 175mm x 1,450mm (wingspan) ALAS
Engine solid fueled boost phase motor, EdePro TMM-404 single-shaft turbojet ALAS, rocket engine LORANA
Speed 180m/s
Guidance
system
 optical

ALAS (Advanced Light Attack System, Serbian: АЛАС)[1] is a Serbian long-range multipurpose wire guided missile system developed by the private company EdePro, which operates under the direction of the state-owned Yugoimport SDPR. The ALAS missile system was developed primarily for missions against tanks, armored vehicles, fortifications, command posts, low-flying helicopters, coastal ships, industrial facilities and bridges. It can be deployed by any suitable platform including helicopters, armored vehicles, small ships and infantry. The guidance system is based on video/infrared technology, with the missile connected to the launcher by a fiber-optic cable. The ALAS flies at low altitude and has small radar and infrared (heat) signatures due to using a turbofan motor instead of a turbojet. In recent years, the ALAS platform has found a secondary use as a UAV.[2]

Description of system and role

The ALAS missile system is intended for two primary missions:

Another possible application of the ALAS missile system would be to defend an airfield and conduct surgical strikes until heavier forces are available. Its range could extend the close-combat kill zone to 5–25 km in front of the forward line of its own troops and for deeper strikes up to 60 km.

The operative flight envelope (required for flight and control system) in the radial axis with respect to the axis of motion is ±3g, whereas in the axial direction it is 10g.

Tactical role

The ALAS missile system is intended to attack distant targets, such as:

Variants

The two main types of system depend on missiles used as ALAS or LORANA system.

ALAS

The ALAS missile is hot-launched from its canister by means of a solid-propellant boost motor. ALAS is the designation for missiles produced in ALAS-A, ALAS-B and ALAS-C variants.

For the United Arab Emirates it will be delivered on the Nimr 6x6 chassis. The ALAS-C abandoned the initial design and moved the arrow wing forward. It used a small degree of aerodynamic control via rudders and was propelled by an axial turbine engine equipped with a single nozzle. ALAS-C missiles installed the turbojet in the stretch LORANA of missile X-type wing control of the rudder, head mounted as a 45 ° cross. Located in the wing are the engine's two intake ports, the rear portion of the wing on both sides of the elastomer contains two, flat, engine nozzles and a fiber spool. Employing an INS or optionally a GPS guidance system, the ALAS-C will have a range of up to 25 km, using a video/ccs/iir system to deliver its fragmentation warhead.[3][4][5][6]

ALAS-A

Guidance

The missile is programmed to follow a preset course around or over any obstructing terrain using electronic terrain maps. the terminal guidance phase uses an infrared image making it possible to transfer thermal images back to the launching platform via a 200 MBit/s data link provided by an optical fibre. Thus, it is possible to manually select a target or abort the mission.

Missile communication is realized via optical monomode cable with two channels (communication directions):

Firing station comprises a high-performance compact computer for missile guidance, an operator control panel and a high-resolution display. The system uses advanced control and image processing algorithms, electro-optical converters and radio links. The firing station has an optional GPS and north-seeking device. The firing station is used for mission planning before the engagement. The firing station stores a digitized map and displays the map during missile flight. For some applications, a dual monitor system used. The firing unit can be used as a trainer and simulator without additional hardware.

When attacking ships, missiles can fly at an altitude of a few meters above sea level. At this stage of the flight, the flight controls are made according to pre-programmed data. When the rocket reaches the target area, the gunner seizes control.

Propulsion

During launch, a solid propellant booster accelerates the missile to an initial cruising speed (120–150 m/s). The turbojet then TMM-040 ignites to take the missile to the target under control of the guidance system and the operator. Main propulsion characteristics:

LORANA

A solid propellant sustainer rocket engine, accelerated with solid propellant booster engine variant can replace the turbojet with range estimated to 9 km with greater speed is designated LORANA (LOng RAnge Non line of sight Attack system). LORANA has a 10 kg mono-HEAT or tandem warhead. LORANA is intended for use from land or helicopter platforms for launch.[7] LORANA missile seeker was tested in mid 2012 on light aircraft SILA 450C domestic aircraft (made in Kraljevo, Serbia by Aero-East-Europe) in a series of 10 flights above military multibranch exercise range "Pasuljanske livade" Serbia.[8] LORANA is an advanced remote non-line of sight attack system battery that consists of a battery command post (based on light wheeled armored SUV or semi) and four launch vehicles, with each vehicle equipped with 4 to 6 containers with missiles. A missile carrier is available for reloading missiles or as a backup control car.

LORANA missile consists of the following functional units/sub-systems:[9]

Specification

Guidance

The nose missile is mounted with a video unit that allows target detection the size of a tank at distances of 3 km. The field of view available on the display unit is 7 ° x 5 °. The fiber optic cable can handle pulling forces of 52 N. Loss of signal in an optical cable is 0.2 dB / km. The cable provides an on-board missile data transmission rate of 128 kbit/s and from the missile to ground control data transmission speed of 240 Mbi /s - available on one video channel and two data channels.

The firing station works similarly to ALAS. LORANA can achieve a maximum deviation of 1 m.[9]

Operational use

Missile takes off from the shipping container-starter.

LORANA can be stored in a container more than 10 years without maintenance. After the installation on the carrier the rocket is ready for immediate use.[9]

Operators

Map with ALAS operators in blue

Current operators

See also

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ Administrator. "Alas Lorana family of long range anti-tank missiles of YugoImport at Partner 2013 0107133 - Partner 2013 news coverage report pictures video - Defence and security military exhibition 2013".
  3. ↑ "IHS Events, Webinars, Training and User Groups". ihs.com. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  4. 1 2
  5. ↑ "Obrana" (PDF). April 2013. Retrieved March 2016. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  6. ↑ "เซอร์เบีย และ สหรัฐอาหรับเอมิเรตส์ ได้ลงนามในสัญญาพัฒนาระบบจรวดป้องกันภัยระยะใกล้". Defence Technology Analysis Department: ฝ่ายวิเคราะห์เทคโนโลยีป้องกันประเทศ. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "SOFEX 2014". ihs.com. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  8. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20130704060733/http://www.janes.com/article/20783/lorana-missile-seeker-tested-on-light-aircraft. Archived from the original on July 4, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2013. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Srbská riadená strela ALAS" (PDF). Janura. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ↑ "B92 - News - Serbia to produce sophisticated missiles for UAE". B92. Archived from the original on 27 March 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
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