China's Norinco marketed an improved version of its Sky Dragon 50 medium-range air defence system at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) show, held in Pretoria from 17-21 September.
The IBIS-200 is now being marketed as the target designation radar for the Sky Dragon 50. (Norinco)The IBIS-200 is now being marketed as the target designation radar for the Sky Dragon 50. (Norinco)
Norinco unveiled the original Sky Dragon surface-to-air missile (SAM) system at the Eurosatory show in 2012 with the mobile IBIS-150 (or IBIS150) radar supporting the launcher vehicles, which each had four missiles. At the time Norinco said the system was in the final stages of development.
Two years later, Norinco is marketing the system with the IBIS-200 radar, which it describes as a medium-range/high-altitude S-band system with "high survivability" and "a good anti-jamming and counter-reconnaissance performance".
"The IBIS-200 radar is designed to deal with all kinds of fixed-wing aircraft, attack helicopters, UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles], air-to-surface missiles, [and] cruise missiles invading from medium, low or ultra-low altitude," according to Norinco marketing literature.
The radar has a range of 250 km when in early warning mode - substantially further than the IBIS-150's 130 km range - and 150 km in target designation mode. Carried by two vehicles, it can be set up in 15 minutes.
Capable of engaging targets at a range of 3-50 km and at altitudes between 100 ft and 65,000 ft, the Sky Dragon 50 can "effectively intercept high-, medium-, low- and ultra-low-altitude aerial targets," according to Norinco.
Controlled by a 'fire distribution vehicle', a single Sky Dragon 50 battery can simultaneously engage 12 targets and has a fire-and-forget capability that reduces the burden on the ground detection systems.
Sky Dragon 12 is a short-range air defence system being marketed by Norinco . (Norinco)Sky Dragon 12 is a short-range air defence system being marketed by Norinco . (Norinco)
The SAM uses strap-down inertial navigation, radio correction and active radar homing. The missile is believed to be an enlarged and reconfigured surface-launched version of the SD-10 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. It travels at a velocity of more than 1,000 m/s and is highly manoeuvrable, with a maximum overload of up to 38 g, according to Norinco.
The Sky Dragon's name was changed to Sky Dragon 50 when Norinco launched a short-range SAM system called the Sky Dragon 12. Each Sky Dragon 12 vehicle carries 12 missiles and can simultaneously engage four targets at ranges from 2 to 12 km and at altitudes from 50 ft to 16,500 ft.
The basic Sky Dragon 12 is designed to work with the company's FW2 fire-control system and IBIS-80 target acquisition radar, which are mounted on separate vehicles. However, Norinco says an upgraded version of the Sky Dragon 12 is now available with its own on-vehicle search radar that "ensures [a] complete autonomous engagement capability".
