Spyder-MR's mission in Vietnam's air defense

Vietnam's air defense has just test-fired the Israeli-made Spyder-MR system for the first time. So what is the role of this weapon in Vietnam's air defense network?

According to the People's Army Newspaper, during the 2017 air defense live-fire exercise held on September 5 to assess the training results and combat readiness of air defense units, for the first time, the Vietnamese Spyder-MR missile system opened fire and successfully destroyed a simulated target.

The Israeli manufacturer said that when officially joining the Vietnamese air defense network, the Spyder-MR's mission will mainly be to act as a point defense shield.

Vietnam test-fires Spyder. Photo: QĐND.

Spyder is designed to serve the organization of air defense operations according to the central network combat method, operating in all weather conditions, with high self-propelled mobility, fast combat level transition and the ability to target multiple targets at the same time.

The complex is capable of destroying all types of flying targets including fighter jets, helicopters, drones, cruise missiles and other remotely-launched guided bombs and munitions in a strong electronic suppression environment.

To complete its mission, Spyder is equipped with TOPLITE passive optoelectronic reconnaissance equipment on each launcher vehicle to ensure the ability to detect and indicate targets for missiles while the vehicle is moving and in case the radio reconnaissance channel is jammed.

Spyder uses two types of missiles: the Derby active radar homing missile and the Python-5 dual-band infrared thermal imaging passive homing missile.

These missiles can be targeted by the target reconnaissance equipment on the command vehicle or on the launcher vehicle before launch (Lock On Before Launch) when the target is within the tracking range of the missile's self-seeking head. Or they can detect the designated target after launch (Lock On After Launch) when the target is outside the tracking range of the missile's self-seeking head.

Spyder applies automatic radio data transmission technology via VHF/UHF band, encrypted and anti-interference between vehicles in the complex and between the complex and different parts of the unified air defense system from a distance of 100 km.

This is an important factor in ensuring the timely, accurate, secret and secure command information network of the complex in modern air defense operations. Spyder has anti-electronic suppression features to effectively deal with and eliminate enemy advantages in all stages of air defense operations from reconnaissance, target detection, ensuring command information and commanding fire.

However, in addition to the point defense mission, the Israeli manufacturer also believes that Spyder will most likely take on the additional mission of guarding Vietnam's S-300PMU1 high-altitude air defense system. And this may be the reason why Vietnam decided to buy Israel's Spyder medium-range air defense missile system.

Because the Spyder complexes perfectly meet the mission of hitting low-flying targets, they are a timely and appropriate addition to the people's air defense network, low-altitude air defense which mainly relied on anti-aircraft artillery and low-altitude missiles in the past of Vietnam.

According to Baodatviet