Short range air defense (SHORAD)
The Antelope air defense system (Chinese: 捷羚防空飛彈系統) is a Taiwanese short range ground-to-air anti-aircraft defense system in operation with the Republic of China Army.
Description
The Antelope system employs a battery of four Sky Sword I (TC-1) missiles mounted atop a wheeled vehicle (such as a truck or humvee).[1] The system can either be employed as a stand-alone point defense system or as part of an integrated area air defense system.[2]
The Antelope system collectively includes targeting, guidance, communications components as well as the missiles themselves. It was developed beginning in 1995 as an outgrowth of the Tien Chien-I missile development program.[1] The precise operating range of the Antelope system is variously reported as 9 km,[3] 18 km,[1] and "4 miles".[4] The system has a crew of two, one gunner and one observer. The system can be controlled from the truck's cabin or from a mobile control console that can be located up to 70m away from the vehicle to increase operator safety and survivability.[2]
The Antelope system's TC-1L interceptors employ infrared guidance and the system is similar in design to the United States-made Chaparral system which historically was a mainstay of Taiwan's SHORAD network.[4]
It can be used to intercept low-flying helicopters, fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, and bombers.[5] The system can engage targets on the move.[2]
CS/MPQ-78 radar
The system's CS/MPQ-78 radar was developed in the early 1990s and is a 3D pulse doppler radar with full look down-shoot down capability. Max radar range is 46.3km and ceiling is 30,480m.[6]
Taiwan