Semi-automatic command to line of sight
Semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) is a method of missile command guidance.[1] In SACLOS, the operator must continually point a sighting device at the target while the missile is in flight. Electronics in the sighting device and/or the missile then guide it to the target.
Many SACLOS weapons are based on an
Another class of SACLOS weapons is based on the
Wire and radio-guided SACLOS
With
These instructions are delivered either by a radio link or a wire. Radio links have the disadvantage of being jammable, whereas wire links have the disadvantages of being limited to the length of the wire and fragile (i.e. not very good for penetrating/attacking targets in vegetated areas such as forests) and can not be fired over bodies of water due to potential shorting of the wires. Also, wires leave a trace all the way to the target, which could help find the source of the fire.
- Examples
- Wire-guided:
- Radio-guided: 9K33 'Osa' (SA-8 'Gecko'), Javelin surface to air missile, BGM-71 TOW (Wireless (RF) variants)
Beam-riding SACLOS
With
It differs from semi-active radar homing (SARH) and semi-active laser homing (SALH) in which the target is illuminated by a powerful emitter, and a sensor in the head of missile detects the reflected emissions and directs it to the target.
This was also one of the main advantages over concurrent SALH systems regarding detection: a laser riding beam emitter is typically a low powered device and does not need to be pointed immediately to the target. Because the missile sensor looks backward to it, the whole system is also impervious to most jamming devices. Another advantage in antitank applications is that the backward-looking guidance system does not interfere with the process of jet formation of high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) charges, thus maximizing weapon's effectiveness.
However, such systems don't allow for a
The main disadvantage of both SACLOS guidance systems in an anti-tank role is that working on angular differences evaluation, it does not allow any notable separation between guidance system and missile launch post the opposite of
- Examples
- 9M133 Kornet
- 9M119 Svir
- HJ-9
- MSS-1.2
- RBS-70
- Shershen
- Starstreak
- ZT3 Ingwe
- 9K121 Vikhr
References
- ISBN 978-1-62410-046-8.