Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
July 4, 2008
IWG Report 2007
Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
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Skorpioen
| Country: | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Alternate Name: | Gabriel Mk 2 Variant |
| Class: | SLCM |
| Target: | Ship |
| Length: | 3.42 m |
| Diameter: | 0.34 m |
| Launch Weight: | 522.00 kg |
| Payload: | 150 kg SAP, submunitions |
| Propulsion: | Solid |
| Range: | 35.00 km |
| Guidance: | Autopilot, semi-active radar |
| Status: | Operational |
| Exported: | Israel |
Details
The Skorpioen is a South African copy of the Israeli Gabriel Mk 2 short-range, solid propellant, single warhead, ship-launched cruise missile.
The Skorpioen/Gabriel Mk 2 is 3.42 m in length, has a body diameter of 0.34 m, and weighs 522 kg. It has rectangular moving control tailfins and larger rectangular mid-body wings, and is powered by a solid propellant boost motor and sustainer motor. The Mk 2 has a maximum range of 35 km and a cruising speed of Mach 0.7. It carries a 180 kg high explosive semi-armor piercing warhead.
Midcourse guidance is by autopilot. At a range of 7.5 km from the launcher, the autopilot commands the missile to descend to 20 m altitude, using a radio altimeter to maintain the height. Terminal phase guidance is by a semi-active radar, which acquires the target and allows the missile to descend on one of three possible preset attack altitudes, between 1 and 3 m depending on sea conditions.
In 1996, South Africa displayed a new submunition warhead for use with Skorpioen/Gabriel Mk 2. The warhead is believed to be able to penetrate the bulkheads within a ship. It is reported that each submunition can penetrate up to 10 millimeter steel bulkheads.(1)
Footnotes
- Duncan Lennox, ed., Jane’s Strategic Weapons Systems 45 (Surrey: Jane’s Information Group, July 2006), pp. 77-79; “New anti-ship warhead with multiple punch,” Jane’s International Defence Review, January 1, 1997; Nick Brown, “Upgraded Skorpioen stings out for SAN,” Jane’s Navy International, November 1, 2004.
