Crotale SAM

Surface-to-Air Missile / Air Defense System [ 1978 ]

The French Crotale air defense system program produced some 6,000 missiles since inception in 1978.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/10/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

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The Crotale missile defence system can be fitted on a variety of chassis types and launched against targets overland or overwater. The French Air Force, Finnish Army and French Navy are just some of the users of this multi-dimensional system which began its design phase in 1967 and entered production in 1978. Four Crotale missile defense systems can be networked to cooperate in unison, providing an effective "Friend-Or-Foe" net against inbound aerial threats including cruise missiles. The Crotale missile has proven highly maneuverable for its role and can reach speeds in excess of Mach 3.5 with an engagement range out to 11 kilometers (6.8 miles).

Fire control utilizes multiple sensors with passive optics and radar working alongside electronic countermeasure systems. The target detection and acquisition systems are completely automated to achieve the fastest response time by the crew. The highly adaptable system can be ported onto a variety of chassis requirements some of which have been seen on Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems (MLRSs), 6-wheeled Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) and 4-wheeled armored cars.

The Crotale "NG" ("Next Generation") variant became an upgraded production mark when it was introduced with Finland. Other marks have included the HQ-7 Chinese reverse-engineered model then copied by the Iranians. Saudi Arabia operates the SICA "Shahine" R460 series. The Crotale Mk.III is the latest in the Crotale line and began testing around 2008 - this version is capable of engaging smaller drone aircraft with accuracy.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Service Year

1978

Origin

France

Status

ACTIVE
In Active Service.

Crew

3
CREWMEN

Production

500
UNITS

Thales Air Defence, Bagneux, France

(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)

National flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

National flag of the United Arab Emirates

Bahrain; Egypt; Finland; France; Greece; Iran; Oman; Pakistan; Portugal; South Korea; Saudi Arabia; South Africa; United Arab Emirates

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Anti-Aircraft / Airspace Denial
Base model or variant can be used to search, track, and neutralize airborne elements at range.

Weight

8,818 lb
4,000 kg

Tonnage

4.4 tons
LIGHT

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Crotale SAM production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)

Powerplant: Not Available. The turret system component itself is adaptable to a variety of wheeled / tracked chassis types.

Range

12.4 mi
(20.0 km)

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Crotale SAM production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)

4 x Missile-launching tubes for VT1 / Mk.III anti-aircraft missiles.

Supported Types

Graphical image of a surface-to-air missile weapon

(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)

8 x VT1 / Mk.III anti-aircraft missiles.

Crotale R440 - Base Variant

Crotale NG - Next Generation upgraded version

Crotale Mk.III - Modernized Crotale launcher system

"Sea Crotale" - Navalized variant

HQ-7 - Chinese reverse-engineered copy

Shaheb Thaqeb - Iranian copy of the Chinese HQ-7 series.

SICA R460 - Saudi Arabian version by Thomson-CSF

Chun Ma (Pegasus) K-SAM - Joint Export Venture for South Korean Army.

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