SM-3 Block IIA interceptors in countering high-precision weapons of the Russian Armed Forces. What's the prognosis?
Prepared by the crew of the DDG-113 USS "John Finn" destroyer (Arleigh Burke Flight IIA class of late modification) and actively disseminated in the news and military-analytical segments of the Internet, a demo video-report on the implementation of the first full-scale tests of a prototype of an ultra-long-range anti-missile SM-3 Block IIA (RIM-161D +) was greeted with a wave of extremely contradictory comments from Western and Russian expert and observer circles, partially or fully aware of the peculiarities of the functioning of their guidance systems in relation to hypersonic endoatmospheric and exoatmospheric ballistic objects of a potential enemy.
What the radically improved SM-3 Block IIA interceptor is capable of in the stratosphere and low earth orbit
Thus, Western European and American audiences, inspired by the successful interception of an intercontinental ballistic missile simulator target, which has already become commonplace for Western mass media in a pretentious manner, which was first carried out on November 16, 2020, focused solely on the tactical and technical advantages of the RIM-161D + interceptor. Which (in comparison with earlier modifications of the RIM-161B / C interceptor missiles) allow intercepting warheads or more maneuverable warheads of enemy ICBMs at significantly greater distances and apogee altitudes of trajectories against the background of the latter's use of a full complex of missile defense penetration means (including infrared traps and aerosols, as well as cooling screens that reduce the IR signature of warheads). The following can be added to their list.
First, the presence of the more massive and advanced kinetic interceptor Mk 142 LEAP. Equipped with a promising dual-mode infrared seeker type IIR ("Imaging Infrared". Provides not only direction finding and "capture" of heat-contrast objects, but also the formation of detailed infrared "portraits" of detected targets. That allows you to select targets against the background of the use of many IR traps, aerosols-sources infrared radiation, cooling screens and other PCB PRO) based on a more highly sensitive mid-wave infrared matrix photodetector with a resolution of 512x512.
Secondly, equipping with a more powerful gas-dynamic unit of 4 solid-propellant TDACS transverse control rocket engines. Their nozzle modules are powered from a single gas generator and controlled by high-speed gas distribution valves. Whose throttle valve actuators receive filigree precise commands from the updated high-performance on-board computers of the Mk 142 combat stage in accordance with data from the infrared seeker.
Thirdly, equipping with a more powerful and "long-playing" accelerating-sustainer stage (and possibly a new modification of the Mk 136 pre-accelerating stage with a more powerful dual-mode solid propellant engine). That provides the Mk 142 combat stage with a speed of 4500 to 5600 m / s at the terminal (exoatmospheric) section of the trajectory. While the flight speed of the SM-3 Block IIA in the endoatmospheric / cruising leg of the trajectory will also increase from 2300 to 3500-4000 m.
As a result, a higher flight speed on the cruising leg of the trajectory will allow the SM-3 Block IIA (RIM-161D +) interceptors to shorten the period of overcoming dense layers of the stratosphere and mesosphere. There they will continue to remain vulnerable to the 9M82MV and 48N6DM super-long-range anti-aircraft guided missiles of the S-300V4 and S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile systems. In the foreseeable future, a similar operational-tactical alignment will take place in the Baltic conventional theater of operations. Where is the distance between the Aegis Ashore anti-missile system being built near the Polish Redzikovo (will be equipped with SM-3 Block IIA anti-missiles) and the positions of the S-300В4 and S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile regiments of the 44th Air Defense Division of the Baltic fleet (deployed in the western regions of the Kaliningrad region) will be only 220-250 km. That will provide the combat crews of the latter with the opportunity to destroy the updated "Standards-3" in the altitude range from 30 to 60 km literally in the very first seconds after launch.
Meanwhile, despite the significant increase in the speed and flight performance of the SM-3 Block IIA interceptors in general and the higher noise immunity and sensitivity of the dual-mode IR seeker IIR kinetic interceptors Mk 142 in particular, these interceptors still remain highly specialized exoatmospheric (subatmospheric) interceptors ... And they are capable of intercepting enemy aerospace attack weapons at altitudes of over 100 km. This feature is due to the following. First, the incorrect aerodynamic layout of the Mk 142 kinetic interceptor, which excludes the possibility of its stable flight at hypersonic speed in the denser layers of the mesosphere and stratosphere. Secondly - the unacceptability of even minimal aerodynamic heating of the lens elements of the infrared seeker IIR. This (taking into account the flight speed of about 5 km / s) will be observed starting from the altitude range of 90–80 km. And it will help reduce the detection range of heat-contrast ballistic objects.
As a result, the acquisition of operational combat readiness by promising SM-3 Block IIA interceptors and their further integration into the Aegis-class Arleigh Burke-class ammunition sets will not provide the aircraft carrier and naval strike groups of the US Navy with absolutely any "trump cards." In carrying out their tasks of repelling massive anti-ship strikes from the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Russian Navy using such aerospace attack means as the aeroballistic anti-ship missile system Kh-47M2 "Dagger" and the hypersonic anti-ship missile system 3M22 "Zircon", using complex quasi-ballistic and mixed flight profiles in the lower and the upper stratosphere.
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