QW-1 Vanguard
| QW-1 Vanguard | |
|---|---|
| Type | MANPAD |
| Place of origin | China |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1990s to present |
| Production history | |
| Produced | Since mid-1990s |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 10.68 kg, 16.5 kgdg with launcher |
| Length | 1.447 meter |
| Diameter | 71 mm |
|
Detonation
mechanism |
Impact & Proximity |
|
|
|
| Engine | rocket |
| Propellant | solid rocket |
|
Operational
range |
5 km maximum |
| Flight ceiling | 4 km |
| Flight altitude | 30 meter minimum |
| Speed | > 600 m/s |
|
Guidance
system |
Infrared homing |
|
Launch
platform |
A single person |
The People's Republic of China-developed QW-1 Vanguard (Qian Wei in Chinese) is an all-aspect man-portable surface-to-air missile, from which a series of missiles were developed.
It was first publicly shown at the 1994 Farnborough Air Show as a successor to HN-5 series MANPADS.
The missile reportedly is the Chinese version of 9K310 (SA-16 Gimlet) Igla-1 missile systems incorporating some features of FIM-92 Stinger. According to many domestic Chinese media sources and some sources outside China, Chinese obtained the Soviet samples via Zaire from UNITA captured 9K310 (SA-16) Igla-1 missile from Angola governmental forces. The missile is operated by a two-man team. Once a target is visually detected the assistant selects the launch site and removes end caps from the front and back of the launcher. The gunner then partially depresses the trigger, which activates the electronic battery and opens the coolant bottle, cooling the seeker to operating temperature.
The gunner tracks the target visually, until the missile locks onto the target, indicating this with both a flashing light and an audio tone. The gunner then provides target lead and depresses the trigger all the way. This triggers the booster section of the missile, which projects the missile a safe distance away from the operator before the sustainer motor ignites.
The missile is guided by proportional navigation to the approximate impact point, before switching to a terminal guidance mode that attempts to steer the missile to the most vulnerable point of the target.
Qwe|-
Iran has also developed its own version of the Vanguard, under the name Misagh-1 and its subsequent evolution, the Misagh-2, and is currently phasing out its supply of QWs. The exact nature of the home-grown modifications are unknown, but it has been claimed that the range and the top speed of the missiles have been improved to 5 km and 800 m/s respectively, in the Misagh-2.
QW-1M is a development of QW-1, and first revealed in Zhuhai Air Show. The missile is considered as a third generation MANPAD by Chinese, and many domestic Chinese media sources claim that it is the Chinese equivalent of Soviet SA-18 Grouse, which it strongly resembles. Like its predecessor QW-1, QW-1M also appeared to incorporate technologies of FIM-92 Stinger. Various western sources have postulated that China had likely obtained FIM-92 Stinger samples from either Afghan guerrilla or Pakistan, or even Iran, but such claims have yet to be confirmed. The missile is slightly heavier than QW-1, weighing at 18 kg for the entire system, and it is claimed to have better ECCM capability and better capability to engage low-flying aircraft in comparison to QW-1.
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Wikipedia