RBS-15

RBS-15
RBS-15 on right
Type	Fire-and-forget anti-ship and land attack
Place of origin	Sweden
Service history
In service	1985– present
Used by	See operators
Production history
Manufacturer	Saab Bofors Dynamics, Diehl BGT Defence
Specifications
Weight	800 kg
Length	4.33 m
Diameter	50 cm
Warhead	200 kg HE blast and pre-fragmented warhead.
Detonation mechanism	impact or proximity
Engine	turbojet
Wingspan	1.4 m
Operational range	250 km for RBS-15 Mk. III
Flight altitude	sea skimming
Speed	subsonic
Guidance system	inertial, GPS, terminal active radar homing (J band)
Launch platform	naval ships, aircraft and land-based missile launchers

The RBS-15 (Robotsystem 15) is a long-range fire-and-forget surface-to-surface and air-to-surface, anti-ship missile. The later version Mk. III has the ability to attack land targets as well. The missile was developed by the Swedish company Saab Bofors Dynamics.

The Swedish Navy was pioneering anti-ship missiles with the Halland-class destroyers using the RB08 missile since the early 1960s. Owing to the Defence decision of 1958 the main effect for the navy was a restructuring into a lighter force consisting of fast attack craft (FAC) vessels and a halt to destroyer procurement. This posed a problem as the existing RB08 missile required launch rails and a missile magazine in the destroyers, taking up space that was simply not there on smaller ships. Adding to the problems, each missile had to be individually prepared for launch and only two missiles could be on the launch rails at the same time. In comparison, the P-15 Termit (NATO codename STYX) missile used by the Soviet Union (which was the expected adversary) stored the missiles in individual containers on deck which left the missiles immediately available for launch. Tests were carried out on Plejad class FACs with a single bow mounted RB08 in the late 1960s, but these tests came to nothing.

Saab's next attempt at anti-ship missiles to equip the Norrköping class FACs of the Swedish navy was in 1978 under the project name "RB 04 Turbo", a development of the air force RB 04E missile with a turbofan engine, changed wing configuration and start rockets to take off from land. The initial proposal was rejected as inferior to the Harpoon. The project, under the leadership of Hans Ahlinder, then worked out a proposal for a missile with greater capabilities and superior performance to the Harpoon. To indicate that it was a new weapon the project name was changed from "RB 04 Turbo" to "RBS-15".

The first weapon contract was signed in 1979; at the last minute the Swedish government did not buy the Harpoon anti-ship missile, opting for an indigenous design. The first missiles were delivered to the Navy in June 1984, and the ship version RBS-15 Mk. I was introduced.