Umkhonto (missile)

Umkhonto
Umkhonto-R, Umkhonto-IR and Umkhonto-CLOS missiles
Type	Surface-to-air missile
Place of origin	South Africa
Service history
Used by	South Africa, Finland
Production history
Manufacturer	Denel Dynamics
Specifications
Weight	130 kg (290 lb)
Length	3.32 m (10.9 ft)
Diameter	180 mm (7.1 in)
Warhead	23 kg (51 lb)
Wingspan	500 mm (20 in)
Operational range	20 km (12 mi)(Umkhonto-IR) 30 km (19 mi) (Umkhonto-ER-IR) 60 km (37 mi)(Umkhonto-R)
Flight altitude	8 km (5.0 mi)(Umkhonto-IR) 12 km (7.5 mi) (Umkhonto-ER-IR) 15 km (9.3 mi)(Umkhonto-R)
Speed	Mach 2
Guidance system	All-aspect infra-red, command update fire and forget
Launch platform	Naval Vertical launch system, Ground-based Launcher System

The Umkhonto (Zulu: spear) is a South African family of modern short- to medium-range, all-weather-capable vertical launch (VLS) surface-to-air missiles (SAM) manufactured by South Africa's Denel Dynamics (formerly known as Kentron). The missile and associated subsystems are supplied as a missile group for easy integration into naval combat suites or ground-based air defence systems.

Umkhonto has been designed to counter a wide variety of airborne threats, such as: multiple combat aircraft (fixed-wing or helicopter), anti-ship missiles, anti-radiation missiles, UAVs and drones as well as supersonic cruise missiles. When coupled with a modern air-defence system and multi-function surveillance track and guidance radars, the Umkhonto missile system has the capability to simultaneously engage multiple targets during saturation attacks.

Umkhonto is available in three variants, a short-range infrared homing (Umkhonto-IR), a medium-range infrared homing (Umkhonto-ER-IR) and a beyond-visual-range radar homing version (Umkhonto-R).

Development of the system began in 1993, after the failure to introduce into service and market the ZA-HVM short-range SAM (together with ZA-35). The first Ground-based system tests were completed in July 2005 and the system was judged to be shore-qualified. The tests included using Denel Dynamics Skua subsonic target drones equipped with telemetry sensors. Test flights flew different trajectory profiles, including low-flying, walking and exercising collision course evasive action.

The first successful launch from a ship was carried out on board the South Africa Navy Valour-class frigate SAS Amatola on 23 November 2005. The missile was launched at a Denel Skua subsonic target drone near Cape Agulhas. Test launches were repeated a week later. Instead of a warhead, missiles were equipped with telemetry data transmission units. According to the telemetry, both tests were assessed as hits.

Designed for all-round defence against simultaneous air attacks from multiple targets, the Umkhonto-IR missile is the first vertically launched infrared-homing surface-to-air missile, also the first IR-homing missile to use lock-on-after-launch. Upon launch, the missile flies to a lock-on point, following on-board inertial navigation. The missile then activates its two-colour IR-seeker (variant of U-Darter AAM's seeker) and locks on. Target updates are received via data link, enabling the missile to counter evasive manoeuvres by the target.