 |
History, Development, and Use of the |
|
|
|
History, Development, and Use of the |
|
|
This section will cover the history, development, and use of the SA-4 'Ganef' air defense system. In this section you will find where the vehicle has been used, when it was designed, its limitations and abilities, and how the weapon functions. | |
The SA-4 'Ganef' was designed to give Soviet armored formations a degree of anti-aircraft protection that could advance with them. The SA-1 'Grail' and SA-2 'Guideline' missiles were not mobile and the SA-3 'Goa' was best described as movable, not mobile, as its emplacement time was very long. The SA-4 'Ganef' filled this gap and gave medium to high altitude protection to the formations they were attached to.
Its development began in 1958 under the direction of L. V. Lyul'yev. Unlike many Soviet vehicles of the time, the SA-4 'Ganef' tractor-erector-launcher was not based on an existing vehicle system. It was a completely new design that consisted of tracked armored chassis with a hydraulically powered turntable that carries the two anti-aircraft missiles. The driver sits on the left side of the vehicle and and has a hatch with two periscopes so that he can drive while 'buttoned up'. The engine is placed to the left of the driver in the front of the vehicle. Also at the front is a splash guard at the front of the vehicle to make river fording easier. The remainder of the vehicle is devoted to fire control crew and electronic equipment. These crewmembers enter and leave the vehicle by using two hatches, one on either side of the missile turntable.
The vehicle uses torsion bar suspension and has seven road wheels with the drive sprocket at the front. It has four track return rollers and a set of hydraulic shock absorbers on the last set of road wheels. The unique chassis was soon adopted to other roles - as a minelayer and as an artillery tractor for the M-1973 howitzer. All versions of this chassis were equipped with an NBC overpressure system, an infrared night vision system, but no amphibious capability. It is also easily transported by the AN-22 'Cock' transport aircraft.
The SA-4 'Ganef' made its first appearance at a parade in 1964, and limited production began in 1967. The program soon ran into a number of major problems that delayed its full deployment until 1969. This version was known as the 2K11. It used the 3M8, 3M8M, and 3M8M2 anti-aircraft missiles. An improved version called the 2K11-M entered service in 1973. It used only the 3M8M2 air defense missile.
The missiles themselves are powered by a liquid fueled ramjet sustainer motor and four solid fuel boosters. When fired, the missile's four boosters ignite to get it to a speed where the main motor can operate. The missile is armed when it travels 300 meters from the launcher, it then follows a radar guidance beam to its target. It switches over to its own semi-active terminal guidance system on the terminal phase of target interception. The missile is also tracked from the ground by a continuous wave radar transponder located in one of the missile's tail fins. Modern versions of the weapon also are equipped with an electro-optical fire control system to aid in target interception in heavy ECM situations.
The SA-4 'Ganef' has been exported to East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Egypt. Although the Egyptian systems were returned to the Soviet Union sometime before the 1973 Yom Kippur war.
The SA-4 was designed to be a mobile part of a multi-layered defense system that also encompassed the SA-2 'Guideline' and SA-6 missile systems. It would be deployed as a brigade attached to a larger force. The brigade would be comprised of three SA-4 battalions and a headquarters section. Each battalion has three Ganef batteries, eight ZU-23 or ZSU-23-4 air defense guns, a technical battalion with a Long Track and Thin Skin radar system. Each battery is equipped with a Pat Hand radar, three SA-4 launchers, and four Ural-375 reload vehicles. The SA-4 battery is designed to operate 10 to 25 kilometers behind the FEBA (forward edge of battle area). The system is air transportable in the AN-22 Cock aircraft.
When engaging a target, the incoming aircraft is first acquired by the Long Track radar. Altitude information is provided by the Thin Skin radar. This information will be forwarded to the battery which uses its own (H band) Pat Hand radar for the final firing guidance. Once fired the missile uses semi-active radar homing data to find its target.
The system is limited in that the TEL (tractor-erector-launcher) does not mount its own on board radar, as was done on more modern anti-aircraft missile systems. It is also vulnerable to ECM and suppressive fires.
Here you can see what vehicles the SA-4 'Ganef' replaced and what vehicles eventually replaced it. You can find out more about each weapon if we have them on our site by clicking on the links below.
| The SA-4 'Ganef' replaced... | SA-4 'Ganef' | The SA-4 'Ganef' was replaced by... |
| Nothing, was first truly mobile SAM system used by the USSR | SA-12 'Gladiator/Giant' Air Defense System |
|
Here are some of the most informative sources that we have used in compiling this information for you. We hope you can find them as useful as we have. (1) Janes Land Based Air Defense 1997-98,
edited by Chris Foss, Copyright 1997, Jane's Publishing Ltd. |
