DIS awarded further Starstreak work

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Denel Integrated System Solutions (DISS), a business unit of the state arsenal, has been awarded a R6 269 924.98 order to develop a missile range safety set for the Thales Starstreak very short range air defence missile system. The deal takes the first phase of the long-running ground-based air-defence system (GBADS 1) project a step closer to completion.

GBADS 1 last month successfully completed its Level 5 System Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), clearing the way for the achievement of an interim operating baseline for the system. DISS, the Project Guardian prime contractor, said in a statement the tests were conducted at Mobile Deployment Wing and Swartkop Airfield over a four week period with support from both the South African Air Force and the Army. The tests were completed July 21.

The equipment is currently being prepared for the final training of the crews in Kimberley and then on to the Operation Test & Evaluation (OT&E) at Combat Training Centre in Lohatla from next month after which the system will be delivered into service.

SA ordered two 20km-range Thales Page continuous-wave (CW) low-observable battery air defence local warning radars, eight Lightweight Multiple Launchers (LML) as well as about 100 VSHORAD (very short range air defence) high-velocity missiles in December 2002. The entire system can be parachute dropped. Denel credits the VSHORAD missiles with a range of 5km (Thales says 7km). At the time (2002) state arms acquisition agency Armscor in a statement said the cost was R796 700 389 and deliveries would be complete in 36 months. It was reported in October 2007 that Starstreak missiles cost about R1 million each and that GBADS Phase I, also known as Project Guardian, had by then cost R801 million. defenceWeb has not been able to verify the figure. Since then a further R83 541 538.98 has been spent according to the Armscor Bulletin System.
104 Battery of 10 ADA Regiment fired an undisclosed number of Starstreak at a firing camp at the Overberg Test Range near Cape Town last year November to allow its operators to develop experience in firing live missiles. The missiles were fired against the indigenously manufactured BAE Systems Land Systems Dynamics Locats (low-cost aerial target system) aerial targets. Thales Defence Systems, which supported the exercise, says in a media statement the ADA “took the opportunity to conduct day and night firings, introducing their new Starstreak thermal imager to provide a full 24-hour air defence capability.
“The success of the camp, underlined by an unprecedented number of target kills, is even more impressive given that the Locats targets destroyed were totally un-enhanced, proving Starstreak’s capability against unmanned air vehicle targets,” the statement added. Locats has a maximum speed of 310 km/hr, a wingspan of 3.2m and length of 2.9m.

Starstreak was designed to counter low-flying high-performance aircraft and helicopters. It employs semi-automatic command line of sight guidance consisting of a stabilised tracking system and an automatic guidance system. While the operator tracks the target using the stabilised tracking system, a laser beam for missile guidance is transmitted along the target sight line. The system compensates for crosswinds and low-level targets and a lead-angle is automatically generated to launch the missile ahead of crossing targets.

In its simplest form, Starburst is a man-portable, shoulder-launched system consisting of an aiming unit and a missile. The missile is contained in a canister that acts as a recoilless launcher when firing takes place. The aiming unit is clipped on to the canister and together they provide the firing and guidance control for the missile. At the end of the engagement, the aiming unit is quickly detached, the used canister discarded and a new canister fitted for the next engagement. The system can be operated by a single person. However, a second person reduces reaction time.

Armscor in March 2007 told Parliament that when finally delivered at the end of November 2009, the project would be 54 months over deadline. Armscor told MPs the project was extensively delayed by problems with subcontracts with local suppliers, by challenges in translating systems specifications and by design shortcomings affecting the thermal imager, radar power supply and radio interface module. As a result, Denel was to pay a R80 million penalty.

Noteworthy is that the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms records SA imported 96 Starstreak missiles in 2005. There are no previous or subsequent references to the Northern Irish-made VSHORAD.

In May 2008 Denel Dynamics CE Jan Wessels said about 30 companies were involved with the project. “The missile and radar are European and the software was written by five companies, some in SA,” says Wessels. “Our job [as prime contractor and systems integrator] is to put it all together to make it work.” (At the time DISS was still part of Denel Dynamics.) Wessels added the delays and problems encountered have made the project one “where you have to grind your teeth”. “There are 32 entities that must deliver. We’ll just have to take the pain until they all do so satisfactorily. Although there is a lot of contractual baggage, we are quite chuffed about progress with the programme.”

Develop a starstreak missile range safety set

EBEB/2011/52 8 Sep 2011 R6 269 924,98 Denel Integrated System Solutions

Provisioning of industry support during preparation and execution of operational test and evaluation up to the establishment of the interim operating baseline

EBEB/2011/78 18 Aug 2011 R9 866 184,24 Denel Integrated System Solutions

Staff support during the project study for project fellowship which addresses the integration, command, control and sensor needs for the Ground Based Air Defence – extension of EBEB/2008/425

BEB/S2011/2470 4 Aug 2011 R227 552,00 CSIR t/a DPSS

Industry support for the local warning segment of the Ground Based Air Defence Systems for the operational test and evaluation and products system commisionning phase – extension of EBEB/2001/421

BEB/S2010/2388 29 Jul 2010 R349 202,48 Denel t/a Denel Dynamics

BEB/S2009/2321 29 Oct 2009 R4 970 000,00 Denel t/a Denel Aerospace Systems

BEB/S2009/2317 29 Oct 2009 R4 945 391,16 Denel t/a Denel Dynamics

BEB/S2009/2307 3 Sep 2009 R4 942 400,64 Denel t/a Denel Dynamics

BEB/S2009/2300 6 Aug 2009 R1 113 636,00 Denel t/a Denel Aerospace Systems

BEB/S2008/2220 2 Oct 2008 R1 035 496,02 Denel t/a Denel Aerospace Systems

BEB/S2008/2213 4 Sep 2008 R533 520,00 Denel t/a Denel Aerospace Systems

BEB/S20082192 12 Jun 2008 R96 672,88 Denel t/a Denel Aerospace Systems

BEB/S2007/2140 1 Nov 2007 R1 828 530,70 Denel t/a Denel Aerospace Systems

Supply of Starstreak missiles

EBEB/2009/459 10 Mar 2010 R34 216 705,88 Thales Air Defence Limited

Staff support during the Project study for the integration, command and control and sensor needs for Ground Based Air Defence System

EBEB/2008/425 12 Jun 2009 R4 493 000,00 CSIR t/a DPSS

Evaluation of new generation digital radios performance as Air Defence Control network provider for the mobile Air Defence System

EBEB/2008/218 26 Mar 2009 R8 482 410,00 Denel t/a Denel Aerospace Group

Staff support for local warning segment – extension of EBEB/2003/461

BEB/S2007/2118 16 Aug 2007 R170 912,00 Armscor Defence Institutes (Pty) Ltd
t/a Defence Decision Support Institute