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0.54 m and a diameter of 0.15 m. The missile complete with its transport/launch container weighed 100 kg. The HE high-energy focused fragmentation warhead in the centre of the missile weighs 15 kg, had a lethal radius of 8 m for the 2,300 m/s velocity fragments and was activated in the original R440 missiles by either the infrared proximity fuze (the fuze was commanded to activate 350 m before interception) or back-up contact fuze. The missile had an SNPE Lens III rocket motor with 25.45 kg of solid propellant powder. The missile reached a maximum speed of 750 m/s in 2.8 seconds.
274:
radar mounted concentrically with the launcher turret, which carried four ready to launch missiles, two on each side. The system also had an I-band 10° antenna beam-width command transmitter, differential angle-error measurement infrared tracking and gathering system with a +-5° wide field of view, an integrated TV tracking mode as a low-elevation back-up, an optical designation tripod-mounted binocular device (which is controlled manually by a handlebar arrangement and used primarily in a heavy ECM environment or whenever passive operation was required), computer, operating console and datalink.
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African
Defense Systems have over the years upgraded the Cactus system. The Acquisition Radar and missile Firing Unit (FU) mobile vehicles were containerized and outdated computer systems replaced. Using the new object-oriented software, the FU was then able to fuse tracking data from the optical and
269:
with fixed-echo suppression which rotated at 60 rpm and had a maximum detection range of 18.5 km against low-level targets with speeds of between 35 and 440 m/s and altitude limits between zero and 4,500 m. The system also had an IFF interrogator-decoder. The computer, which was the same as
264:
A typical platoon consisted of one
Acquisition and Co-ordination Unit (ACU) and two to three firing units, with a battery having two platoons. All the operators, had one ACU vehicle to two firing units. The ACU carried out target surveillance, identification and designation. Mounted on the top of the
130:
The Air
Defence Artillery Group was disbanded in 1992 after the Cactus mk 1 missile system was retired, with only remnants of 120 Squadron, operating the upgraded Cactus mk 2 Container system, becoming part of the Air Command Control Unit at Snake Valley, stationed opposite Air Force Base Swartkop on
273:
The target would then be allocated to one of the firing units and target designation data and operational orders were transmitted by the datalink which also supplied information from the firing unit on operational status. The firing unit had a J-band monopulse 17 km range single target tracking
289:
No spare missiles were carried on the vehicle and fresh missiles were brought up by a truck and loaded with a light crane. A well-trained crew of three could load four missiles in about two minutes. The missile was designated the R440 and weighed 84 kg, had an overall length of 2.89 m, span of
277:
All vehicles were fitted with an inter-vehicle link network to transmit data and orders by cable and for radio communication by a VHF radio link. The radar could track one target and guide one or two missiles simultaneously. The missiles, fired 2.5 seconds apart, were acquired immediately after
278:
launch by the 1.1° tracking beam of the radar with the help of infrared detection and radar transponders during the gathering phase. Initially the transponder was the 8,000 m range
Thomson-CSF Stresa. Guidance signals were transmitted to the missiles by a remote-control system.
270:
that installed in the firing unit, was used to generate data for confirmation of threat evaluation. Once a target had been detected, the computer would trigger an IFF interrogator and the final threat information would be displayed.
1190:
99:
squadron formed in 1970 to operate the South
African/French Cactus surface-to-air missile systems in an air defence role. The unit was disbanded when the Cactus system was retired from service in the late 1980s.
119:
The South
African government paid 85 per cent of the development costs of the system with the balance being paid for by France. The system was known as "Cactus" within the SA Air Force and "Crotale" in France.
1103:
127:
air defence batteries were placed under the command of the Air
Defence Artillery Group's 120 Squadron. 120 Squadron was stationed with the rest of ADAG 67 km north of Pretoria at Pienaarsriver.
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in 1971 with each platoon consisting of one
Acquisition and Co-ordination Unit (ACU) and two or three firing units, with a
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radar sensors to achieve better quality tracking. Interfacing to
Command and Control structures was also achieved.
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An
Egyptian Crotale surface-air missile system, similar to that operated by 120 Squadron.
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for a mobile, all-weather, low-altitude SAM system after a South African order for the
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120 Squadron was finally disbanded in 2002 after these systems were retired.
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Military units and formations of South Africa in the Border War
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List of obsolete weapon systems of the South African Air Force
317:"Crotale/Shahine/R440, R460, VT-1 (France), Defensive weapons"
108:
In July 1964, South Africa placed a development contract with
1157:
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List of weapon systems of the South African Air Force
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Military units and formations disestablished in 2002
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Disbanded military units and formations in Pretoria
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1196:Military units and formations established in 1970
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116:SAM system was refused by the UK government.
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1078:List of current and historical SAAF aircraft
253:Cactus units were operationally deployed in
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416:
408:
136:
24:
1134:South African Air Force in the Korean War
1181:Squadrons of the South African Air Force
1139:South African Air Force in the Bush War
1129:South African Air Force in World War II
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131:the eastern side of the shared runway.
1124:South African Air Force in World War I
1099:History of the South African Air Force
15:
7:
662:Disbanded air and training squadrons
1144:SAAF squadron identification codes
569:Test Flight and Development Centre
368:"SAAF Museum - Cactus restoration"
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1119:Military history of South Africa
1109:South African Air Force Memorial
458:Sergeants Major of the Air Force
265:vehicle was a Thomson-CSF pulse
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860:Disbanded air defence squadrons
574:South African Air Force College
155:Cactus Mk 1 Missile Firing Unit
1114:South African Air Force Museum
536:Training and development units
30:120 Squadron, part of 250 ADAG
1:
840:86 Multi-Engine Flying School
398:"The South African Air Force"
374:. 16 May 2007. Archived from
186:Cactus Mk 1 Acquisition Unit
845:88 Maritime Training School
559:87 Helicopter Flying School
221:Container truck transported
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83:Missile based air defence
23:
549:80 Air Navigation School
321:Jane's Information Group
1047:Roodewaal Bombing Range
850:89 Combat Flying School
554:85 Combat Flying School
453:Chiefs of the Air Force
439:South African Air Force
97:South African Air Force
74:South African Air Force
343:"Cactus (Crotale) SAM"
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1052:Ditholo Training Area
564:Central Flying School
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261:having two platoons.
1062:Vastrap Weapons Area
1156:Official website:
1029:AFS Port Elizabeth
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923:Wings of the SAAF
604:Reserve squadrons
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93:120 Squadron SAAF
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19:120 Squadron SAAF
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999:AFB Langebaanweg
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1024:AFB Ysterplaat
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378:on 2 May 2014
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1057:TAB Upington
1014:AFB Swartkop
1009:AFB Overberg
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380:. Retrieved
376:the original
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362:
350:. Retrieved
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324:. Retrieved
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252:
233:South Africa
216:
185:
154:
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56:South Africa
1004:AFB Makhado
217:Cactus Mk 2
143:Description
110:Thomson-CSF
1175:Categories
989:AFB Durban
583:Formation
446:Leadership
347:SAAF.co.za
303:References
249:Deployment
114:Bloodhound
1071:Equipment
585:aerobatic
372:af.mil.za
352:16 August
326:16 August
39:1970–2002
255:platoons
1092:History
259:battery
146:Comment
140:Variant
104:History
44:Country
235:design
230:
204:design
202:France
199:
173:design
171:France
168:
149:Image
125:Cactus
95:was a
71:
62:Branch
53:
36:Active
976:Bases
587:teams
382:2 May
384:2014
354:2012
328:2012
123:All
80:Role
913:129
908:128
903:127
898:126
893:125
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1177::
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370:.
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431:e
424:t
417:v
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330:.
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