Many of you have undoubtedly seem the articles saying Israel used air to ground ballistic missiles (ALBM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air-launch...ic_missile) in their strike on Iran. This is an interesting choice on their part. Israel has several ALBMs in their toolkit. They are mostly derived from ground launched ballistic missiles that have been modified for air launch. In some cases this involves using only the second stage of the "original" missile. ALBMs often have longer range than their ground launched parents because a lot of the initial "boost phase" is provided by the launch platform. Sometimes these missiles have to "zoom" to higher altitudes after launch to obtain adequate range.
ALBMs (in almost all cases), like their ground launched parents use up all their fuel very early in their flight. These missiles accelerate to high velocities during this phase. For example, the Russian Kinzhal reaches Mach 10 (7,674 mph). It then slows down during flight, actually fairly quickly. . The term "ballistic" in the name is a bit misleading. These missiles are not limited by the initial flight kinetics, as a bullet is. These missiles all have guidance systems that direct the missile to the target. These missiles can "maneuver". The limitation is that the missile can trade speed for altitude. If the missile needs to climb, it will slow down. The missile will be falling under the pull of gravity. If you want the missile to avoid hitting the ground that quickly, you have to climb. The missile will slow down a bit as it does that. When it runs out of speed, it is a rock. It has no wings.
Because of this constraint the ALBM generally is launched at a high altitude. The launch aircraft give it an initial speed and altitude. If necessary the missile can climb further during the boost phase. There is no free lunch, doing this results in a lower velocity after the fuel is exhausted. The trajectory of the missile therefore makes it easily detectable as it approaches the target. A missile at 30,000 ft can be detected at a range of 187 miles (347.694 km). As an example the Israeli Rampage missile has a maximum speed of 550 m/s. Even assuming it doesn't slow down (which it clearly does) it will arrive at the target in 10 minutes, 32 seconds. Lots of time. The intercept can and should occur fairly far from the S-300 that is defending itself. You may recall the time of detection for an ALCM operating at 100 ft was 1 minute 20 seconds. Even if the missile Israel used was more modern (read faster) than the Rampage, it is still giving the S-300 plenty of time to react. For a missile approaching at altitude no radical maneuver is required to intercept. So why did Israel go this way? Looks like a strange choice given what we know. Equally puzzling, why did the S-300s not successfully defend themselves, at least part of the time? Sounds like a Iran should get their money back :-).
For those of you who want to ask "What about a BrahMos?", it is not a ALBM. When launched from an aircraft it is an ALCM that also happens to be very fast (Mach 3). Its ramjet burns fuel all the way to the target.
ALBMs (in almost all cases), like their ground launched parents use up all their fuel very early in their flight. These missiles accelerate to high velocities during this phase. For example, the Russian Kinzhal reaches Mach 10 (7,674 mph). It then slows down during flight, actually fairly quickly. . The term "ballistic" in the name is a bit misleading. These missiles are not limited by the initial flight kinetics, as a bullet is. These missiles all have guidance systems that direct the missile to the target. These missiles can "maneuver". The limitation is that the missile can trade speed for altitude. If the missile needs to climb, it will slow down. The missile will be falling under the pull of gravity. If you want the missile to avoid hitting the ground that quickly, you have to climb. The missile will slow down a bit as it does that. When it runs out of speed, it is a rock. It has no wings.
Because of this constraint the ALBM generally is launched at a high altitude. The launch aircraft give it an initial speed and altitude. If necessary the missile can climb further during the boost phase. There is no free lunch, doing this results in a lower velocity after the fuel is exhausted. The trajectory of the missile therefore makes it easily detectable as it approaches the target. A missile at 30,000 ft can be detected at a range of 187 miles (347.694 km). As an example the Israeli Rampage missile has a maximum speed of 550 m/s. Even assuming it doesn't slow down (which it clearly does) it will arrive at the target in 10 minutes, 32 seconds. Lots of time. The intercept can and should occur fairly far from the S-300 that is defending itself. You may recall the time of detection for an ALCM operating at 100 ft was 1 minute 20 seconds. Even if the missile Israel used was more modern (read faster) than the Rampage, it is still giving the S-300 plenty of time to react. For a missile approaching at altitude no radical maneuver is required to intercept. So why did Israel go this way? Looks like a strange choice given what we know. Equally puzzling, why did the S-300s not successfully defend themselves, at least part of the time? Sounds like a Iran should get their money back :-).
For those of you who want to ask "What about a BrahMos?", it is not a ALBM. When launched from an aircraft it is an ALCM that also happens to be very fast (Mach 3). Its ramjet burns fuel all the way to the target.