Attacks by maritime drones (USVs) and kamikaze aerial drones (UAVs) are undoubtedly a particular concern for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, especially for small patrol vessels and transport/logistics vessels which are not adequately armed to deal with attacks from these two types of drones.
Based on the problems faced before our eyes, RATEP, part of the Almaz Antey Air and Space Defense Corporation, launched an upgraded version of the Komar 3M47-03E air defense system (hanud).
Komar, which means ‘mosquito’ in Russian, was launched at the Interpolitex 2023 exhibition in Moscow (17-19 October 2023). Quoting from the Ria Novosti site – ria.ru, it is stated that the new version of the Komar 3M47-03E is designed for ships which according to specifications cannot carry heavier hanud systems.
The Komar 3M47-03E module is armed with Iglas-S short-range hanud missiles, and can also be armed with missiles to destroy targets on the Ataka surface.
With these two missiles, the Komar system is claimed to be capable of attacking not only low-flying aircraft and aerial drones, but also targets on the surface, especially so-called “kamikaze ship drones.”
Apart from being equipped with missiles as a threat neutralization element, the Komar launch module is also equipped with sensor devices (optical electronic and thermal imaging target recognition systems) to track targets on the surface moving at a speed of 50 knots, or around 90 km per hour.
Compared to the previous version of Komar, the new version of Komar has dual capabilities, namely being armed with Igla-S hanud missiles to target air threats up to a distance of 6 km and a height of 3.5 km.
And in parallel, the new version of Komar can also be equipped with Ataka missiles which can attack surface targets at the same distance. This multirole capability offers a comprehensive defense solution against a wide range of air and surface threats.
From a technical perspective, what differentiates the new version of Komar from the old version of Komar is its lighter and more compact design. The weight of the launcher on the new Komar version is less than 1.5 tonnes, making it easy for small vessels to use.
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| Komar Naval Hanud System |
Talking about reaction capabilities, the new version of Komar's reaction is relatively fast at only 8 seconds, an ability that is very important in critical combat scenarios. Meanwhile, for target detection, operators can visually detect aircraft up to a distance of 15 km and anti-ship missiles up to a distance of 8 km.
The new version of the Komar 3M47-03E also features flexibility in operation, namely it can accommodate between one and four universal launch modules, each capable of holding two missiles.
From the Rosoboronexport page, it is called the Komar 3M47-03E ship-based missile system module, which can attack targets at heights ranging from 0.01 to 3.5 km and surface targets at a distance of 0.5 to 6 km.
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The Komar system can intercept targets moving at speeds up to 400 meters per second and pursue targets moving at speeds up to 320 meters per second. The aiming area includes an azimuth of ±165 degrees and an altitude of between -20 and +70 degrees.