GarryB on Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:44 am
Late derivates of Buk have good ABM capabilities aganist threatre BMs or tactical BMs, whichever term you prefer. Actually M3 outperforms S-300P in every aspect there is. However that is not the inteded role of the system, it can be used aganist such targets.
Well in the context I would beg to differ.
Obviously if the Saudis were using the BUK and the Houthi the BMs then I would agree because the BUK would be near military targets and the Saudi launched BMs would be aimed at civilian targets so the BUK would have little to do.
The BUK is intended to hit all threats to the targets it is protecting... including BMs... they would not have bothered giving it such capabilities if it was not intended for such roles.
US never deployed it inside combat zone for the purpose or air defence actually, Israelis did (their fronts are tiny so...) and from what i am aware only manned aircraft kill was one Su-24. Its the only one being ever engaded too from what i am aware. They however did shoot down many UAVs with it though last decade.
Plus at least one allied aircraft...
Thing with Patriot is that it was forced into ABM role while not really being suitable for it, it was wrong from the start to expect from initial Patriot variants to cope all that well aganist tactical balistic missiles.
Just like western navies lack of CIWS because they underestimate the anti ship missile, their SAMs lack performance against ballistic threats too... like I said... only THAAD and PAC-3 Patriot were developed for use against BMs.... compared with most Soviet SAMs having some capability in their newer models.
I highly doubt such systems capabilities unless it is aimed entirely at short range BM's then maybe. S-300V is far more refined for that roll.
The interception of a BM is all about accuracy and a system designed to intercept small high speed targets.The ability to direct warhead fragments at a specific part of the target also make them much more effective... no point in shredding a Scud because it is a falling, not flying target... its rear can have more holes than a sieve but as long as the warhead is intact it will still do damage on impact.