SA-2 GUIDELINE

Provide medium to high altitude 360 degree coverage against single aircraft or small groups of aircraft.

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Description

Designed as a replacement for the SA-1 fixed installation surface to air missile (SAM) system, the SA-2 is capable of defending fixed installations as well as mobile field forces. In addition, while the SA-1's field of fire was limited, the SA-2 has 360 degrees of coverage, though it is only capable of engaging one target at a time. Though the deployment pattern may vary, there are always six launching positions per site, generally centered around a guidance radar and accessible by roads to facilitate reloading and servicing. The SA-2 was deployed in the Soviet Union to protect military facilities and airfields, as well as civilian population centers with more than 200,000 citizens. Additionally, the SA-2 say service with Soviet military forces in Germany, and was distributed to the Warsaw Pact beginning in 1960. Though it is mobile, the lag time associated with setting up and displacing an SA-2 site precludes its following a fluid front. Rather, the SA-2 would be used to defend unit headquarters, logistic centers, and theater assembly areas.

The SA-2 is a medium to high altitude two stage surface to air missile dependent on radar command guidance and armed with either a 15kt nuclear or a 195kg fragmentation warhead, each with contact, proximity or command detonation capability. The booster is a solid rocket propellant motor fitted with four large fins. The second stage is equipped with a storable liquid propellant sustainer motor and three sets of fins, a large set of four is mounted in the mid section, a smaller set of power control fins is mounted at the base, and an even smaller set of fixed fins is mounted on the nose. The warhead is mounted in the second stage forward of the large fins. At medium and low altitude the kill radius is 65 meters and the blast radius is 100-120 meters, which compensates for the missile's 75 meter circle of accuracy. At high altitude the blast radius is 250 meters.

An SA-2 battalion consists of 6 launchers, a command post fire control team and fire direction computer, a Fan Song missile control radar, P-12 Spoon Rest early warning search radar and typically 6 reloads. Typically the launchers will placed in a hexagonal pattern with all the command and control elements placed in the center of the hexagon. The Spoon Rest A-band radar has a range of 275 km and the Fan Song fire control and tracking radar has a range of 60-120km (A/B versions) or 70-145 km (C/E/F versions), depending on altitude, target type, and operating conditions. China produces its own version of the SA-2 designated HQ-1 and HQ-2) as does Egypt (designated Tayir as Sabah).