Roland-1 anti-aircraft missile system

The main equipment of the complex is assembled on a universal rotating tower unit (see layout diagram) and includes:

• radar antenna to detect air targets,
• binocular telescopic sight,
• infrared direction finder
• radio command transmission station aboard ZUR,
• two automatically controlled guides.

Inside the launcher case there are also an analogue counting and resolution device of the guidance system, a transmitter and a receiver of the detection radar, two revolver-type magazines (each with four rockets in transport and launch containers), a power supply unit, a radio station, a launch control panel and control equipment. The combat weight of the unit is about 33 tons, the crew consists of three persons (a gunner-operator, a commander-operator and a mechanic-driver).

Anti-aircraft guided missile "Roland" is made according to normal aerodynamic scheme with folding wing consoles, which open in flight springs. The rocket propulsion system consists of a booster SD1156 and a marching engine Epictete 120IA. The launch vehicle has two nozzles with nonseparating body. The charge of the launch engine (weighing 13.2 kg) is placed around the gas pipe of the marching engine. When the rocket is launched, the launch engine accelerates to 500 m/sec during 1.7 s, while the marshal engine runs for 13 s and provides a maximum flight speed of 560 m/s. The ZUR flight control is gas-dynamic and is provided by the jet deflection of the marching engine. The missile's shrapnel-cumulative warhead weighs 6.5 kg and contains 3.5 kg of explosives. It is made in the form of a cylinder, on the surface of which are dug hemispherical excavations. Shrapnel impact radius is up to 5m. The combat unit is detonated with the help of a contact or non-contact fuse, the moment of detonation of the non-contact fuse is coordinated with the diagram of splintering. In the tail part of the missile are located tracers. The rocket is launched from a fiberglass transport and launch container (GRP), the weight of which together with the ZUR 85kg, length 2.6m, diameter 0.28m. The rocket can be fired in a few seconds after the PU stops. The onboard receiver of radio commands is made on transistors. Its antennas are mounted at the rear of the tail aerodynamic surfaces. The ZUR automatically self-liquidates when the fuel of the marshal engine is burned out. Self-liquidation can be done before by a special radio command from the ground.

After the shot is fired the TPK is discharged from the rail and on command of the commander there is automatic recharging of the launcher (recharging time about 10s) by gripping the beam-holder of the next container from the magazine. These operations can be carried out independently of each other by the holder-beams. The drum-type magazines are located on the sides in the PU housing, each of them accommodates four ZUR containers and is equipped with a hydraulic drive. There are 10 missiles in a portable PU ammunition set.

Air target detection radar is a 1-2 GHz pulse Doppler station. This radar is capable of detecting targets flying at a speed of 30-500 m/s at a range of up to 18 km (with an effective reflecting area of 1 m2). Its antenna rotates at a speed of 60 rpm. On the march, the antenna is folded and fastened in a walking mode. Time of target detection does not exceed 4s. The radar also includes identification equipment "in-situ".

The control panel has a round-screen display with a scale on which the air situation is displayed, which allows the commander to select a target for firing. The formation, positioning and movement of the target display icons on the screen is provided by a fire control counter-solution device that receives information about the air situation from the detection radar. The commander selects the target to be fired by aligning the marker with its mark on the screen. This causes the tower to automatically turn in the direction that allows the SAM controls to begin operating. An audible alarm is available to unload the commander (no need to keep an eye on the screen at all times) - an alarm is triggered when a target appears. Removing or approaching the target is captured by the tone of the alarm.

The Roland-1 missile is guided by the telescope sight. It has two degrees of magnification: six- and twelvefold and can provide manual tracking of a fast-moving target with a 2-3 m RMS error. Infra-red direction finder, mounted in the sight and coaxial with it, is used to measure angular misalignment between flying ZUR and optical axis of the sight, directed by the operator to the target. For this purpose, the direction finder automatically accompanies the route of the missile, transmitting the results to the counting-solving guidance device. The sighting device generates commands for pointing the SAM using the "cover target" method. These commands are transmitted to the LSD via the antenna of the transmitting station.

The Roland" SAM system is designed to fire targets flying at a speed of up to 440 m/sec in the altitude range from 0.02 to 3 km at ranges from 0.5 to 6.2 km. The calculated probability of engagement of one missile against a target flying at a speed of 300 m/sec is not less than 0.5 with a direct hit probability of 0.16-0.25.