The Greek company SAS Technology has successfully completed a series of tests with the Sarisa II (SRS-2A) attack drone. The drone can fire both unguided and laser-guided 70-millimeter missiles of the type Thales FZ275 – the same guided missile that will also be used in the new light multi-role helicopter Leonardo AW169 Lion of the Austrian Armed Forces will be used.
From February 10 to 12, SAS Technology conducted firing tests with the Sarisa II at the Litochoro test site (Greece). The tests took place under the supervision of the Greek Ministry of Defense and with the participation of Thales Belgium and Hellenic Defence Systems (HDS). The Sarisa II hit its targets precisely with both variants of the FZ275 missile.
On the last day of the test series, a demonstration was held for the command of the Greek armed forces and foreign delegations. The drone fired an FZ275 LGR missile from a height of 450 meters in hover and level flight mode, maintaining its stability and achieving a deviation of less than one meter.
Thales FZ275 LGR – 2.75″ (70 millimeter) semi-active laser-guided missile
The development of the 2.75-inch (70 millimeter) folding fin air-to-ground missile dates back to the late 1940s. Weighing around twelve kilograms, the Hydra 70 is launched individually or in bursts from multiple launchers, reaches around Mach 2 shortly after launch and has an effective range of five to eight kilometers. Its low weight makes it easier to handle on the ground, so that personnel can reload it quickly and without technical aids.
The FZ275 from Thales is a fully European missile that is fully compatible with the Hydra-70 system. The LGR variant has a semi-active laser seeker and four fold-out canards for control. With a length of 1.8 meters and a weight of 12.7 kilograms, it is equipped with a 4.1 kilogram high-explosive warhead containing prefabricated fragments. The effective operational range is up to seven kilometers, with a deviation of less than one meter at distances of up to six kilometers. The lethal fragmentation radius is nine meters.
Target types for the FZ275 include soft and lightly armored vehicles, radar and communications installations, and unfortified or lightly fortified positions.
Tests and deployments show that the missile can also be effective against moving ground targets and air targets such as drones or cruise missiles if the interception geometry is optimized (tangential speed of the target below 60 km/h). Originally developed for aircraft, the weapon family is now also used by ground-based carrier systems. Targeting is carried out via a coded laser beam, either from the weapon carrier itself or from an external source.
The Thales FZ275 LGR weapon system for the Leonardo AW169MA light multi-purpose helicopter is being procured by the Austrian Armed Forces. This can carry up to two FZ233 launchers, each equipped with seven unguided or guided FZ275 missiles. Delivery will begin this year.
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