An important part of the fighting in the Ukraine war is taking place in the air. However, not only aircraft and helicopters are used, but also anti-aircraft missiles, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. Colonel Thomas Golda is head of the Air Defense Institute at the Armed Forces Air Force and Air Defense School in Langenlebarn. He explains what these weapons are all about.
Colonel, what is the difference between a ballistic missile and a cruise missile? Can you imagine the “precision weapons” according to Russian specifications?
Ballistic missiles are fired from land. They are used at ranges of less than a hundred kilometers to several thousand kilometers. When used at greater distances, they leave the earth’s atmosphere. They are only propelled during the launch phase and then enter a ballistic flight. On final approach, they reach several times the speed of sound. Conventional ballistic missiles work through high explosive force, pressure and heat. They are area weapons that hit a larger target area and are not precision weapons.
The ballistic missiles used include the OTR-21 Tochka. As they fly almost vertically towards their target, they are difficult to detect by radar sensors and difficult to combat with weapon systems. Such anti-ship weapon systems include the US Patriot system and the Russian-made S-300 system. Cruise missiles can be fired from ships, submarines, airplanes or from land. The cruise missiles used in the war so far are deployed at distances of up to just under 1,000 kilometers. These include the 3M Kalibr. They are propelled by a rocket motor throughout the entire flight. Cruise missiles generally fly in the subsonic range and very low (adapted to the terrain). This low flight makes detection and engagement more difficult. In contrast to ballistic missiles, cruise missiles are precision weapons designed to hit their target with pinpoint accuracy.
How do anti-aircraft missiles work and what range do they have? Doesn’t Ukraine have enough of them?
Ukraine has a large number of air defense systems. Systems such as the SA-6 or S-300 are used at long ranges (over 50 kilometers). As these are weapons whose control is exclusively dependent on longer-range radar systems, we can assume that these are either jammed or have already been destroyed during deployment. In addition, “autonomous air defense systems” such as the SA-13 or SA-15 are used. These are radar-guided or infrared-guided missile systems with short and medium ranges (up to 50 kilometers). The 2K22 Tunguska complements this category with a short-range cannon system. At very short ranges (up to five kilometers), portable anti-aircraft guided missile systems are used, such as the SA-7, SA-16, SA-17 and American Stinger. These are infrared-guided missile systems that are activated by a heat source in the sky. As these systems are very difficult to detect and do not require a radar system, they pose a major threat to low-flying aircraft (up to 3,000 meters above ground).
Would Austrian airspace surveillance be able to detect or fend off incoming ballistic missiles or cruise missiles?
The Austrian air surveillance radar systems are not capable of detecting ballistic missiles or cruise missiles. The system with 35 mm twin anti-aircraft guns of the ground-based air defence force can indeed engage a cruise missile on final approach (up to 3,000 meters in front of the target) if the fire control system (radar) detects the target. However, it is unlikely that the cruise missile will be destroyed. A ballistic missile cannot be defended against.
