Posted on 12/01/2010 11:32:16 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
SA and Brazil talking on surface-to-air missile cooperation
By: Keith Campbell
1st December 2010
Talks are continuing between the Brazilian Navy and South Africa’s State-owned missile company, Denel Dynamics, about the joint development of the proposed Umkhonto-R medium-range radar-guided naval surface-to-air missile. The Brazilian Navy has, however, two conditions for participation in the project.
First, there must be an overarching government-to-government framework agreement, including mutual guarantees, to govern the programme. It is believed that this still has to be agreed by the South African government. Second, the South African Navy (SAN) must commit itself to also buying the Umkhonto-R.
Currently, the SAN operates the original version of the missile, the short-range infrared homing Umkhonto-IR. An improved version of the Umkhonto-IR, with a somewhat increased range, has been acquired by the Finnish Navy (it will, it seems, also be bought by the SAN).
The SAN is known to be interested in an extended range version of the Umkhonto, but it is not clear if this interest is focused on an improved version of the Umkhonto-IR or on the Umkhonto-R.
The Brazilian Navy is looking for a medium (30 km or more) range missile that could later be further developed to achieve a significantly longer range, which would be used to arm its next generation of frigates.
The navy’s interest in cooperating with South Africa has been greatly stimulated by the success of the A-Darter air-to-air missile programme, being developed and funded on a 50:50 basis by South Africa (Denel Dynamics) and Brazil (Brazilian Air Force and three Brazilian companies).
The Brazilian Navy has already selected two Brazilian companies to participate in the programme, should it go ahead. Unlike the Brazilian Air Force in the A-Darter programme, the Brazilian Navy will play little active part in the missile development process, leaving that to the chosen companies.
This is because the navy’s in-house engineering and technical expertise is already heavily committed to its top strategic priority, namely the expansion of its submarine force. The long-term objective for Brazil is to have a fleet of four nuclear- and ten conventionally-powered submarines.
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