SOUTH AFRICAN MISSILE manufacturer Kentron has revealed that it is working on a ramjet-powered variant of the SAHV surface-to-air missile for an unspecified foreign customer.
The SAHV has previously had a solid-rocket motor and fitting a ramjet would increase its range to beyond 30km (16nm). Work is believed to be relatively advanced on the ramjet design, which has been developed by Somchem. A series of engine test firings is now under way.
The SAHV missile would also be fitted with an imaging infrared seeker to provide better target discrimination and resistance to countermeasures.
Source: Flight International