Question about SA-18 missiles

[BushOut06]

There have been reports that Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda have gotten ahold of some SA-18 surface-to-air anti-aircraft missiles - far more advanced than the Stingers used in the 80s. Whether or not I believe this, I don't know - I think the information came from a al-Qaeda prisoner, but the French government seems to be pretty worried about this. Many also believe that the TWA airliner that went down in New York several years ago was the result of a missile.

My question is a technical one, however. Can SA-18 missiles be used against stationary, ground targets? For instance, say you had about a dozen SA-18 missiles poised around the Super Bowl - would it be feasible to fire them directly at the stadium from a distance? Or do these have to reach a certain altitude in order to detonate?

[davepc]

1. It would be a waste to try to deploy them in that manner

They're made for shooting down airplanes/helicopters.

If you want to shoot stationary ground targets then the cheaper, more available and easier to use RPG is your weapon of choice.

SAM's warheads aren't designed to be used as anti-personal weapons. Their warheads are too small to do massive damage to anything other then aluminum skinned airplanes.

There's also the manner of their guidance system which will has a tendency to fly towards the biggest heat source if its not pre-locked onto a specific heat source before firing.

It's not unheard of for some heat-seeking SAM's to try to shoot down the sun when they're fired with a weak lock on the airplane they're being aimed at.

[BushOut06]

3. Thanks for the info n/t

n/t

[Massacure]

2. They have an IR seeker on them.

It doesn't matter where you aim it, it will point at the object that emits the most infra red that is in its field of view.

[seriousstan]

4. Just a little info for those of us who had to look it up.......

Maximum effective range 5200 meters
altitude, (m) 10-3500
Guidance mode passive IR homing
emplace/displace time 13 sec


http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/row/sa-18.htm