Short Range Air Defence (SHORAD)
Introduction
As modern warfare changes with the growth in stealthy, and agile threats, countries are investing increasingly in their national security and the development of air defense systems. These are used to take defensive measures to counter incoming hostile aerial threats such as ground attack fighter aircraft, missiles, and uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). Air defense systems act as counter-weapon systems for all air threats and are also used for operations such as airspace surveillance using radars and electro-optic sensors. With today’s aerial threat environment continuing to evolve rapidly and with growing complexity, the need for Short Range Air Defence (SHORAD) systems has become increasingly relevant to military operations around the world. Missile threats have been addressed with very capable systems, but there is now a prevalence of smaller threats such as UAS and drones to exploit potential gaps in air defense. SHORAD systems typically can be deployed quickly should the threat assessment change and can be put in places where radar coverage is degraded or non-existent. Equipping SHORAD systems requires component parts that can be maneuverable alongside vehicle formations and can maintain connectivity with other air defense assets for early warning and reporting. SHORAD systems comprise a collection of sensors that typically includes multiple radar and RF sensors. But it can also incorporate electro-optical devices such as cameras or laser rangefinders. In addition, it includes either a C2 or C4I system to communicate between the various elements and the command-and-control system, and also effectors, kinetic weapons, missiles, or, more recently, directed energy weapons. A vehicle component enables SHORAD systems to be mobile (M-SHORAD) and provides a platform for mounting radars. Radar sensors for threat detection and identification are at the heart of SHORAD systems. They are the principal all-weather sensors and are often supported by electro-optic devices to provide precise angle measurements of aerial targets. Critical to the success of any SHORAD system is the ability for all the component parts of the system to be integrated together and in turn to be integrated within the battlefield communications system.