Designation:BAe
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Type | : | Long range anti-radar missile. | |
Service history | : | (C,D) | 2003-2023, RDF Air Force.
2023-2030, REF Air Force. 2015-2030, SC TAF. |
Length | : | 410 cm. | |
Diameter | : | 23 cm. | |
Wingspan | : | 73 cm. | |
Weight | : | 315 kg. | |
Warhead | : | (C) | EMP. |
(D) | HE blast/fragmentation. | ||
Weight/yield | : | 55 kg. | |
Propulsion | : | (C) | Rocket booster engine with separate sustainer. |
(D) | Rocket booster and sustainer, terminal booster. | ||
Guidance | : | Multi-band passive radar homing and inertial. | |
Max speed | : | Mach 3.2. | |
Range | : | 105 km. | |
Platforms | : | Avenger, Executioner, Dragon, Valkyrie. |
Developed in the ninth decade of the twentieth century in the United Kingdom, the Alarm is a third-generation anti-radiation missile. The earlier versions were used first by NATO forces, and later by Union Forces in the Civil Wars. After the formation of the RDF, the later versions of the missile were adopted as the standard RDF ARM. A long, thin missile with four small wings and fins, the Alarm weighs little enough that it can be carried in numbers on MERs. An innovative feature of the first Alarm, and repeated in all versions since, was the retarded attack: a missile would be launched in the direction of a radar post, and if it detected no emissions, soared as high as it could, then deployed a parachute and descended. If the a radar site becomes active during the descent, the missile would release the parachute and guide into the radar emissions. Thus, missiles could be 'hung' over radar posts during an attack, giving very fast anti-radar attack response times. The C and D versions, which the RDF procured, had an Electro-Magnetic Pulse warhead and a standard HE warhead, respectively. In addition, the D version had a third stage booster engine, to propel the missile in its terminal phase; either in a direct attack, or after a retarded descent.
Alarm production ceased in 2019, when the ARM Diamondback entered service. However, the stocks of this weapon were not destroyed, but retained as reserves, and numerous missiles were fired by the Southern Cross and REF as late as 2030.
Go to RDF Air-Surface Missile Index.
Go to the Robotech Reference Guide Home Page.
Robotech (R) is the property of Harmony Gold. This document is in no way intended to infringe upon their rights.
Content by Peter Walker and Pieter Thomassen, with Rob Morgenstern
Copyright © 1997 Robert Morgenstern, Peter Walker, Pieter Thomassen
Last Updated: Sunday, September 20, 1998 7:05 PM