Rapier is a British surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army to replace its towed Bofors 40/L70 anti-aircraft guns. It is unusual in using manual optical guidance, with commands sent to the missile over a radio link, so its accuracy is high and a large warhead is not needed: the missile carries a 1.4 kilogram warhead with a contact fuze and a single-stage solid rocket motor that takes it to about Mach 2. Rapier entered service in 1971 and eventually replaced all other anti-aircraft weapons in British Army service, and the RAF Regiment adopted it as well. It also sold abroad. Later upgrade series were carried out by MBDA, and in October 2021 Sky Sabre replaced it as one of the main UK air defence weapons.
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Source Rapier (missile) (Wikipedia)
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Source Rapier (missile) (Wikipedia)History, upgradesQuote, History, upgrades
another major upgrade series started at MBDA (previously Matra BAe Dynamics)
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Source Rapier (missile) (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
Rapier is a surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army
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1. Rapier (missile) (Wikipedia)
Lead, service entry
Entering service in 1971
Lead
Rapier is a surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army
Design, rocket motor
single-stage solid-rocket motor
History, upgrades
another major upgrade series started at MBDA (previously Matra BAe Dynamics)
View the Source2. GlobalSecurity.org: Rapier Field Standard C
GlobalSecurity.orgOverview, service entryQuote, Overview, service entry
The Rapier missile system entered service with the British Army and the Royal Air Force in 1971.
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