Hellenic Air Force met with the Israeli Rafael company to acquire Spyder Anti-aircraft System. General Staff of the Air Force (GEA) and RAFAEL held a meeting on April 17, 2024, with the General Staff of National Defence and the General Staff of the Army. SPYDER (Surface-to-Air PYthon and DERby) is Rafael's short-to-long-range anti-aircraft system that employs advanced Israeli short- and medium-range Python 5 and Derby air-to-air missiles, respectively. Rafael offers SPYDER in three configurations: SPYDER SR/ER, SPYDER MR/LR, and SPYDER AiO. The first two variants are artillery units equipped with up to six self-propelled launchers, a mobile radar, and a mobile command and control unit, while the third configuration is a fully autonomous target acquisition and firing unit. According to the manufacturer, the SPYDER family consists of short- to long-range (20-80 km) mobile air defence systems capable of defending broad areas against a variety of threats, such as attack aircraft, helicopters, bombers, cruise missiles, UAVs, and stand-off weaponry. The SPYDER SR/ER is a short-range anti-aircraft system. Artillery is equipped with 3-6 four-round launchers mounted on a high agility truck. The Quadruple Launcher (MFU) can elevate and rotate 360 degrees. The system has two missile launch modes: pre-launch target lock (LOBL) and post-launch target lock (LOAL). Unlike vertical launch, the call launch method allows for LOBL, which means that the missile's onboard seeker can lock on to the target before launch. The LOBL capability allows the Squadron Commander to validate that the missile is locked onto the intended target before launch, increases the likelihood of engagement against highly manoeuvrable short-range targets, and enables engagement of designated targets using extra optical sensors. The artillery is supported by a self-propelled command and control vehicle, missile delivery and reloading vehicles, and a repair vehicle. The gunnery radar is also carried by the command-and-control vehicle (CCU). The radar used is the ELTA EL/M-2106 ATAR (Advanced Tactical Acquisition Radar). It is an L-band three-dimensional solid-state radar with an active electronic steering array designed for high-altitude surveying. It has a maximum range of 180 km, a 70-110 km fighter detection range, and a 40-kilometer range for hovering helicopters and UAVs. It has IFF modes 1, 2, 3, A, C, and 4 and advanced anti-countermeasure capabilities.
The system's capabilities include an airborne threat strike with a range of 1-40km and an altitude of 20m to 12km.
The SPYDER MR/LR is a medium to long-range anti-aircraft system. An artillery unit is equipped with 3-6 eight-round launchers (MFU) mounted on a high agility truck. The bullets are discharged vertically, providing a 360-degree shooting capability. In addition, each rocket includes an integrated TopLite electro-optical system. The artillery is supported by a self-propelled command and control vehicle, missile delivery and reloading vehicles, a repair vehicle, and a radar transport vehicle. The radar used is ELTA's EL/M-2084.
This radar is one of several 4D AESA radars that use multi-mode Gallium Nitride transceivers in the S/C bands. The radar's primary duties include air surveillance, air defence (fire control radar), early warning, anti-aircraft radar, and C-RAM. MMR detects high and low-flying targets, tracks, classifies and generates a real-time air situation picture of all aerial targets, including low cross-section radar systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, tactical air weapons, cruise munitions, tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and cruise missile trajectory.
The radar is offered in two configurations: spinning and static. The first features 360-degree coverage, a maximum range of 475 kilometres, vertical coverage ranging from -7 to 70 degrees, and an altitude survey of 30 kilometres. The second coverage (+/-) is 65 degrees horizontally and -7 to 90 degrees vertically, with a maximum range of 650 km and a height of 30 km. The system's capabilities include aerial threat attacks at ranges of 1-80 km and altitudes ranging from 20 m to 12 km.
SPYDER AiO is the family's newest member. The SPYDER AiO (All in One) is a fully flexible and autonomous air defence vehicle designed to meet the vital operational needs of the current battlefield.
