The Roland surface-to-air missile system is the product of Franco-German collaboration and has formed one of the cornerstones of short-range air defense developed since the middle of the 1960s. The Roland system was designed to meet the threat posed by low-flying aircraft and helicopters; through a series of improvements, each added new capability and extended its in-service life.
The Roland missile system was designed to provide defense for mobile units and high-value facilities, such as airfields. It utilizes a twin-arm missile launcher and can be placed in both an armored self-propelled unit for frontline use and as a static system mounted on trucks or shelters. The missile itself has a solid propellant rocket motor, receiving its initial velocity from a booster charge, and is fitted with both contact and radar proximity fuses.
Roland I: This system uses an optical tracker for clear-weather, daytime operation only. A gunner operating in a manual mode tracks the target, and the fire control system provides radio commands for course correction to the missile.
Roland II: This is an all-weather, day/night-capable version of the Roland system. It adds a fire control radar for automatic tracking. It has a system of automatic switching between optical and radar guidance, allowing switching between modes during an engagement.
Roland III: Enhanced version of Roland II, with increased speed – 570 m/s against 500 m/s – and range – 8 km instead of 6.3 km. More powerful warhead and enhanced guidance system.
VT1: Hypersonic missile variant forming part of the Crotale-NG system; can reach speeds as high as 1,250 m/s; targets up to 12 km away can be reached by it.
Entering service with the French Army in 1977 and the German Army in 1978, export customers over the years have included Argentina, Iraq, and the United States. In combat, the Roland system has seen action during the Falklands War and the Gulf War, recording several confirmed kills, including one against a British Sea Harrier and an RAF Tornado.
Despite its successes, the Roland system has received several criticisms. For example, the FlaRakPz variant has been called “an entertainment vehicle for shooting fireworks” as it may not be good enough to track and shoot down fast-flying aircraft. As per the critics, its radar often loses its lock and the missiles fail to catch up with the targets. Therefore, this is not as effective as other systems, such as the Gepard 1A2 or the Ozelot.
The Roland-3 complex represented an essential technological jump with a three-axis X-band round-scan radar with a detection range of 25 km and an altitude limit of 9 km. An electron-optical visor with an infrared direction finder was fitted. The detection range with this device is up to 20 km for aircraft and 10 km for helicopters. The tracking system works both within the radar and dual-band optical-electronic channels while automatically selecting the best channel and switching between these channels in combat work.
Another option for the Roland-3 is the VT1 hypersonic missile and the new Roland Mach 5 (RM5) missile, more resistant to electromagnetic and infrared interference. The RM5 is designed to intercept armored helicopters, highly maneuverable aircraft, even UAVs, and cruise missiles, its maximum flight speed was 1,600 m/s, with an effective range of 12 km.
Continuous development within the Roland system has ensured its relevance in modern air defense. Advanced variants, including Roland III and RM5, extended the operations capability and made the system a formidable means of defense against evolving air threats.
It is still in operation today in many countries but has been retired in service in countries like Germany and the United States. The Roland SAM is representative of a legacy found in international cooperation for defense technology and has provided robust air defense solutions for over five decades.