The Shahin is a self-propelled SAM system, which was developed by France in the 1970s as a part of state-of-the-art air defense technology. Commissioned originally by Saudi Arabia, the Shahin is an advanced front-line air defense version of the widely used Crotale SAM system.
The Shahin system employs the R460 missile, an advanced development of the R440 missile fired from the Crotale system. The missile has a standard configuration, with the fuze and control vanes fitted at the forward section, followed by the warhead and battery. The solid propellant rocket motor is placed in the middle while cruciform wings and the radar receiver are fitted at the rear. In such a way, the entire missile design was optimized for performance and reliability under extreme combat conditions.
The Shahin system comprised the fire unit with six missiles, fire control radar, and separate acquisition radar. Most Shahin systems were mounted on tracked chassis AMX-30, although a towed shelter version was also made. Usually, only one acquisition unit is assigned to two firing units, and truck-based loaders with extra missiles tag along. Thus, the system can easily be deployed and function on almost all kinds of terrain.
The guidance unit for the Shahin system, the acquisition unit can receive data from the TSQ-73 command center via the Shahin data link. The R460 missiles utilize radar command guidance for target tracking and engagement. Up to two missiles can be fired against a single target, whereas optical guidance can be used at high levels of ECM. It has enhanced the capability of this system due to its dual guidance in complicated combat.
The R460 missile represents an increase in speed to Mach 2.8 and an 11.8 km maximum range compared to its forerunner, the Crotale. Its capability to engage targets goes up to altitudes of 6 km. Against a target flying at Mach 0.75, the kill probability is estimated at 0.9, and 0.99 for a salvo of two missiles. The lethal range for the HE fragmentation warhead has been established at 8 meters, enough to ensure the complete neutralization of an incoming threat.
The tracked chassis with a 620 hp diesel engine gives the Shahin system excellent cross-country mobility and reasonable road speed. There is also an auxiliary power unit (APU) fitted to supply power when the main engine is not running to maintain operational readiness.
The Shahin system forms a part of the family of French SAM platforms that include the Crotale and Roland systems. Crotale, developed by North American Rockwell and Thomson-Houston as Cactus for the South Africans, was also eyed by the French Armed Forces, which put it into service with both its air and naval services. The Crotale system has been mounted on various chassis – including the AMX-30 and Sisu Pasi vehicles – integrated into naval platforms such as the La Fayette class frigates.
In turn, the Crotale NG followed into production from 1990; it employed the VT-1 missile at Mach 3.5, 11 km, and a 13 kg warhead. It is also fitted with more advanced radar and thermal imagery that considerably enhances its target acquisition and engagement performance. A South Korean-augmented variant of the Crotale NG system also emerged for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces: the K-SAM Pegasus in co-development with Samsung Thales.
The Shahin system, along with other variants, forms the backbone of continuous evolution in air defense technologies that are essential for protection from aerial threats in modern combat environments.