December 2006
Latest version of the Delilah family enters export fray
Israel Military Industries is close to landing initial orders for a ship-launched version of its Delilah air-launched cruise missile, a sign of growing demand for littoral combat weapon systems, according to the company.
Like a ground-launched version introduced previously, the turbojet-powered, high-subsonic Delilah SL is equipped with a rocket booster and has a range of 250 km. (155 mi.) or more. Capable of loitering or performing a go-around before final strike, the weapon is designed to identify targets in high clutter typical of littoral or deep-inland environments with high (less than 1 meter) accuracy, said IMI Marketing Director Rafi Eitan at the Euronaval exhibition here last week. Flight duration is up to 22 min.
As on the Delilah GL and the basic air-launched weapon, the SL version can be fitted with an interchangeable forward-looking infrared/charge-coupled device or electro-optical seekers for day/night all-weather target discrimination. It is equipped with autonomous INS/GPS navigation and real-time video imagery for man-in-the-loop control and battle damage assessment. The SL carries a price tag of approximately $700,000, allowing it to destroy high-value fixed, mobile or relocatable threats with minimal collateral damage at far lower cost than comparable missiles like the Harpoon, Eitan says.
He indicates that IMI has "several" prospects in Europe and is talking with European companies, including Diehl and MBDA, to help market the new versions, which are being developed with internal funds. Talks are ongoing with two potential Asian buyers as well.
http://militarynuts.com/index.php?showtopic=1121&st=15
Dos cosas, por US$ 700.000 el misil no es un arma que se pueda emplear a la ligera, si no mas bien en blancos especiales que bien valgan el costo de emplear el misil. Lo cual a su vez podria dejar a la FAC por fuera, o al menos pensando en cuantas unidades se podria costear. Creo que el futuro despliegue del Arpia IV dilucidara muchas incognitas.
Lo otro es que tal vez los clientes asiaticos terminaron siendo China, con quien IMI compartio los riegos de desarrollo de la segunda version del misil y el otro muy probablemente fue India..... alguien se atreve a pronosticar las vueltas que da la vida? ...acaso Su-30MKI no le suena a alguien?
Salud.






