Project is developed with Brazilian technology and labor
By First Lieutenant (RM2-T) Leonardo Ferreira Trindade, embarked in the “Liberal” Frigate – Rio de Janeiro, RJ
The Brazilian Navy (MB) successfully launched the fifth National Surface Anti-Ship Missile (MANSUP), this Wednesday morning (26th), in the region south of Cabo Frio (RJ). The operation counted with the participation of the “Liberal” and “União” frigates and two AH-11B Wild Lynx aircrafts. The objective of the program is to develop and produce this type of weapon in Brazil with 100% national technology. Currently, the MANSUP is in the production phase of a pilot lot, for the functional qualification of the missile in flight.
The launches, in this phase of the pilot lot, will be carried out with a telemetric head, which replaces the combat head in test launches, with the function of transmitting information from the missile during flight, for failure analysis and verification.
This last launch was the first flight of the updated versions of the guidance and altimeter computer, a subsystem of the MANSUP with the function of estimating height relative to the mean sea surface. Also in this test, programmed maneuvers were performed to verify the performance of the Guidance, Navigation and Control System (SGNC) of this new equipment.
According to Robson Duarte, from the company Sistemas Integrados de Alto Teor Tecnológico (SIATT), which is MANSUP’s Program Manager, many lessons have been learned since the first launch until today. “SIATT developed the Guidance, Navigation, and Control System with critical components, such as altimeter, actuators, guidance computer, and the inertial platform supplied by the Brazilian Navy, which brings great autonomy to the country,” he said.
Robson also emphasized the importance, for Brazil, in manufacturing these missiles and also the role of SIATT in this manufacturing. “This project will provide Brazil with total autonomy and independence for the production of this system, which is essential for the protection of the Blue Amazon, one of the greatest and potential natural riches of the country, which is a source of income, subsistence, direct and indirect jobs for the Brazilian nation, and must be preserved and protected.
For the Navy’s Weapons Systems Director, Vice-Admiral Marco Antonio Ismael Trovão de Oliveira, “the application of new knowledge, with visible practical results, can be said to be exactly the objective of this stage of qualification of the missile’s subsystems. During the launching of the first qualification model of the MANSUP, named ‘P1’, a new version of the software of the Management, Navigation and Control System [SGNC], developed for that stage, was tested. In the current stage the final version of the SGNC was tested, with the improvements resulting from the analysis of the telemetric data of the ‘P1’, as well as the propulsion system developed for this stage. Thus, it is expected that, with the data analyzed from this launch, this section of the missile will be approved in the qualification as a product,” he explains.
The project is also important for the Brazilian society, as a generator of jobs and for the knowledge acquired and put into practice, giving Brazil autonomy in the production of this important sector of the Defense Industrial Base.
“The specialized labor force employed by the companies involved in the project is made up of Brazilian engineers and technicians, trained in the various academic centers, in the areas of knowledge related to the technology. Therefore, the technology employed in the MANSUP project is 100% national, developed by Brazilians trained in our schools,” reinforced the Admiral.
For the launches of this stage, the updates will be implemented gradually, in order to allow each subsystem to be individually evaluated and qualified for the definitive version of the product. In this second launch, the performance of the propulsion system was verified, and the new version of the Missile Launching Console – CLM and the control software (SGNC), which underwent improvements based on the results of the previous launch, were evaluated.
All these technologies used and the launches carried out converge to generate a legacy for Brazilian defense, since it is a missile of this size, completely developed and tested in the country.
The Commander in Chief of the Fleet, Vice Admiral Edgar Luiz Siqueira Barbosa, emphasized the importance of the Fleet’s participation in the MANSUP development project. “The launching of the fifth MANSUP, each one being carried out by a different ship, serves to test the preparation of the surface means’ weapon systems and our consequent combat capacity. The success in launching intelligent weapons of great destructive power demonstrates that the Fleet always seeks to be at a high level of readiness, always available to defend national interests, protecting our wealth.
For the Commander of the Fleet’s 1st Division and of the Task Group (GT) coordinating the launching, Rear Admiral Nelson Leite, the launching of an intelligent weapon such as the MANSUP demands the fulfillment of requirements to ensure the safety of navigation and maritime traffic in the region. In addition, he emphasized that the weapons exercise is always an excellent opportunity for the Fleet ships to train in the attack operations of naval warfare.
In this sense, during the commission, the ships of the GT also carried out surface shooting exercises with the 4.5-inch and 40mm cannons, as well as conducting training on sea trials, area operations, transit under surface threat, battle stations, among others.
Besides the “Liberal” Frigate, which was the launching ship, the following ships also participated in the operation: the “União” Frigate, as assistant ship; the aircraft AH-11B (Lynx 45), responsible for the telemetry (technology that allows the remote, real-time measurement of the parameters necessary to evaluate the missile’s operation and performance); and the aircraft AH-11B (Lynx 43), to ensure the surveillance and security of the site.
Check out the video of the missile launch
Source: Agência Marinha de Notícias