29 May 2020

Serbia test-fires indigenous RLN-IC/170 short-range SAM

The Military Technical Institute in Belgrade (Vojnotehnički Institut, VTI), part of the Serbian Ministry of Defence (MoD), on 22 May test-fired the indigenously-developed infrared (IR)-homing RLN-IC/170 short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM).

The test-firing, part of a three-phase programme to upgrade the Serbian Army’s (Kopnena vojska Srbije [KoV’s]) PASARS 6×6 self-propelled hybrid armoured artillery and air defence system, was conducted at the Pasuljanske Livade training ground, near Ćuprija in central-east Serbia. A modified PASARS FM-1 mobile weapon system was used for the test, with the RLN-IC/170 launched at a 120 mm illumination mortar round.

According to the Serbian MoD, the objective of the test firing was to verify the missile’s lock-on-to-target in the pre-launch and launch sequences, to confirm the missile’s aerodynamic configuration and real-time autonomous guidance characteristics, and to establish the functionality of RLN-IC/170’s newly-installed subsystems.

A modified Serbian Army PASARS FM-1 fires an indigenously-developed infrared-homing RLN-IC/170 short-range surface-to-air missile on 22 May.

Nenad Miloradović, Acting Assistant Minister for Materiel Resources in the Serbian MoD, said that the RLN-IC/170 is an improved version of the earlier RLN-IC missile – a local development of the R-13M short-range IR homing air-to-air missile used with the Serbian Air Force MiG-21 combat aircraft. The RLN-IC/170 features a new solid-fuel rocket motor, believed to have been developed by the Krušik Holding Corporation, an updated IR homing warhead, digital control electronics, and a re-configured larger calibre warhead. ”These new components, including the rocket engine, are developed by VTI and its subcontractors,” said Miloradović.

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