The Portuguese Army has announced that the Thales RapidRanger will be its new air defense system, replacing the retired M48A2E1/A3 Chaparral.
This was announced via a promotional video on the Army’s Instagram page, promoting the ongoing expo in Guarda for the celebrations of Army Day. In it, Captain Filipe Gonçalves, announced the news by stating that visitors would be able to know the new light missile system that will equip the Army.
Since 2017 Portugal has been trying to procure a replacement for its aging Chaparral, initially it sought to procure via NSPA (NATO Support and Procurement Agency) two mobile 3D radars, eight launchers, eight Portable Weapon Terminals and eight tactical trucks (4×4 or 6×6), for 32 million euros.
Following constant delays, budgetary issues and several tenders the program’s scope has been reducing with time, the latest tender, launched in December 2023, called for the procurement of one mobile 3D radar, with an extra as an option, three launchers, with an extra as an option and two portable weapon terminals plus another two as an option.
Regarding ammunition, the tender calls for an initial delivery of seven missiles, one of which would be used to conduct a live fire exercise (LFX), with contract options for three more batches of eight missiles each.
In March 2024, six companies had made their bids for the tender, them being Diehl Defense, Aselsan, Roketsan, PIT-Radwar SA, MBDA France and Thales Group.
Currently there still isn’t a public signed contract, as such we will have to wait for more details, it can for now be said that the RapidRanger will be based on the Vamtac ST5, the system carries four missiles, either the Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM) or Starstreak, and that the number of purchased launchers should be three.
The company has this to say regarding the system:
“The system weighs less than 500 kg, and being of modular design, can be fitted to many types of wheeled or tracked vehicles. The RAPIDRanger open architecture enables the integration of a range of missiles including the highly effective STARStreak and LMM.
The RAPIDRanger is designed to include an integral 360° surveillance sensor – either a passive infra-red search and track (IRST) or integrated surveillance and track radar which provides the RAPIDRanger with completely autonomous system operation.”
It’s worth to point out that if Portugal does only initially procure seven missiles, and fires one at an LFX, then the remaining missiles will only be enough to arm one launcher, and arm the second with only half payload. While the third would be left with no available ammunition.
Story will be updated once more information is revealed.
Sources:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBmsrChNX2o/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==