RSE Kriens (Missile)

RSE Kriens

Kriens RSe Missile on a duplex launcher at the Flieger-Flab-Museum
Type Surface-to-air missile
Place of origin   Switzerland
Service history
In service no
Production history
Designed 1959
Manufacturer Oerlikon Contraves
Produced 1958–1966
Specifications
Weight missile: 800 kg (empty 360 kg)
Length 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in)
Diameter 42 cm (1 ft 5 in)
Warhead 70kg warhead
Engine Solid fuel
Wingspan 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in)
Operational
range
 35 km (22 mi)
Flight ceiling 27,000 m (89,000 ft)
Speed Mach 2.9
Guidance
system
 Beam control
Steering
system
 control surface
Launch
platform
 vehicle or trailer

RSE Kriens was a Swiss-developed air defence missile. It never entered service. Kriens stands for the village in the canton of Lucerne Kriens.

Design and development

From 1959 to 1966 Contraves developed -along with many other Swiss companies - the Kriens drawing on the experience of the guided missile system RSC / D, RSD 58. The missile project was funded by Swiss industry and the federal government, and was developed up to production-ready stage. The first flight was on 23 March 1964.

The modular system used advanced technology for the ground equipment and the missiles. The whole system could be interconnected to a multi-part cluster, which included several radars and missile launchers. After introduction of the British Bristol Bloodhound as the BL-64 the project was cancelled by the EMD. For export, the system was given the name 'Micon' but the missile was never mass-produced, either for Switzerland nor for another nation

A launcher with two missiles is held at the Flieger-Flab-Museum. Contraves used the technical/technological experience/expertise gained, for the buildup of the research rocket Zenit-C.

The fire unit consists of: measuring radar, 1-3 radio collars, 4 launchers, command car, trolley and several units (generators). Trolley, command car, tracking device and aggregates were individually housed on single-axle trailers, the measuring radar and missile launchers on each two-axle trailers.

References

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