The Barak 8 is an Indo-Israeli surface-to-air missile system initially conceived as a
naval air defense setup. Stemming from an older model, the new version is equipped
with more advanced technologies, such as a seeker and a significantly extended range.
By using the Barak 2 projectile, the powerful platform not only arms the
Indian and Israeli defense forces but also the Azerbaijani, and potentially,
many other nations across three continents.
The system’s flight speed can reach up to Mach 2, its ceiling is 16 kilometers,
and its range was expanded from 70 to an impressive 100 kilometers.
Besides, it can also operate in a totally autonomous manner.
The Barak 8 system has shown so much potential that it has even enticed
Israel's historical antagonists to procure the weapon; after all, they have a common cause…
Unofficial Exchanges
Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war for the best part of a decade, led by a movement known as
the Houthis. Allegedly, the Supreme Political Council, composed mainly of Shia Islamists,
is a proxy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, although the nation has denied the accusations.
On the other hand, Yemen's neighbor and supporter, the United Arab Emirates,
has played a significant role in the war, lending major assistance to pro-government militias.
But the conflict has spilled over the entire region,
with the Houthis assaulting other nations outside Yemen, including Saudi Arabia.
In January of 2022, Houthis raided an Emirati cargo ship and captured the vessel, claiming
she was carrying military equipment that the country planned to give to pro-government forces.
However, the coalition argued the vessel was actually carrying hospital equipment.
After losing several districts in Yemen due to the rebels being thwarted by Emirates-supported forces
called the Giant Brigades, the Houthis launched an assault known as Operation Hurricane of Yemen.
On the morning of January 17, a swarm of drones struck three
oil refueling vehicles in an oil refinery in Mussafah, Abi Dabih.
And according to the Houthi military spokesman, the group also fired five ballistic missiles.
While the country announced that several missiles and drones were intercepted,
another simultaneous attack set an extension of the Abu Dhabi International Airport on fire.
The assaults left several wounded as well as some fatalities.
Then, in an effort to safeguard its citizens from terrorist threats,
the United Arab Emirates turned to Israel. Discreetly, and unofficially, the nation inquired
about the acquisition of the defense system to protect itself from Houthi missile attacks.
Inspiration
The LR-SAM or MR-SAM, commonly known as Barak 8,
is a surface-to-air missile system jointly developed by Israel's Ministry of Defense,
Israel Aerospace Industries, and India's Defense Research and Development Organisation.
The platform was loosely inspired by the original Barak 1 and was designed
against all types of airborne threats, from aircraft and helicopters to UAVs and missiles.
Initially, the Barak 8 was conceived as a naval air defense missile system and
was planned to feature more advanced capabilities than its predecessor,
including an enhanced seeker and range extensions that rendered it
a capable medium-range system akin to the RIM-162 ESSM or even the SM-2 Standard.
In 2009, Israel successfully tested the improved Barak 2 missile with the Barak
8 platform, proving its radar's 360-degree coverage. In addition,
the system could take down an incoming missile as close as 500 meters from the ship.
Throughout the Barak 8's development, Israel Aerospace Industries or IAI,
completed the Barak MX system, broadening the device into a multi-layered air defense system.
By employing unified smart launchers, the Barak MX carries short, medium,
and extended-range interceptors, conferring ranges from 35 to 150 kilometers. As a Smart
Launcher, the system supports flexible deployment architecture for both naval and land applications.
In addition, the kinetic defense system was designed to work against
a range of aerial threats in day and night conditions and in all kinds of weather.
Capabilities
The Barak 8 missile weighs 275 kilograms, its diameter extends to 225 millimeters,
its length is 4.5 meters, and its fin span is 940 millimeters.
Plus, it carries a 60-kilogram HE-FRAG warhead that detonates at close range.
Propulsion is provided by a two-stage smokeless pulsed rocket motor equipped
with a thrust-vectoring nozzle. As such, the Barak 8 has an above-average degree
of maneuverability at target-interception range. And at its terminal phase, a second
motor is fired just as the active radar seeker is activated to home in onto the enemy track.
The missile's flight speed can reach Mach 2, while its ceiling can soar to 16 kilometers.
And although its range was 70 kilometers,
it was reportedly increased to 90 and later 100 kilometers.
The Barak 8 can operate in a totally autonomous manner because of its active radar guidance.
Once it acquires a target, it can be employed against a wide range
of fixed or rotary-winged aircraft, as well as cruise or anti-ship missiles.
Moreover, the system can be coupled with a modern air-defense system and multi-function
surveillance track as well as guidance radars, including the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR AESA.
The Barak 8 can then be enabled to simultaneously engage multiple targets during saturation attacks.
In addition, the projectiles are launched in a vertical direction
from the canister launchers, providing all-around coverage,
and its eight ready-to-fire missiles can be fired within 20 seconds.
There are several versions of the missile, including an infrared-homing one.
Its land-based configuration is called MRSAM, and it has a command and control system, tracking
radar, missile and mobile launcher systems, and an advanced radio frequency RF Seeker.
Moreover, the Barak 8ER Extended Range version is on its way.
The Future Battlefield
The enhanced version of the Barak 8 will reportedly have a range of 150 kilometers,
as it will feature an extra rocket booster. In addition to cruise missiles and aircraft, it will
also be capable of intercepting tactical ballistic missiles with ranges shorter than 500 kilometers.
The Extended Range version was designed to engage multiple beyond-maximum-visual-range threats.
As such, the low launch signature is expected to retain the same
autopilot/inertial navigation system and active radar seeker as its predecessor.
It will also likely feature modifications to the software and missile control surfaces.
Furthermore, its length will be extended to six meters because of the booster,
but after jettisoning it, the length might be slightly less than the original.
Meanwhile, its weight without the booster will remain the same.
Initial operational capability for the enhanced variant will be first declared for the naval
application. Indeed, Israel completed a test of the new weapon in March of 2021,
proving not only its range but its increased ceiling of 30 kilometers.
IAI president and CEO Boaz Levy stated after the trial:
(QUOTE) "The combination of several interceptors in a unified launcher and the inherent modularity
of the Barak system provide an optimal response for the future battlefield."
Later that year, the Indian Air Force got the
first MRSAM system to guard its station at Jaisalmer.
Similarly, the Indian Navy has already deployed the missiles on some destroyers, such as the
Kolkata- and Visakhapatnam-class, and Azerbaijan and Morocco also operate the weapon system.
Abu Dhabi is expected to use the Indo-Israeli weapon as a
stopgap measure to contain the terrorist threat.
It is possible that the recent attacks on the country might have triggered a paradigm shift
in the region's geopolitics, causing unlikely allies to join forces against common enemies.
Finally, as of late 2022, the Israeli Navy has already equipped its Sa'ar
5-class corvettes with the Barak 8, and the Sa'ar 4.5-class flotilla will soon follow.
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