Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

The PrNK-23 system does offer a limited degree of target tracking capability once a target is manually selected by the pilot when in the automatic gun mode. The system cannot automatically prioritise and track multiple targets primarily because the MiG-27D does not possess a conventional planar radar antenna. Once a target is cued using the piper the PrNK-23 tracks the target using the Kylon-PM laser rangefinder - which broadly has the following limits +/- 60deg in azimuth by +/- 20deg vertically. The PrNK-23 system measures several variables like the aircraft's heading, altitude, true ground speed, angle of attack, bank and pitch angle - data taken from the inertial navigation system (INS), data from the central aerodynamic unit (the device that converts analogue dynamic and static pressure data into digital values) as well as data from the Kylon-PM laser rangefinder/designator. The data is processed by the Orbita 10-15-23M digital computer and presented via the S-17VG-1 on to the HUD to show the moving target and impact point of a round from the GSh-6-30 cannon.

The Mi-24V uses its 12.7mm YakB four-barrelled machine gun slightly differently to the way the MiG-27D uses its GSh-6-30 cannon. The gun, mounted on a remote controlled USPU-24 powered chin turrent (movable +/-120 deg in azimuth and +20 and -40 degress in the vertical) is slaved to a KPS-53AV optical sight on a rotate able column in front of the weapons-system operator's seat. Once again the pilot has to manually designate the target and track it using the KPS-53AV optical sight via the USPU-24 powered chin turret. The sight is integrated to an analogue processor that is interfaced to the air-pressure and angle-of-attack sensors. The processor calculates corrections for helicopter and target movement, as well as ballistics of the gun. The optical sight measures the distance to the target once its selected by the pilot.

The CoMPASS IV on SLAF Mi-24V's fulfils a different role to the KPS-53AV optical sight /12.7mm YakB gun combination. The CoMPASS IV sensor is an all weather day/night FLIR system compared to the KPS-53A FLIR/LLTV sensor of the Raduga-F fire-control system, and has a lot more additional targeting capabilities. The CoMPASS IV can however automatically track and prioritise a target without the pilot doing so. The CoMPASS IV uses an advanced version of the centroid/edge-tracking method. Once the target is prioritised and selected the 12.7mm gun automatically tracks it via the remotely controlled USPU-24 powered chin turrent.



The SLAF has not received any additional SAR aircraft..

CR843 the SLAF Beech HISAR has been grounded for the last 2 months pending immediate critical repairs to its SAR radar and associated electronics. The Beech SIGINT (CR842) has not faired any better either, it to is on the ground pending semi/critical maintenance on its electronic systems..

However these assets should be air worthy in a couple of months..



Like you said Ms. Su33 the AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder uses a phased array radar to track the projectile munition through its initial linear upward trajectory prior to reaching apogee. The radar pings the target several hundred times a minute, measuring the projectiles velocity, angle of attack, heading and RCS (radar cross-section). The onboard tracking software analyzes the track data and then extrapolates the round's point of origin. This calculated point of origin is then reported to the operator with northing and easting map coordinates, thus allowing friendly artillery to direct counterbattery fire towards the enemy artillery.

A key element when employing Firefinder is to ensure adequate visibility of the radar's target (i.e., the enemy projectile). The Firefinder must observe a significant portion of the threat projectile's upward trajectory to accurately determine the weapon's aim point if the operator is to guarantee a low CEP. The radar beams also must be positioned above the intervening terrain to maximize elevation coverage and minimize ground clutter returns.

Once Firefinder acquires an incoming projectile, determines their origin, extrapolates the point of impact and reports these acquisitions to the operator whether or not they violate a zone. If the acquisition violates an established zone, the radar sends a fire mission to the supported FCE (Fire Control elements) using an FM;CFF (fire mission; call-for-fire) message format. If the acquisition does not violate an established zone, the radar generates an intelligence report using the ATI;CDR (artillery targeting intelligence; coordinates report) format.

Firefinder is limited to 99 acquisitions in the buffer. Based on this, Firefinder includes a location-averaging function that can be activated by the radar operator. With location averaging enabled, the Firefinder computer averages all detections from a 238m radius and converts that into a single average grid cell.

Hope this answers your questions :o)

p.s. I don't work for Raytheon, I don't know where members In this forum got the idea that I did..

The MiG-27 has the option of carrying 2 types of podded guns on its starboard and port outboard wing glove pylons. The SPPU-22 - twin 23mm cannon pack and SPPU-6 - 23mm 6 barrelled rotary cannon.

The SPPU-22 carries one GSh-23 cannon with 260 rounds and permits adjustment in elevation only, from 0deg to -30deg. The SPPU-6 for the GSh-6-23 rotary cannon with 500 rounds permits 0deg to -45deg elevation and +/- 45deg in azimuth.

The SPPU-22 and SPPU-6 are used in the ground attack role and the elevation is varied by computer according to a programme set by the pilot which requires the plane to fly at a certain height and speed to maintain accuracy. Once the gun is on target, the computer theoretically keeps it there as the plane flies straight and level. The pods can also be fitted to point and fire backwards as well as forwards. When mounted to fire backwards It seems these pods are used in flak suppression; some spray the ground positions on the in-run and the rear-facing ones spray them again as they are climbing away.



see my reply to Ms. Su33.

Hope this answers your questions.

The MiG's came on a leased Russian An-124 in a dismantled state. The aircraft are currently being re-assembled in Sri Lanka by Ukrainian Engineers and Technicians.

The 4 aircraft should be airworthy soon.

The 3 older SLAF MiG-27D'S will be shipped to the Ukraine very soon.. They should be back sometime in April/May at the earliest.

hope this helps