V-4 R-DARTER

The Kentron V–4 R-Darter air-to-air missile is a radar-guided medium-range missile of the BVR type, (Beyond Visual Range). It entered service with the South African Air Force around 1995 and equipped the Cheetah-C fighters as a medium-range main weapon in air-to-air duels. This missile had two launch modes, “lock-on before launch” and “lock-on after launch”. The first mode was used for short distance combat, when pilot assigns the target to the missile before firing. The second mode was used for long distance interception, when the missile used the inertial guide after the firing to activate the search engine while heading towards the target. V4 R-Darter was a totally South African design despite the general belief that it was a joint project with Israel. The missile was removed in 2008 along with its main launcher aircraft because the necessary upgrade programm to use it with the new SAAAF’s JAS-39 Gripen fighter were too expensive.  Finally SAAF decided that it was more efficient to equip the new fighter with new missiles as the Iris-T and V3E A-Darter.

V-4 R-DARTER gallery and more info