Engagement zone

Up-arming the ADF’s ground-based air defence capabilities

Not since the Bristol Bloodhound system of the 1960s has the Australian Defence Force (ADF) possessed a land-based anti-aircraft surface-to-air missile (SAM) system with a beyond-visual-range (BVR) defence capability.

The RAAF’s ramjet and rocket-powered Bloodhound entered service in 1961 and, at 8m long and weighing in at 2.5 tonnes, was a large missile. It boasted a range of up to 180km, but by 1968 was considered obsolete and ineffective against manoeuvring targets or against even rudimentary onboard electronic warfare systems.