“The Raptor is a more strategic weapon, in production, mature, with constant upgrades,” explains company standoff weapons group
Umbani production manager
Coenie Loock. “We recently conducted a highly successful test in a foreign country. The weapon was launched at a range of 75 km and, fitted with a new seeker, and with no in-course [data] updates, hit the target precisely.”
The Raptor II has a range of some 80 km if launched at an altitude of about 5 000 m, increasing to more than 120 km from some 12 000 m. (The Raptor I has been reported to have a maximum range greater than 60 km.) It has an optical seeker – either TV or imaging IR (IIR) – and a hybrid inertial navigation system (INS), including
GPS and an accuracy of less than 2 m.
Denel Dynamics has a proposal for a Raptor III, which would have a maximum range approaching 300 km, if launched at 12 000 m. It would have the same types of guidance and seeker systems as the Raptor II but would be more accurate still. The company is awaiting feedback from potential customers before deciding how and when to proceed with the project.