Hezbollah's C-802 in 2006

[STURM]

It was widely reported that Hezbollah used a civilian surface search radar to provide targeting information to the C-802 launcher that hit INS Hanit in 2006. Curious as to the technicalities involved. Was the launcher actually linked to the radar by a cable [after some modifications] or were instructions as to the bearings of the target given verbally, enabling the missile to fire in ''a lock on after launch mode''?

Or was the missile just fired in the direction of the target in the knowledge that the seeker head would home in to the larget target in the area, which was INS Hanit. If this was the case, wouldn't a shore based ESM have been sufficient? Using a shore base ESM - to detect a target - enabling a missile to be launched, would provide the target with little warning, as opposed to a search radar that would have ''painted'' the target and alerted it. In 1982, the Argentines took off an MM-38 launcher and used it on shore with success against an RN target [the generators used were sets deliovered in in WW2!] but I'm not sure what radar was used.

 

[koxinga]

It was widely reported that Hezbollah used a civilian surface search radar to provide targeting information to the C-802 launcher that hit INS Hanit in 2006. Curious as to the technicalities involved. Was the launcher actually linked to the radar by a cable [after some modifications] or were instructions as to the bearings of the target given verbally, enabling the missile to fire in ''a lock on after launch mode''?

Or was the missile just fired in the direction of the target in the knowledge that the seeker head would home in to the larget target in the area, which was INS Hanit. If this was the case, wouldn't a shore based ESM have been sufficient? Using a shore base ESM - to detect a target - enabling a missile to be launched, would provide the target with little warning, as opposed to a search radar that would have ''painted'' the target and alerted it. In 1982, the Argentines took off an MM-38 launcher and used it on shore with success against an RN target [the generators used were sets deliovered in in WW2!] but I'm not sure what radar was used.

Without actual information from the event, it would be plain speculation. But we do have some indirect clues from the interception of C704 missiles bound for Hezbollah back in 2011. (China Defense Blog: Chinese-designed C704 on display....for all the wrong reasons.)

In this instance, a commercial Kelvin Hughes radar (looks like a KH Manta) was used for basic surveillance and providing the track information to the missiles.

I have seen other photos to suggest that there is an interface box/control panel between the radar and the missile; not a major technical challenge to extract the track data as all ARPA radars uses the standard NMEA 0183 protocol and the output is usually through a standard 9 pin RS232 serial interface.

Not sure if any means of track updates are available when the missile is in flight; my own guess is to keep things simple, it would have to be a bearing only launch profile, with terminal homing.

 

[CB90]

It was widely reported that Hezbollah used a civilian surface search radar to provide targeting information to the C-802 launcher that hit INS Hanit in 2006. Curious as to the technicalities involved. Was the launcher actually linked to the radar by a cable [after some modifications] or were instructions as to the bearings of the target given verbally, enabling the missile to fire in ''a lock on after launch mode''?

Even if there was no direct interface with the shore radar, I would be very surprised if the fire control system of the C-802 didn't have some way to manually input a target track, either by lat/long or range&bearing...that should be a basic design consideration for any ASCM system. Even more so when considering the "origin" of the C-802.