Doupov mountains had a significant premiere. For the first time there were test firings from the newly introduced RBS-70NG system, which will replace the obsolete STRELA 10 system of Soviet production in the Czech Army. Strakonice soldiers (25th Air Defence Missile Regiment) also used for the first time the latest type of missiles called BOLIDE. At the same time, they also verified the ability of the RBS-70NG system to act against drones.

Video: Report from the first test shots from the newly introduced RBS-70NG / YouTube

Strakonice soldiers will receive a total of 16 new RBS-70NG systems. Exactly 12 of them were took over during last year and this year, the last four pieces will arrive in Strakonice at the beginning of July. The new weapons will also complement the 16 RBS-70 MANPADS of the older generation, which soldiers have been using for several years.

RBS-70NG system has a number of advantages over previous generation. The most significant is the ability to shoot at targets in automatic mode. The operator has the opportunity to lock on the target before the launch. The guidance of the missile to the target itself is therefore performed by a computer. Guidance is thus more accurate and faster than if it is performed manually by the operator. In addition to the automatic mode, it is possible to continue to use the manual method of guiding the missile to the target.

The RBS-70NG system also have a lower weight and are even more compact. Their preparation for tactical use therefore takes soldiers less time. The system also includes a night mode - no additional equipment is needed for use at night.

Another important feature is the ability to suppress the threat of LSS category (Low, Slow, Small). This includes, for example, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles of small dimensions - so-called drones, which are difficult to detect. Soldiers in Doupov will test the ability of the RBS-70NG system to act against these means, which currently pose a very current threat.

The latest type of BOLIDE missiles was specially developed for the RBS-70NG system. Compared to the previous Mk2 series, BOLIDE missiles have a speed of about 100 meters per second. They have a longer range, which is 9 kilometers (range of Mk2 missiles is only 7 kilometers). BOLIDE missiles are also characterized by higher accuracy, better maneuverability and higher warhead efficiency.

Picture: Test shots from the newly introduced RBS-70NG system | Jan Juřica / CZ Defense / CC BY NC-ND

The shootings took place in the second part of the Tobruq Arrows 2021 international exercise. The shootings also involved soldiers from Slovakia, who fired from their IGLA anti-aircraft weapons. International participation in the exercise was originally planned to be much larger, but due to the covid-19 pandemic, the states canceled their participation. The exercise followed a series of tactical exercises of the Tobruq Legacy ground Air Defense units, which took place between 2015 and 2020, and the Tobruq Arrows international combat shooting, which took place in 2016 and 2020.

Source: own work, Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic