A surface-to-air missile (SAM) or ground-to-air missile (GTAM) is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. This type of antiaircraft system is used in modern armed forces, which have replaced dedicated antiaircraft weapons with anti-aircraft guns pushed into specialized roles. A Surface to Air missile is a very high speed (2-4 times the speed of sound) missile and it is used to engage aircraft and cruise missiles. It has excellent acceleration and a small warhead and usually guided by radar or Infrared. An Air to Surface missile is typically a low speed missile with a large warhead for destroying big and fortified ground targets. Some of these missiles such as RBS 70, Shtil, SM-2 can be used against surface targets as well. The warhead is designed to destroy a delicate target such as an airplane and not structures such as buildings or armoured vehicles. These missiles are guided by GPS, Radar and Infrared. Furthermore, guidance systems of most of the missiles are usually limited to GPS to prevent them from attacking moving targets.

Key Developments of Surface-To-Air Missile Market

Market players are investing in increasing the efficiency of surface-to-air missile in order to maintain leading position in market. In December 2017, India successfully test fired the surface-to-air missile named Akash fitted with a new domestically developed radio frequency seeker that purportedly improves the missile’s accuracy and range from a test site in Odisha. The test was conducted by India’s Defense Research & Development Organization (DRDO), which developed the missile in cooperation with the Ordnance Factories Board, Bharat Electronics, and Bharat Dynamics Limited. Furthermore, in January 2018, Russia was reported to increase the number of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems in western Syria, where it operates maritime and air forces. High adoption of technologically advanced surface-to-air missile by various countries to maintain leading position in aerospace and defense sector is major factor fueling growth of the surface-to-air missile market. Market players operating in surface-to-air missile market include Boeing, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Finmeccanica, General Dynamics, General Electric, Northrop Grumman, Honeywell, Airbus, Raytheon, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, and L3 Technologies.