Himmelbue (Missile)

The Himmelbue is a medium range radar guided air-to-air and surface-to-air missile, derived from the Chezzetcooker R.5.25 for the Luftforsvaret and Kongelig Marine for use on their Nieuport-Saulnier Mystere Fighters, at the time Ringerike did not field a missile with a range anywhere near what the Himmelbue offered. It was first used in combat in the opening days of the Sorland War, when a Himmelbue-A launched by a J.71 Torden of the 16th Tactical Fighter Squadron downed a KNAF J-2.

In 2011 an updated model fitted with an AESA seeker was accepted into service.

Air-Launched Variants

 * Himmelbue-A: Original variant accepted into service in 1971. Fitted with a conical scanning seeker. Range of 45km.
 * Himmelbue-B: Accepted into service in 1978, fitted with an Inverse monopulse semi-active radar seeker. Range increased to 65km.
 * Himmelbue-C: Accepted into service in 1986, fitted with an active radar seeker and inertial mid-course update capability. Range increased to 85km.
 * Himmelbue-D: Updated C model, range of 100km accepted into service in 1999 for use on the new generation of Ringeriker combat aircraft.
 * Himmelbue-E: Accepted into service in 2011, fitted with a Ka band millimetric frequency AESA seeker. Range was also increased to 120km.

Ground-Based Variants

 * Luftvernmissil 73: Heavily modified ground launched variant, iteratively improved to include upgrades from the air launched versions, also deployed on ship-borne platforms.

Naval Variants

 * Sjobue:The Sjobue (Seabow) is a variant designed for use on surface vessels in box and vertical launched versions.