Hvalross (Missile)

The Hvalross was a Ringeriker Sea-Skimming Anti-Ship missile designed to be able to sink or disable vessels up to the size of an aircraft carrier and evade the decoys and countermeasures such vessels would possess. Once launched the missile is fully autonomous, guided by an inertial navigation system, aided by radar altimeters and a J-Band active radar seeker, it is capable of pop up attack profiles and can be programmed with dog-leg routes to allow simultaneous strikes from multiple angles. It was developed into multiple variants including a land attack missile, surface and submarine launched variants and a stand-off nuclear variant of each. It has been replaced in the anti-shipping role by the Exocet II and the land attack role by the Skalpell.

Variants

 * Hvalross-A: Anti-Ship model introduced in 1985, surface and submarine launched versions were suffixed with 'BL' and 'UL' respectively.
 * Hvalross-B: Land Attack variant entering service in 1988 featuring imaging infrared or millimeter wave radar seeker-head and a data link to allow the launch platform to update the missile in flight, it is fitted with a penetrating warhead to engage hardened structures, received a boost to its range in line with the C in 1996.
 * Hvalross-C: Improved Anti-Ship model introduced in 1996, surface and submarine launched versions were again suffixed with 'BL' and 'UL' respectively. Featured an improved dual band seeker and updated electronics, the space saved by which was used to increase the range to 180km.
 * Hvalross-Av: Nicknamed the "Atomhvalross" this stand off nuclear missile comes in air and sub-surface launched variants and uses the physics package from the Av.80, Hvalross-C style upgrades were applied increasing the range, entered service in 1981. Soon to be replaced by a nuclear armed variant of the Skalpell Stand off missile.