View source for Seacat (missile)

{{short description|British surface-to-air missile system}}
{{other uses|SeaCat (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox weapon
|is_missile=yes
|image=Sea Cat missile.png
|image_size=250
|caption=Seacat GWS-20 series missile
|name=Seacat
|type=Surface-to-air missile
|origin=United Kingdom
|launch_platform=Ship
|designer=[[Short Brothers]]
|manufacturer=Short Brothers
|design_date=
|production_date=
|service=1962–present
|used_by=[[#Operators|See ''operators'']]
|wars=[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|1971 Indo-Pakistani War]]<br>[[Iran–Iraq War]]<br>[[Falklands War]]<br>[[South African Border War]]
|diameter={{convert|0.22| m|in|abbr=on}}
|wingspan={{convert|0.70| m|in|abbr=on}}
|length={{convert|1.48| m|in|abbr=on}}
|weight={{convert|68| kg|abbr=on}}
|speed=Mach 0.8
|vehicle_range={{convert|500|–|5,000|m|abbr=on}} or more
|ceiling=
|filling=40 lb (18 kg) [[continuous-rod warhead]]
|engine=2 stage motor
|steering=Control surfaces
|guidance=CLOS and radio link
|variants=[[#Variants|See ''variants'']]
|number=
|detonation=Proximity
}}

'''Seacat''' was a British short-range [[surface-to-air missile]] system intended to replace the ubiquitous [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40 mm gun]] aboard warships of all sizes. It was the world's first operational shipboard [[point-defence]] missile system, and was designed so that the Bofors guns could be replaced with minimum modification to the recipient vessel and (originally) using existing fire-control systems. A mobile land-based version of the system was known as '''Tigercat'''.

The initial '''GWS.20''' version was manually controlled, in keeping with the need for a rapidly developed and deployed system. Several variants followed; '''GWS.21''' added radar-cued manual control for night and bad-weather use, '''GWS.22''' added a [[SACLOS]] automatic guidance mode, and the final '''GWS.24''' had fully automatic engagement. Tigercat saw relatively brief service before being replaced in British service by the [[Rapier (missile)|Rapier]], while Seacat saw longer service until being replaced by [[Sea Wolf (missile)|Sea Wolf]] and newer technology [[close-in weapons system]]s.

Seacat and Tigercat were both successful in the export market and some remain in service.

==History==
Seacat traces its history to the [[Short Brothers]] of Belfast SX-A5 experiments to convert the [[Malkara (missile)|Malkara anti-tank missile]] to [[radio control]] as a short-range [[surface-to-air missile]]. This led to further modifications as the Green Light prototype,<ref name="Flight, 5 September 1963" /> and finally emerged as Seacat.

As it was based on an anti-tank weapon, the Seacat was small and flew at relatively slow, subsonic speeds. It was thought to be useful against first and second generation 1950s jet aircraft of [[Hawker Sea Hawk]] performance, which were proving to be too difficult for the WWII-era [[Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun]]s to successfully intercept. Another system, [[Orange Nell]], was being developed for this role, but was cancelled when the Navy concluded it would not be effective against its intended targets, newer high-performance [[strike aircraft]].

The first public reference to the name ''Seacat'' was April 1958, when Shorts was awarded a contract to develop a close-in short-range surface-to-air missile. Royal Navy acceptance of Seacat as a point defence system,{{efn|Rear Admiral Enerble said in 1960 that Seacat was so accurate it could be directed through a small window in the Admiralty.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}} }} to replace the 40/L60 or the newer and more effective [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70|Bofors 40mm /L70]] with proximity fuzed shells. It would also be useful against large, slow anti-shipping missiles, like the [[P-15 Termit|Styx]], which was being deployed by the [[Warsaw Pact]] and various clients of the Soviet Union. It was also seen as offering useful secondary roles as a lightweight weapon to use against light commercial shipping and fast attack craft.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

The missile was shown for the first time to the general public at the 1959 [[Farnborough Air Show]]. The first acceptance trials of the Seacat on a warship was in 1961 aboard {{HMS|Decoy|D106|6}}. The Seacat became the first operational guided missile to be fired by a warship of the Royal Navy. Later it was adopted by the Swedish Navy, making it the first British guided missile to be fired by a foreign navy.{{sfnp|Flight|1963|page=438}}

==Design==
The Seacat is a small, subsonic missile powered by a two-stage solid fuel rocket motor. It is steered in flight by four cruciformly arranged swept wings and is stabilised by four small tail fins. It is guided by command line-of-sight (CLOS) via a radio-link; i.e., flight commands are transmitted to it from a remote operator with both the missile and target in sight.{{sfnp|Flight|1963|page=437}} In some senses it was no more than an initially unguided subsonic rocket that took the controller about 7 seconds or {{convert|500|yd|abbr=on}} flight time to acquire and lock onto radar tracking and optical direction, making it unsuitable for close-in AA defence.<ref>' A family of Weapons. Weapon File. Falklands (1983) p 275</ref>

Seacat was mounted on a powered four-round launcher which was smaller than the Mark 5 Twin Bofors and STAAG type mountings it replaced. It was also lighter, easier to maintain, and very easy to use.{{efn|The RNZN officer sent to the UK to investigate Seacat in 1961 commented that it was "so ridiculously easy to use, we have to have it" according to ret Capt. Ian Bradley. {{citation needed|date=May 2023}} }}

==Variants==
Initially, all Seacat installations used a 4-round, {{convert|6600| lb|kg|abbr=on}} trainable launcher, but a 3-round, {{convert|2800| lb|kg|abbr=on}} launcher was later developed. Both launchers were manually reloaded and carried an antenna for the radio command link. All that was required to fit the system to a ship was the installation of a launcher, the provision of a missile handling room and a suitable guidance system. Seacat was used by [[NATO]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] navies that purchased British equipment and was exported worldwide. It has also been integrated with a variety of alternative guidance systems, the most common being Dutch [[Thales Nederland|HSA]] systems. The four systems used by the Royal Navy are described below.

===GWS-20===
[[File:HMS Cavalier Seacat launcher.jpg|thumb|GWS-20 Seacat launcher aboard {{HMS|Cavalier|R73|6}}]]
[[File:SeaCat on the HMNZS Wellington, 1987.JPEG|thumb|Seacat launcher and GWS-22 director on {{HMNZS|Wellington|F69|6}}, a {{sclass|Leander|frigate|1}}. The operator's CCTV camera on the director and the orange dome, housing the antenna for transmitting commands to the missile, are visible.]]
[[File:Short Tigercat 2 - Elvington - BB.jpg|thumb|Tigercat three-missile launcher, with inert training round (right) and transit covers in place]]
[[File:Hilda Missile System-001.jpg|thumb|[[SADF]] Hilda (''Tigercat'') missiles on launcher]]
This  - "Guided Weapon System 20" - was the initial system, which was intended to replace the twin 40&nbsp;mm Bofors Mark V gun and its associated fire-control systems. The original director was based on the Simple Tachymetric Director (STD) and was entirely visual in operation. The target was acquired visually with the missile being guided, via a radio link, by the operator inputting commands on a joystick. Flares on the missile's tail fins aided identifying the missile.

{{HMS|Eagle|R05|6}}'s GWS-20 was trialled on board HMS ''Decoy'', a {{sclass|Daring|destroyer|0||1949}} destroyer, in 1961; it was subsequently removed. It was carried in active service by the {{sclass|Fearless|landing platform dock|0}} landing ships, the [[Rothesay-class frigate|Type 12M (''Rothesay''-class)]] and [[Leander-class frigate|Type 12I (''Leander''-class)]] frigates, the [[Salisbury-class frigate|Type 61 (Salisbury-class)]] air defence frigates [[HMS Lincoln (F99)|HMS ''Lincoln'']] and [[HMS Salisbury (F32)|HMS ''Salisbury'']], and the first group of {{sclass2|County|destroyer|2}}s. [[HMS Kent (D12)|HMS ''Kent'']] and [[HMS London (D16)|HMS ''London'']] updated to GWS22 in the early 1970s. It was originally intended that all {{sclass2|C|destroyer|0||1943}} destroyers should receive GWS20, and the class were prepared accordingly. In the event only {{HMS|Cavalier|R73|6}} and [[HMS Caprice|HMS ''Caprice'']] received it, in 1966 refits.

GWS-20 saw active service in the [[Falklands War]] on board the ''Fearless'' class and the ''Rothesay'' frigates {{HMS|Plymouth|F126|6}} and {{HMS|Yarmouth|F101|6}}, which retained the GWS-20 director when upgraded to GWS-22.

===GWS-21===
GWS-21 was the Seacat system associated with a modified Close Range Blind Fire analogue fire control director (CRBFD) with Type 262 radar. This offered manual radar-assisted (''Dark Fire'') tracking and guidance modes as well as 'eyeball' visual modes. It was carried as the design anti-aircraft weapon of the [[Tribal-class frigate|Type 81 (Tribal-class)]] frigate, the four {{sclass2|Battle|destroyer|0}} AD conversions, on the first four County-class destroyers, [[HMNZS Otago (F111)|HMNZS ''Otago'']] and [[HMNZS Taranaki|HMNZS ''Taranaki'']], and the carrier [[HMS Eagle (R05)|HMS ''Eagle''.]] It was last used after sale to the Indonesian Navy and refit by [[VT Group|Vosper Thornycroft]] in 1984 of, the Type 81s ''[[HMS Tartar (F133)|Tartar]]'', ''[[HMS Ashanti (F117)|Ashanti]]'' and ''[[HMS Gurkha (F122)|Gurkha]]''.

===GWS-22===
GWS-22 was the Seacat system associated with the full MRS-3 fire control director with Type 904 radar and was the first ACLOS-capable (Automatic, Command Line-Of-Sight) Seacat. It was fitted to most of the ''Leander'', ''Rothesay'' and County-class escorts as they were refitted and modified in the 1970s, as well as the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Hermes|R12|6}}. It could operate in automatic radar-guided (''Blindfire''), manual radar-guided, manual CCTV-guided or, in an emergency, 'eyeball' guided modes. It saw active service in the Falklands onboard all these classes.

===GWS-24===
The final Royal Navy Seacat variant, this used the Italian Alenia Orion RTN-10X fire control system with Type 912 radar and was fitted only to the [[Type 21 frigate]]. This variant saw active service in the Falklands.

===Tigercat===
A land-based mobile version of Seacat based on a three-round, trailer-mounted launcher towed by a [[Land Rover]] with a second trailer carrying fire control equipment. Tigercat was used exclusively by 48 Squadron [[RAF Regiment]] between 1967 and 1978, before being replaced by [[Rapier missile|Rapier]]. Tigercat was also operated by; India, Iran, Jordan, South Africa<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saairforce.co.za/the-airforce/weapons/88/hilda-tigercat-sam |title=The Airforce - Weapons - Missiles - Hilda (Tigercat) SAM |access-date=2008-07-18 |last=Dean Wingrin |publisher=SAAE |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501125623/http://saairforce.co.za/the-airforce/weapons/88/hilda-tigercat-sam |archive-date=1 May 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Qatar and saw limited service in the [[Falklands War|1982 Falklands War]] with Argentina.<ref>[https://www.fireandfury.com/orbats/falklands_argentina.pdf Argentine Weapons of the Falklands War]</ref>

=== Hellcat ===
"Hellcat", an air-to-surface version to give British [[Westland Wasp]] or [[Westland Wessex]] HU.5 helicopters a capability against [[fast attack craft]] and other high-speed naval targets, was considered in the late 1960s.<ref>{{Cite magazine
  |title=Missiles 1969: Great Britain
  |date=14 November 1968
  |magazine=[[Flight International]]
  |page=792
  |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%202618.html
  |access-date=3 September 2017
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903162912/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%202618.html
  |archive-date=3 September 2017
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref> Two missiles would be carried on a pair of pylons on the helicopter, with an optical sight mounted through the cabin roof. Hellcat was also considered for [[counter-insurgency]] (COIN) purposes, with four missiles carried on a militarised [[Short Skyvan]].<ref>{{Cite magazine
  |title=Light Military Aircraft
  |date=13 December 1973
  |magazine=[[Flight International]]
  |page=1012
  |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%203011.html
  |access-date=3 September 2017
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903163651/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%203011.html
  |archive-date=3 September 2017
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref> Despite being offered by Shorts for some years, it does not seem to have been sold.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

===Seacat Target===
"Seacat Target"" is a specialised target vehicle based on the Seacat and is used to simulate sea-skimming missiles for practising a ship's air defence against. Introduced in 1986 it uses the first and second stages of Seacat with the addition of a special target head in place of the missile's warhead. The target missile can be fired from the standard Seacat launcher.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%202663.html |title=Short Shows Seacat Target |date=21 September 1985 |magazine=Flight International |page=11 }}</ref>

==Service==
[[File:Seacat Seawolf IWM Duxford.JPG|thumb|Seacat (upper) and Sea Wolf missiles on display in [[IWM Duxford]]]]
[[File:Sea cat RANHC.JPG|thumb|A Seacat launcher and M44 director at the [[Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre]], [[Sydney]]]]

The first warship to have the system fitted operationally was the [[Battle-class destroyer]], {{HMS|Corunna|D97|6}}, in February 1962.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205164605 |title=SEACAT GOES INTO "BATTLE". FEBRUARY 1962, ROSYTH, ON BOARD HMS CORUNNA |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.iwm.org.uk |publisher=Imperial War Museum |access-date=12 June 2020 }}</ref> The oldest Seacat versions  became obsolete by the 1970s due to increasing aircraft speed and the introduction of [[supersonic]], sea-skimming [[anti-ship missiles]].  In service the newer radar guided GWS-22 and GWS-24 versions mostly replaced  the older manual  control  versions.

===Falklands conflict===
Despite being obsolete, the Seacat was still widely fielded by the Royal Navy at the outbreak of the [[Falklands War]] and was the main anti-aircraft defence of many ships. It proved more reliable than the more modern [[Sea Wolf (missile)|Sea Wolf]] missile that had been recently introduced, although [[HMS Ardent (F184)|HMS ''Ardent'']]{{'}}s launcher failed at a critical moment when the ship was under air attack. Initial British postwar reports claimed that Seacat had destroyed eight aircraft, but these did not stand up to scrutiny and no "kill" could be solely attributed to the Seacat, despite it being fired on many occasions.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hobson |first1=Chris |last2=Noble |first2=Andrew |date=2002 |title=Falklands Air War |publisher=Midland Publishing |page=162 |isbn=1-85780-126-1 }}</ref>

Seacat may have been involved in the destruction of three Argentine [[A-4C Skyhawk]]s although these aircraft were subjected to the full force of [[Battle of San Carlos (1982)|San Carlos]] air defences; other claims to the same kills include Army [[Rapier (missile)|Rapier]] and [[Blowpipe (missile)|Blowpipe]] missiles and ship-based [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm gunfire]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naval-history.net/F64argaircraftlost.htm |title=Part 54. Argentine Aircraft Lost 3rd April - 15th June 1982 |work=Battle Atlas of the Falklands War 1982 by Land, Sea and Air |first=Gordon |last=Smith |date=31 May 2013 |publisher=NavalHistory.net |quote=originally published by Ian Allan, 1989}}</ref> On 12 June, {{HMS|Glamorgan|D19|6}} launched a Seacat at an incoming [[Exocet missile]] which may have been deviated by the close detonation, but not enough to cause a miss. The destroyer was hit and heavily damaged in the attack.<ref>{{cite book |last=Roberts |first=John |date=2009 |title=Safeguarding the Nation: The Story of the Modern Royal Navy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vObZAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT294 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |page=294 |isbn=978-1848320437 }}</ref>

Argentina deployed Tigercats from [[GADA 601]]. Seven Tigercat launchers were captured by the British after the war, some being ex-RAF units.

After the Falklands conflict, a radical and urgent re-appraisal of anti-aircraft weaponry was undertaken by the Royal Navy. This saw Seacat rapidly withdrawn from service and replaced by modern weapons systems such as the [[Goalkeeper CIWS]], more modern 20&nbsp;mm and 30&nbsp;mm anti-aircraft guns and new escorts carrying the Sea Wolf missile, including the [[Sea Wolf (missile)#Vertical launch (VL) Sea Wolf GWS-26|vertical launch version]].

===Sweden===
GWS-21 missiles were fitted to the four Swedish {{sclass|Östergötland|destroyer|0}} destroyers under the designation Rb 07, replacing three [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70|Bofors L/70]] guns (a more modern and heavier variant than the Royal Navy's L/60) with a single launcher on each ship. The ''Östergötland''-class destroyers, which were of late 1950s origin, were retired in the early 1980s.

===Australia===
Seacat was mounted on all six {{sclass2|River|destroyer escort|0}} [[destroyer escort]]s of the [[Royal Australian Navy]] and was removed from service when the final ship of this class was decommissioned in the late 1990s. In their final variant, fire control was provided by HSA M44 radar/optical directors. Secondary firing positions based on visual tracking of the target through binoculars mounted on a syncro-feedback mount was also available. {{HMAS|Torrens|DE 53|6}} was the final ship to live fire the system prior to its removal from service; and this was also the only time three missiles were on the launcher and fired in sequence, resulting in one miss and two hits on towed targets.

==Operators==
[[File:Sea Cat operators.png|thumb|400px|Map with Sea Cat operators in blue]]

* {{ARG}}
** [[Argentine Army]]: Four Tigercat launchers captured in the Falklands Conflict.
** [[Argentine Navy]]: Two Seacat launchers installed on the cruiser {{ship|ARA|General Belgrano}} in 1967<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.histarmar.com.ar/InfHistorica/AntiguaFlotadeMar/EspTec21CrGralBelgrano.htm |title=Crucero "General Belgrano" C4 - 1951 |access-date=10 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100126092221/http://www.histarmar.com.ar/InfHistorica/AntiguaFlotadeMar/EspTec21CrGralBelgrano.htm |archive-date=26 January 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
** [[Argentine Marines]]: Three Argentine Marines' Tigercat launchers captured in the Falklands Conflict. Now replaced with [[RBS 70]].
* {{AUS}}
** [[Royal Australian Navy]]
* {{BRA}}
** [[Brazilian Navy]]
* {{CHI}}
** [[Chilean Navy]]
* {{GER}}
* {{INA}}
** [[Indonesian Navy]] - GWS-21 Variant
* {{IND}}
** [[Indian Army]] – Tigercat
** [[Indian Navy]] – Seacat
* {{IRN}}
** [[Imperial Iranian Air Force]] – Tigercat
** [[Islamic Republic of Iran Army]] – Tigercat
** [[Islamic Republic of Iran Navy]] – Seacat
* {{JOR}}
** [[Royal Jordanian Land Force]] – Tigercat
* {{LBY}}
** [[Libyan Navy]]
* {{MYS}}
** [[Royal Malaysian Navy]]
* {{NZL}}
** [[Royal New Zealand Navy]]
* {{NLD}}
** [[Royal Netherlands Navy]]
* {{NGA}}
** [[Nigerian Navy]]
* {{PAK}}
** [[Pakistan Navy]] Type 21 frigate
* {{QAT}}
** [[Military of Qatar]] – Tigercat
* {{RSA}}
** [[South African Air Force]] – Tigercat, known as 'Hilda' locally<ref>{{Cite web
  |title=Hilda (Tigercat) SAM
  |url=http://www.saairforce.co.za/the-airforce/weapons/88/hilda-tigercat-sam
  |access-date=18 July 2008
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501125623/http://saairforce.co.za/the-airforce/weapons/88/hilda-tigercat-sam
  |archive-date=1 May 2012
  |url-status=live
  }}</ref>
* {{SWE}}
** [[Swedish Navy]] – {{sclass|Östergötland|destroyer|0}} destroyers after refit
* {{THA}}
** [[Royal Thai Navy]]
* {{UK}}
** [[Royal Air Force]] – Tigercat
** [[Royal Navy]] – Seacat
* {{VEN}}
** [[Navy of Venezuela]]
* {{ZIM}}
** [[Army of Zimbabwe]] – Tigercat

==See also==
*[[Rainbow Codes]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==

{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="Flight, 5 September 1963" >''Flight International'' (1963) pp 437–442</ref>

}}

*{{Cite magazine
  |title=Seacat: The Guided Missile To Defend Small Ships
  |date=5 September 1963
  |magazine=[[Flight International]]
  |pages=437–442
  |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%201625.html
  |ref={{harvid|Flight|1963}}
  |access-date=3 September 2017
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805101248/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%201625.html
  |archive-date=5 August 2017
  |url-status=dead
  }}

== Sources ==
{{Refbegin}}
*''Naval Armament'', Doug Richardson, Jane's Publishing, 1981, {{ISBN|0-531-03738-X}}
*{{cite book |series=Modern Combat Ships 5 |title=Type 21 |first=Captain John |last=Lippiett |publisher=Ian Allan |date=1990 |isbn=0-7110-1903-7}}
*''5th Infantry Brigade in the Falklands'',  Nicholas Van der Bijl, David Aldea, Leo Cooper, 2003, {{ISBN|0850529484}}
*''74 Days: An Islander's Diary of the Falklands Occupation'',  John Smith, Century, 1984, {{ISBN|0712603611}}
*{{cite book |title=World Naval Weapons Systems |first=Norman |last=Friedman |publisher=The Naval Institute Press |date=1989 |isbn=0-87021-793-3}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Shorts Sea Cat}}
*[http://www.britishpathe.com/video/navys-new-weapon/query/seacat Footage of test firings of Seacat, 1959]

{{UKmissiles}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

[[Category:Naval surface-to-air missiles]]
[[Category:Surface-to-air missiles of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Naval weapons of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1960s]]
[[Category:Short Brothers missiles]]
[[Category:Rainbow code]]