Quote:
Originally Posted by Max2147
Air defense systems have moved forwards a long ways since 1982. The British fleet in the Falklands didn't have long range SAMs.
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They did have a LR SAM - the Sea Dart. Its theoretical range is IIRC longer than the Exocets the Argies were carrying, to say nothing of bombs. The problem was that the Argies were flying lower than Sea Dart's ability to lock on. LR SAMs are easy compared to the problems of getting SAMs to engage low-fliers right (even when they are above the radar horizon). The new systems are closing that hole at the bottom, or should be (because recent combat experience is mostly a case of America sending low-fliers including cruise missiles against older air defense systems, as I said up there).