Super Ikara

[Abraham Gubler]

Everything you wanted to know about the GAF Turana drone version of the Ikara but were afraid to ask.

 

[Volkodav]

A former colleague of mine was the Super Ikara Project Manager at cancellation in the early/ mid 80s and we briefly discussed it a few years back.

From memory:
It was canister launched with folding wings
It was a JV with Oto Melara
The canister was designed to be compatible with Otomat missile canister foundations
Although there was considerable interest from the RN and RAN none of the new escorts entering service, or planned for either actually had space or weight to install the required multiple canisters, without an easy way to get the system to sea there was no point continuing development.
Post cancellation the new rocket developed for this longer range weapon was modified to become the core o the hovering rocket used in Nulka
Big chunks of the software and FC logic, including drop patterns developed for Super Ikara are believed to have ended up in Milas after Oto Melara were left to go it alone.

I still occasionally have a chat with this bloke as we share a common interest in cars so may get the chance to find out some more about the system in the future.

There was a short piece in either Navy International or Naval Forces in the 80s with a photo of a Super Ikara being launched from a canister. The mag I fear is long gone and I haven't been able to find the photo I recall online.

 

[Kugelblitz]

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know the magazine capacity of the original Ikara system, and was it the same in RAN and RN?

 

[Hood]

The capacity of the GWS40 system as proposed for the Type 82 was 23 missiles in the magazine plus one on the launcher for 24. I think the final design retained the same capacity.
The CVA-01 magazine had the same capacity.
I think the GWS41 system aboard the Leander conversions had a capacity of around 18 missiles.

 

[Anderman]

A former colleague of mine was the Super Ikara Project Manager at cancellation in the early/ mid 80s and we briefly discussed it a few years back.

From memory:
It was canister launched with folding wings

Not sure if it is Super Ikara but this is a picture of a Ikara launched from a canister

 

[Abraham Gubler]

That is BOXIK as in BOX launched IKara. It is the basic rocket powered ASW Ikara but with folding wings and storable components.

 

[carvalho2008]

fill years ago, i designed one weapon based Ikara project for one UCAV.

based for NSFS operations or saturation

https://projetosalternativosnavais.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/ucav-anfibio-ataques-de-saturacao/

maybe this is a perspective of actual design if continue to be developed

 

[carvalho2008]

https://projetosalternativosnavais.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/ucav-anfibio-ataques-de-saturacao/

 

[Hood]

Further to my answer to Kugelblitz's question, the RAN River class magazine I think held around 26 missiles, so was slightly more capacious than the RN magazines.
One reason the magazines were different was because the RAN had stowed the missiles in rows in the magazine and the RN were worried if a rocket booster accidently ignited that it would set off the missile behind it and cause a series of secondary explosions. On the other hand the magazine was topside so better vented if it did blow whereas the RN planned its magazines to be in the hull.

 

[Pioneer]

Sorry gents, I'm late to this subject.
The Super Ikara that's being discussed here, would it be the M7 Ikara Program:
The M7 Ikara was proposed as a box-launched version of its predecessor, the M3 Ikara, a rocket launched anti-submarine guided missile carrying a Mk46 Torpedo. The new Ikara was to have a digital autopilot and revamped avionics suite.

Regards
Pioneer

 

[Hood]

I have also seen a reference in Warship 2015 in an article on postwar RN weapons by John Jordan that the M7 was an air-breather and was the starting point of the Turana drone. He also mentions the M6 which was designed for Stingray. This is probably the closest match to what the Commons Defence Expenditure Committee was calling Super Ikara. Though its perhaps possible there was a further development adding the turbojet of M7 with the Stingray capability of M6.

 

[JFC Fuller]

I agree, Ikara M6 seems the most likely candidate for the UK "Stretched Ikara" cancelled in 1976. The fragmentary evidence suggests modification to take Stingray and a new rocket motor to improve the range. Context from the Australian Parliamentary papers:

Considerable design efforts were made, in collaboration with the defence research laboratories towards developing a new variant of the Ikara missile to satisfy a Royal Navy requirement. The project was cancelled by the UK late in 1976.

And:

Considerable progress had been made in designing new Ikara rocket motor hardware when the project was cancelled in early 1977.

A bit of googling suggests the M7 was a later programme, apparently underway in 1984 and BAe were involved.

 

[Voltzz]

Model of the OTOMAT/IKARA-system meant for the Italian Minerva-class

 

[TomS]

Model of the OTOMAT/IKARA-system meant for the Italian Minerva-class

Interesting. The level of commonality seems low -- pretty much just thew ability to bolt them onto the same launcher frame as OTOMAT?

 

[Voltzz]

Model of the OTOMAT/IKARA-system meant for the Italian Minerva-class

Interesting. The level of commonality seems low -- pretty much just thew ability to bolt them onto the same launcher frame as OTOMAT?

i have no source on that, but i would suspect that commonality was mainly in the electronics. So data-link, missions-planing, stuff like that. That would also fit well together with the claims made earlier in this thread, that some technology was carried over from OTOMAT/IKARA to MILAS

 

[pathology_doc]

But why resurrect Ikara, when miniaturized programmable electronics can probably now afford ASROC the same capability? And maybe even from a Mk41 cell...

Much as I love Ikara, being Australian by birth, technology has caught up to the reason it was so much bigger and more complex than ASROC.