Type 81 (C)
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Contents
Description
The Type 81 (C) Tan-SAM kai is an upgraded version of the Type 81 Surface-to-Air Missile (81式短距離地対空誘導弾) or Tan-SAM (短SAM, lit. short range SAM), a Japanese developed surface-to-air missile currently in service with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The development of the Tan-SAM Kai started in 1989 as a intermediate SAM missile was needed between the short-range FIM-92 Stinger & the MIM-23 Hawk missile system, and the upgraded system was designated as SAM-1C (shorten as Tan-SAM Kai 短SAM改; lit. modified short-range SAM) in 1995. The Tan-SAM missile has a new phased array active radar seeker that can receive mid-course guidance updates from the Fire Control Systems vehicle. This enhances the missile's range to 14 kilometers, but also increases its weight to 105 kilograms. The missile also has a new smokeless motor with better thrust, replacing the old one. The Fire Control Systems vehicle has a thermal imager to operate better in an ECM-heavy environment.
It was introduced in Update "Kings of Battle". The Type 81C can be considered the bigger brother of the Type 93, offering bigger, meaner, and larger both vehicle and missiles. While it's larger, the missile itself still offers great missile guidance with a maximum overload of 35 G, 955 m/s on top of a visual guidance mode which will further increase its hit probability against IRCM/ECM jammers present on high-end helicopters. One problem the Type 81 retains from the Type 93 is the lack of radar, while it offers a thermal camera making the visual spotting of aircraft easier, it still requires situational awareness to find to targets.
General info
Survivability and armour
The Tan-SAM Kai utilized a modified chassis of the Isuzu Type 73 large truck (2nd revision, SWS-475; now 3 1/2 ton truck), but one thing is certain for most utility trucks of different militaries: their protection which is only rated for rifle-caliber bullets. To put the overall protection in one short sentence: 5 mm structural steel all around; for most operation needs, Tan-SAM Kai are deployed near infrastructures and rear of battlefield as air-defense system alongside with its radar-guidance truck, thus they are not rated for the most heated battlefield, especially the frontline as any projectiles or shrapnel can cause extensive damage to either the crews, powerplant or missile launcher complex, leading to knock-out of the vehicle.
To make situation worse, Tan-SAM Kai only has two crews (driver and weapon operator [gunner]), meaning that any knock-out crew equals to disablement of vehicle; thus never, ever have any enemy get the chance to land salvo of bullets upon Tan-SAM Kai, let alone cannon shells.
Armour type:
- Structural steel (chassis, suspension, vehicle frame)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 5 mm Cabin | 5 mm mm Top 5 mm Bottom |
5 mm | 5 mm |
| Turret | 5 mm Turret front | 5 mm mm | 5 mm | 5 mm |
Notes:
- Side missile rack, wheel and (leaf-spring) suspension at 10 mm
- Truck frame at 5 mm
Mobility
At the 2nd revision of Type 73 truck (SWS-475), the truck is fitted with an Isuzu 8PE1 V8 diesel engine with 286 hp output; while the transmission can make sure it can go 90 km/h, but beware not to over-extend due to its inferior reverse speed (-12 km/h).
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 98 | 14 | 12 | _,___ | 544 | __.__ | 45.33 |
| Realistic | 91 | 13 | _,___ | 285 | __.__ | 23.75 | |
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
Main armament
As SAM-1 was developed way back in 1966 by Toshiba, JGSDF and JASDF decided to upgrade the missile with new IR/TV tracker in 1989; the new missile was certified in 1994. To differentiate between radar-homing and optical tracking variants, the version in-game is the optical tracking variant with a transparent probe for tracking; thanks to its high overload and optical tracking that doesn't trigger RWR, it makes enemy players struggle to evade the missile at its all-aspect firing radius, use different tracking principle (IR and optical tracking) according to the target's countermeasures.
| Type 81 SAM-1C missile | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity (Belt) | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 8 (4) | -5°/+85° | ±180° | - | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ |
| Realistic | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | ||||||||
Ammunition
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Range (m) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Arming distance (m) |
Trigger radius (m) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | ||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| Type 81C | SAM | 955 | 10,000 | 105 | 1 | 0.1 | 0 | 7 | 5.4 | 79° | 80° | 81° |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 (+1) | Yes |
Usage in battles
The Type 81 (C) is a missile launcher mounted on an Isuzu truck that operates from a safe distance behind the front lines. It is not designed for direct combat, but rather for launching powerful missiles at aerial targets. The truck is large and vulnerable, so it should avoid enemy fire by staying in cover or hiding at the edge of the map. The Type 81 (C) has a longer range than the Type 93, but it still benefits from closing the gap to the air threats. To fire a missile, the truck must come to a full stop and wait for 4 seconds to activate the missile. The truck does not have a radar, so it must rely on manual spotting of the targets. The Type 81 (C) has an advantage over some enemies that use IRCM, such as Kamov and Mi-24 helicopters, because it can track them visually without depending on their IR signature (which can be jammed or flared). However, visual tracking has a shorter range than IR tracking, so the launcher may lose lock or fail to lock on some targets depending if it uses only visual, only IR or auto mode. It should be worthy noting that the Type 81 (C) can lose IRST tracking on fast-flying aircraft and helicopters that fly through inclement weather, typically in stormy and cloudy weather.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Highly capable fire-and-forget IR/Visual missiles
- 35 G max overload
- 11 km rear aspect - 6 km all-aspect
- 5 kg explosive warhead
- Can scout targets
Cons:
- Lacks radar
- Cannot fire missiles on the move
- Visual targeting mode is entirely negated in maps with storm/cloudy weather
- Cannot lock onto aircraft that pass through clouds
- Large, unprotected target
- Only 2 crew
- Can be over-pressured by bombs, rockets, missiles
- Any MG fire is deadly
- Missile racks on sides can be snagged on obstacles and obstructions
- Slow and sluggish maneuverability
- Requires a wide turning circle, not suitable for maps with narrow streets or terrain
History
Devblog History
In 1966, Japanese engineers began work on developing a new short-range anti-air system capable of intercepting targets beyond fire distance of AA artillery. Furthermore, the new system was envisioned as a modern replacement to dated anti-air systems already in use with the JSDF such as the American M51 Skysweeper and M15A1 SPAAG. In order to fulfill these requirements, the decision was made to mount the missile system onto the Isuzu Type 73 truck chassis.
With development in full swing, the first prototypes had been constructed by the mid 1970s while field trials followed later in the decade. As the test produced positive results, the new SAM system entered service with the JSDF in 1980 under the designation TAN-SAM-1C “Tan-SAM”. However, even after the vehicle entered production, engineers continued tweaking the design, coming up with improved variants by the end of the decade.
The TAN-SAM-1C “Tam-SAM Kai” was one of these variants introduced in 1989, featuring not only improved missiles but also an updated vehicle chassis. This variant entered service with the JSDF in 1995 and continued being produced up until 2006. Thanks to its advanced design and continuous improvements, the TAN-SAM-1C remains in service with the JSDF to this day.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the vehicles;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| Japan anti-aircraft vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Ke-Ni Derivatives | Ta-Se · So-Ki |
| Wheeled | Type 94 |
| Tracked | SUB-I-II |
| Radar SPAAG | Type 87 |
| Missile SPAA | Type 93 · Type 81 (C) |
| USA | ▅M16 MGMC · ▅M19A1 · ▅M42 |
| Isuzu Motors, Ltd. (いすゞ自動車株式会社) | |
|---|---|
| SPAA | Type 94 |
| SAM | Type 81 (C) |
