Skerpioen (Scorpion/Gabriel II) Ship-to-Ship Missile

Skerpioen being fired from a Warrior class strike craft - Image: Cobus Venter

Data

Length	3.42 m
Diameter	34 cm
Weight	522 kg
Speed	0.7 mach
Range	36 km
Guidance	semi-active

History

Overview

Very little is publicly known about the Skerpioen missile or the South African missile program in the 70’s and 80’s. A lot of available information is based on speculation and in recent time many of these claims has proved to be false. So it is doubtful that any meaningful information relating to this missile or project will ever see the light of day.

The South African Skerpioen ship-to-ship missile (SSM) first appeared the 1970’s. Analysts notes that "The actual identity of this missile is not quite clear - Jane's Fighting Ships says it is 'believed to be' the South Africa name for Gabriel 2. Skerpioen has also been described as a joint venture by Israel and South Africa, presumably based on Gabriel 2."

The South African Navy only used the Skerpioen SSM to equip the then called Minister Class strike craft. These craft were renamed the Warrior Class strike craft in 1997. Originally Israeli-design missile boats, the strike craft were equipped with six Skerpioen SSM as their main armament and were used as South Africa’s main sea based defensive deterrent.

But on the modern battlefield the Skerpioen missile was described by the SA Navy as a hopelessly obsolete missile. The Navy noted in the Defence Procurement Review in 2001 that "it will very soon be killed in a modern environment". This is why the Exocet MM40 Block 2 SSM was selected for the new Valour Class Patrol Corvettes main offensive weapon.

Recent Tests of the Skerpioen Missile

Exercise Cape of Good Hope - 6 April and 6 May 2000

The month-long Exercise 'Cape of Good Hope' carried out between the German and South African navies off the South African coast in the Indian Ocean.

The second phase of the exercise saw SAN strike craft (SAS Isaak Dyobha, Adam Kok and Shaka) launch six Skerpioen missiles (four and two respectively) at the German ships, which fired a VLS Seasparrow (Brandenburg) and 13 Standard SAMs (Lutjens) to intercept them. Two of the Skerpioens passed through the SAM belt.

For more on Exercise 'Cape of Good Hope': Jane's.

Exercise RED LION - September 2004

The SA Navy conducted a missile firing exercise as part of the annual force preparation exercise of the South African Navy, Exercise RED LION. Live missile firings are necessary to test and prove the combat readiness of the missiles and warships.

Five Skerpioen missiles were fired in different modes at the target, MV Zinger, an old commercial fishing vessel. All five missiles hit the target, which sank within minutes. The firing ships were the strike craft SAS Adam Kok, SAS Makhanda and SAS Galeshewe.

For more detail on Exercise 'RED LION': Offical SA Navy Site.