Saab has launched an upgraded version of the Bolide missile for the RBS 70 NG short-range air defense missile system, featuring enhanced anti-drone capabilities.
The Bolide 2 features a larger warhead, improved terminal flight performance, and a modular design that enables future upgrades.
It retains the laser beam-riding guidance system used in previous generations, which is resistant to jamming. The missile also reportedly retains the original Bolide’s range and altitude envelope of 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) and 5 kilometers (3.1 miles), respectively.
However, an added inertial navigation unit improves performance at high altitudes and against small, high-flying targets such as reconnaissance drones.
The Bolide 2 will become the standard munition for the RBS 70 NG while remaining compatible with earlier versions of the system.
Development of the missile began 4.5 years ago, and multiple development trials have since been completed. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027.
Increased Lethality
The Bolide 2’s warhead carries 50 percent more explosive mass and 40 percent more fragmentation, while retaining the overall weight, Calibre Defence reported, citing a Saab representative.
Despite the enhancements, the fragmentation coverage remains unchanged, resulting in a denser impact pattern — a key factor in defeating small drones. In addition, a greater number of laser-based proximity fuze sensors improves target-detection capability.
The missile also reportedly features an aluminum-shaped charge instead of the copper charge used in the original, enabling more optimal target penetration.
“With Bolide 2, we are ready to provide our customers with an even more capable missile, ready to be adapted for any new threats in the sky,” head of Saab’s business unit Missile Systems, Stefan Öberg, said.
“RBS 70 users can benefit from improvements including a more powerful warhead, whether they are operating in the man-portable role or, as is increasingly common, from a vehicle firing unit.”
