Antiaircraft Artillery Complex

an antiaircraft weapon consisting of one or several antiaircraft guns, an antiaircraft director, and radar. It is designed primarily for fighting enemy planes and helicopters.

Antiaircraft artillery complexes appeared in various armies during World War II and were modernized in postwar years. Since the 1950’s and the introduction of antiaircraft missile complexes that destroy air targets at high and medium elevations, primary development has been given to small-caliber self-propelled (20–60 mm) antiaircraft artillery complexes designed to destroy enemy air targets operating at low elevations. Antiaircraft artillery complexes make it possible to detect targets, carry out automatic laying of guns, and conduct fire under any weather conditions, in any season of the year, and at any time of the day or night. The antiaircraft artillery complex may be autonomous, with all elements of the complex placed on one chassis (a carriage or a self-propelled mount) or the radar and antiaircraft director may be on separate transportation units and support several antiaircraft guns (a battery), not just one.