Editing Sea Dart (section)

{{Short description|British surface-to-air missile system}}
{{for|the U.S. Navy fighter|Convair F2Y Sea Dart}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox weapon
|is_missile=yes
| image= Drill Sea Dart Missiles Onboard HMS Edinburgh MOD 45153846.jpg
| image_size = 250
|caption= Sea Dart drill missiles on {{HMS|Edinburgh|D97|6}} in 2012
|name=Sea Dart
|type=Surface-to-air, surface-to-surface
|origin=United Kingdom<!-- Please DON'T add those tiny flags, as they limit horizontal space (Read [[WP:Manual of Style/Icons#Avoid flag icons in infoboxes]]). -->
|launch_platform=Ship
|designer=[[Hawker Siddeley|Hawker Siddeley Dynamics]]
|manufacturer={{ubli
 | Hawker Siddeley Dynamics (1963–1977)
 | [[BAe Dynamics]] (1977–1999)
 | [[MBDA UK]] (since 1999)
 }}
|design_date=1963
|production_date=1970-2012
|service=1973–2012
|used_by= ''See ''{{section link||Operators}}
|wars= [[Falklands War]] <br/> [[Gulf 1991]]
|spec_type=
|diameter={{convert|0.42|m|in|abbr=on}}
|wingspan={{convert|0.9|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|length={{convert|4.4|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|weight={{convert|550|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
|speed=[[mach number|Mach]] 3.0+<ref>In Combat, page 229, 1991</ref>{{Verify source|date=November 2021}}
|vehicle_range={{ubli
 | Mod 0 (basic): {{convert|40|nmi|mi km|abbr=on}}
 | Mod 2 (upgrade): {{convert|80|nmi|mi km|abbr=on}}
 }}
|ceiling={{convert|18,300|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref>In Combat, page 229, 1991</ref>{{Verify source|date=November 2021}}
|filling={{convert|11|kg|lb|abbr=on}} [[high explosive|HE]] blast-fragmentation
|engine=''Chow'' solid-fuel booster motor <br />[[Bristol Siddeley]] ''[[Bristol Odin|Odin]]'' ramjet cruise motor
|steering=Control surfaces
|guidance=[[Semi-active radar homing|Semi-active radar]] illuminated by radar Type 909 (J-band)
|variants=
|number= 2,000+
|detonation=[[Proximity fuze]] and contact
}}

'''Sea Dart''', or '''GWS.30'''{{efn|GWS stands for Guided Weapon System. Seaslug was GWS.1.}} was a [[Royal Navy]] [[surface-to-air missile]] system designed in the 1960s and entering service in 1973. It was fitted to the [[Type 42 destroyer|Type 42]] [[destroyer]]s, the single [[Type 82 destroyer]] and the {{sclass|Invincible|aircraft carrier|1}}s. Originally developed by [[Hawker Siddeley]], the missile was built by [[British Aerospace]] after 1977. It was withdrawn from service in 2012.

Britain's first naval surface-to-air missile was [[Seaslug (missile)|GWS1 Seaslug]], which entered service in 1963. This used [[beam riding]] guidance which offered limited accuracy and was useful only against slower targets. The need for a higher performance system was seen even as it entered service.

[[Bristol Aerospace]], which had recently introduced the [[ramjet]]-powered [[Bloodhound (missile)|Bloodhound]] missile for the RAF, offered a new ramjet powered concept, while [[British Aircraft Corporation]] (BAC) proposed a shorter-range rocket powered design. The [[Admiralty (United Kingdom)|Admiralty]] asked for a proposal combining BAC's layout with Bristol's engine, which became Sea Dart. Compared to Seaslug, Sea Dart was faster, had much greater range, and its [[semi-active radar homing]] guidance was much more accurate and allowed attacks against [[supersonic]] targets. After the [[Falklands War]], further updates dramatically increased its range, reaching {{convert|80|miles}}.

The system had nine confirmed successful engagements in combat, including six aircraft, a helicopter and an [[anti-ship missile]]. This was the first time a missile had shot down another in combat.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Sea Dart Missile: A Parting Salute |first=Brendan |last=McNally |date=14 July 2013 |magazine=Defense Media Network |url=https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/sea-dart-missile-a-parting-salute/2/}}</ref> An additional helicopter was shot down in a '[[friendly fire]]' [[1982 British Army Gazelle friendly fire incident|incident]] during the Falklands.