History of Rapier
 

The basic clear-weather (Optical) Rapier System consists of a fire unit (the Launcher), an Optical Tracker, and a generator. The Launcher has four Rapier Missiles in the ready-to-launch position, a Surveillance Radar, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) System, Command Transmitter and Launcher Computer. 

To give the system an all-weather capability, Marconi Space and Defence Systems developed the DN181 Blindfire Radar Tracker. In this Blindfire Rapier System, the Air Defence Weapons Specialist need not track the target, this being fully automatic. 
 

Characteristics of Rapier: 

Short Reaction Time (Engage & Destroy) 
- Engagement takes less than 15 seconds. 

High Mobility 
- Towed via Land Rovers or 
- Heli-lifted by Helicopters. 

Large Missile Coverage Area 
- Against high speed hostile targets. 

High Missile Maneouvrability 
- Effective in engaging hostile targets. 
 

Rapiers were also used by the Royal Artillery in the Falklands Campaign of 1982, when it is credited with shooting down some 20 aircraft!!!. 

The 12 Rapiers Launchers were deployed by "T" Battery of the 12th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery. Thereafter, No.63 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment (8 Rapier Launchers each with the DN181 Blindfire Radar Trackers) and the 9th Battery, Royal Artillery, were deployed. 

 
Note: These killer Rapier fire units used by the battery that were credited with shooting down some 20 aircraft in the Falkland Conflict (1982) were just the early production models and had not been upgraded to the latest standard! (Special thanks to War Machine #9, an ORBIS Publication, for the related pictures and information).