visible differences are mainly the carrier (an AMX 30 armoured carrier instead of the non-protected classic carrier), and that it carries a six-missile firing unit (instead of four). The purpose of the changes was to allow the Shahine firing and acquisition units to follow and protect the armoured units of the Saudi Armed Forces on the battlefield. The Shahine units were among the first vehicles to liberate Kuwait City in February 1991 – a picture taken of the scene was widely publicised by Newsweek magazine. Liberty Forward Area Air Defense System Developed in conjunction with LTV for the US Army's Line of Sight-Forward Heavy competition, the Liberty air defense system consisted of either 6 R460 SICA or 6 VT-1 missiles mounted on an M1A1 Abrams chassis along with a pair of 25mm cannons Crotale NG (VT-1) An updated version, New Generation. Finland was the first operator of the system. The cost of the system is roughly 8 million euros (excluding the vehicle). Greece is another user, and paid 1 Billion French Francs in 1998 for 11 systems: 9 for the Hellenic Air Force and 2 for the Hellenic Navy. In 2002 euros, that would have amounted up to 12 million euros per unit. Crotale Mk.3 (system)In January 2008, France test-fired the new Crotale Mk.3 system at the CELM missile launch test center in Biscarrosse. The Crotale Mk.3 system's VT1 missile successfully intercepted a Banshee target drone at 970 metre altitude and 8 km range in 11 seconds on 15 January 2008. Later, on 31 January 2008, the system successfully intercepted another target drone at a 500-metre altitude and 15 km range in 35 seconds. HQ-7 HQ-7 is a Chinese variant of Crotale. Operators Current operators Royal Bahraini Army Egyptian Army (test in 1976) The Finnish Army operates 21 Crotale NGs on Sisu XA-181 vehicles, designated ITO90M. naval Crotale and land-based Crotale NG (12 systems) Crotale NG, used by Hellenic Air Force (9 systems) and Hellenic Navy (2 naval systems). Ya Zahra air defense system is an unlicensed Iranian copy of an unlicensed Chinese-copy of Crotale missiles. Crotale NG Pakistan Air Force K-SAM Pegasus (114 systems) Shahine, Crotale Ukraine operates two Crotale batteries Future operators Former operators Iraqi Air Force First delivery in 1973. Portuguese Army (2 launching units with 1 radar delivered in 1974) Sold in 1976. Peruvian Air Force (FAP) delivered from 1971 to 1973 Chilean Air Force Royal