European. (Yves Debay) missile. success A successful. story. marriage

Transcription

1 The European (Yves Debay) missile story success A successful marriage

2 n 9 November 1989, in front of television cameras from around the world, German youths tore down chunks of the wall of shame, foreshadowing the end of the Soviet Union, dismantled shortly thereafter in It was the end of an era. The threat posed by the Warsaw peace Pact, a threat that had justified numerous programmes, ceased to exist when the Cold War ended. The idea gained acceptance that it was finally possible From to reap the dividends of peace by reducing spending on military equipment, which was cut in half during the 1990s. In 1990, Saddam Hussein's troops invaded Kuwait, setting off the massive international response known as Operation Desert Storm. At this point the needs of western armies changed. From 1991 to 1995 there was a growing awareness of the fact that a large part of the Cold War panoply of weapons was not suited for remote operations carried out far from Europe (Persian Gulf, 1991; Somalia, 1993; Bosnia, starting in 1995). From 1995 to 2000, armies redeveloped their doctrine and their concepts of use, as warfare had considerably changed. It was no longer a matter of stopping columns of Warsaw Pact tanks, but of seeking out vehicles in urban environments.air forces no longer needed to be able to handle the dividends latest generation of Soviet fighter jets. Rather, they needed to provide support to ground troops while keeping civilian damage to a minimum. Paradoxically, the first Gulf War also underlined the relevance of efforts undertaken in the missile sector (Hot, Milan, AS30L, etc.), with experience gained since the 1950s with three generations of missiles. But it was necessary to adapt and redesign. A phase of equipment renewal began in 2000, but it was carried against a backdrop of major defence spending cuts in Europe. As a result, armies had to do more with less. And while the 1980s had seen intense R&D activity, not all of these initiatives reached to series production. It was one cancellation after another. The ANF (former-ans) future anti-ship that was about to be launched was frozen in The Trigat-MP anti-tank was halted in the summer of Upgrading of the Roland was abandoned in 2003, as was the launch of the Polyphem fibre-optic guided ground-to-ground missile. France found itself unable to participate in the industrialisation of the Brevel drone and the Milas torpedo-carrier missile. Other programmes survived, but with reduced orders (Apache, Brimstone) or spread out over time (Mica, Scalp-EG). Thanks to their open architecture, missile systems could be adapted to changing threats through modernisation of their different components. new threats Upgrades of existing missiles were frequent and carried out across all segments: anti-tank, with Milan 3 and Hot 3 and the transformation of the Swingfire into the SWIG; anti-aircraft, with the Rapier Mk2 and the Jernas, the upgraded Sea Dart, the Sea Wolf Block 2 and the Aspide 2000; and antiship, with the Exocet Block 2 in France in 1990, the Marte Mk2/S in Italy and the SL Sea Skua in Great Britain. Few new missile systems saw the light of day during the 1990s, but those that did were significant and were carried out as cooperation programmes among European countries: Aster and Scalp/Storm Shadow. Kosovo, during Operation Allied Force (1999). French Air Force Mirage 2000Ds deployed 127 BGL laser-guided bombs designed by Matra and six air-to-ground AS30 Laser missiles against concrete hangars suspected of sheltering fighter aircraft. The French Navy's Super Etendards fired two AS30 Lasers to destroy the entrance to a Serbian underground base. In June 1999, Yugoslavian soldiers retreated from Kosovo. (AFP) Iraq, Operation Telic (2003). In its advance on Basra, the British Army fired around 550 Milans and 100 SWIGs (four times more than the number of Swingfires used during the first Gulf War in 1991) against both armoured tanks and urban buildings. (AFP)

3 he increase in the number of interventions on the part of western countries in places where the threat appears spread out over a large area has revealed the advantages of light missiles deployed by the infantry. The enemy today is rarely a coherent army. Head-on battles with these groups, less organised and equipped with older, more rustic materials, often left over from the Soviet era, are very rare. The aim is to go and force combatants out of their urban hiding spots. Lightweight missiles that are either man-portable or tank-mounted are therefore very practical for use in these new types of engagements. All the more so considering they are not only used to immobilise tanks, but are multipurpose. Effective against any type of vehicle, wire-guidance makes it possible to engage all kinds of targets, while the ability to fire from an enclosed space has considerably widened the use of such systems in cities. Mastering the urban environment 1991 Milan 3 and Hot 3 Outsmarting countermeasures Until a successor could be developed, Hot and Milan missiles underwent modernisations. The third version aimed at optimising both systems to resist jamming. The Milan 3 features a new IRCCD localiser on its firing post and 1990 pulsed-beacon guidance (Eryx-type) has replaced the missile's IR tracer. Image processing makes it possible to clear the telescopic sight of all sources of IR interference on the battlefield. (MBDA/Yves Debay) Milan 3 operational in 1995 (MBDA/Yves Debay) French soldiers watching over the Yamoussoukro airport in Ivory Coast in November (MBDA/Yves Debay) SWIG An automatic Swingfire In Great Britain, the modernisation of Striker (FV102) armoured missile launchers, in service since 1976 and featuring five launch containers for the long-range anti-tank missile, was accompanied by the modernisation of the Swingfire. British Aerospace Defence Limited (BADL), in charge of the programme, improved the Swingfire system by replacing the semiautomatic SACLOS missile guidance system with an automatic 1990 guidance system (ACLOS). The purpose was to increase the missile's precision. SWIG stands for SWingfire Improved Guidance. Hot 3 operational in 1998 (D.R.) Range: 4 km Produced from 1994 to

4 Brimstone 1996 hether it was the wars in Iraq, or the conflicts in Kosovo and Afghanistan, all these operations began with a ground attack campaign, a necessary preliminary for the deployment of ground forces. Their purpose: the destruction of military targets (ground-to-air defences, bunkers, etc.) and strategic targets (bridge, oil wells, etc.) in order to break down the enemy as quickly as possible while minimising collateral damage. In this new post-cold War role, certain existing missiles (AS30L, among others) revealed themselves to be perfectly adequate. Still, following bombardments in Iraq and in the Balkans, the need arose among air forces for a stand-off cruise missile with a powerful warhead. The idea was thus put forth to adapt the Apache anti-runway missile. The choice of the Scalp proved to be wise and placed the British on a level playing field with the Americans during the bombardment phase of the second war in Iraq, a capability that had until now been exclusive to the Americans. Redesigning ground attack missions Destruction of a concrete bunker containing Iraqi munitions by an AS30 Laser missile fired from a French Air Force Jaguar during a bombing mission over Kuwait on 2 February (FATac) An autonomous air-to-ground anti-tank Following the lessons learned during the Gulf War, a need was expressed in 1994 for an air-to-ground Advanced Anti-Armour Weapon (AAAW) for air attacks on armoured tanks. More specifically, the need was for an autonomous fire-and-forget missile that could be used by day or by night in all-weather conditions, and that would provide the launching fighter-bomber with a secure stand-off firing distance thanks to high-speed firing at any altitude. The competition was won in 1996 by GEC Marconi, which teamed up with Boeing. The missile was fitted with active radar guidance using an extremely high frequency seeker, resulting in a high-resolution image of the target, making location and identification possible through the use of algorithms. Firing is either direct or indirect, and the system also features the capability to fire based on coordinates from another aircraft. The warhead consists of a hollow charge in tandem. The missile's entry in service was held up by delays in the Tornado GR.Mk4 upgrade programme. Scalp EG/Storm Shadow 1996 (Crown Copoyright) A stellar cooperation The first war in Iraq revealed the need for a weapon that could be fired from a safe distance, enabling in-depth strikes of hardened targets such as bunkers. On the basis of the technology developed thanks to the Apache programme, the decision was made to replace anti-runway sub-munitions with a single warhead. In France, the programme was officially selected in 1994 under the name Scalp EG (système de croisière conventionnel autonome à longue portée et d'emploi général). At the same time, the same need was identified by the United Kingdom for a Conventionally Armed Stand-Off Missile (CASOM), to which BAe responded by proposing the Storm Shadow, a British version very similar to the Scalp EG. The project won the competition in This bi-national programme allowed Matra and BAe Dynamics to merge together to form Matra BAe Dynamics (MBD). The missile was used in combat in Iraq in 2003 (Operation Telic), put in service with Tornado GR.Mk4, even before it officially entered service. During this campaign, 27 Storm Shadows were successfully fired. More recently, the Storm Shadow was selected by Italy, in 2003, by Greece, in 2000 and by the United Arab Emirates, in 1998, for which a special variant called the Black Shaheen was developed. Development begun in st guided flight for Scalp EG in 2000, and for Storm Shadow in 2001 Approximately 2,200 missiles ordered Maximum speed: 1,000 km/h Range: more than 250 km Weight: 1,300 kg (Crown Copoyright) In-flight tests between 1999 and st guided firing in December

5 hile Soviet Styx anti-ship missiles had a proven track record, of the 52 firings carried out during the Israeli-Arab War in 1973, not one struck the Israeli fleet; the Israelis had become masters of electronic warfare. Today, the most likely threat faced by navies at sea remains anti-ship missiles. All of the world's navies have them and they are easily deployed from various platforms (aircraft, helicopters, ships, etc.). To combat these missiles, they must be lured, hence the advantage of increasing the jamming resistance of anti-ship missiles. Upgrading anti-ship missiles Exocet Block 2 A confirmed international success In 1990, the Exocet family (MM40, AM39, SM39) was upgraded to Block 2 version. The modernised version 1990 features renovated electronics (computer system), an enhanced seeker to improve the missile's ability to discriminate targets and the penetration of enemy defences, as well as better jamming resistance. This third-generation of Exocet missiles won the majority of international competitions among ten countries during the 1990s, thanks to unrivalled capabilities. (MBDA/Michel Hans) SL Sea Skua A winner in Kuwait The SL Sea Skua is the light ship-launched surface-to-surface version of the Sea Skua (SL stands for Ship Launched). This sea-skimming anti-ship missile can be used by day or night and in all-weather conditions It was selected by the Kuwaiti Navy in 1996 to equip its La Combattante I patrol ships. The first firing of this modernised version took place in The Sea Skua scored its first successes during the Falklands War, during which the British sank the Rio Carcarana transport ship and damaged the Alferez Sobral patrol vessel. Its effectiveness was confirmed during the Gulf War. The Royal Navy's Lynx helicopters were responsible for the destruction of a significant part of Iraq's fleet of rapid patrol boats, with 14 of 15 missiles fired successfully hitting their targets

6 mong missiles relying on fibre-optics, the latter links the missile during flight to its control post. The gunner relies on real-time video images taken by a camera located in the nose of the missile. He can thus precisely identify the target and change it in case of doubt. Identifying the target Polyphem The eye of the Cyclops Marte Mk 2/S An anti-ship missile for the latest helicopters 1996 The latest version of this helicopter-launched air-tosurface missile is in fact adapted for deployment on the new generation of helicopters that will soon equip the majority of European navies-the NH90 and the EH101. The new missile features an improved radar seeker and the capability to follow pre-programmed trajectories. While the missile's length and mass have been reduced, the warhead is more powerful. A less cumbersome missile has been achieved thanks to the addition of foldable centre wings and replacement of the co-axial booster by two small lateral boosters. (EUROCOPTER) 1994 The Polyphem was the demonstrator programme for a fibre optic-guided missile. Carried out between 1994 and 1997 by Germany, France and Italy, the programme was a cooperation programme between Aerospatiale Missiles, Deutsche Aerospace (DASA) and Italmissile. The operational demonstration phase took place in as part of a German contact awarded to DASA/LFK. 1st firing in st complete firing from 16 km in April 1997 Stopped in 2003 due to budget restrictions (DGA/CELM) 1st firing in 2001 Completion of development in 2005 Range: 25 km

7 The current period has been marked by the arrival of many new-generation fighters, whether the Eurofighter, Rafale and Gripen in Europe, or the F22, F35 in the United States, giving rise to tough commercial battles. From an operational point of view, these carriers offer new possibilities that have been reinforced by highly sophisticated technologies (Link 16, electronic scanning radar, etc.). Multi-mission capabilities are now the key. The fighter jet is no longer dedicated, but a multi-purpose aircraft. It must be capable of striking targets on the ground while ensuring its own defence when firing air-to-air missiles. Thus, fighters equipped with multi-target firing control systems need to simultaneously deploy several missiles against several targets. The priority during the 1990s for missiles developed over the preceding decade was, as in the naval sector, resistance to electronic countermeasures and decoys. This became a prime concern among many air forces. Moreover, with the increasing range offered by radars, the advantage of having very long-range missiles became clear. And so air combat underwent a transformation; it is now carried out from greater distances. New missiles for new fighters ASRAAM 1992 A highly manoeuvrable short-range Range: 20 km 1st guided firing in 1996 Exported to Australia in 1998 Entered service in late ,000 missiles ordered Carrier: Tornado F3 and Eurofighter Typhoon (Saab-Gripen) Begun in 1982, the Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) was launched in cooperation between Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. The idea for an air-to-air missile exchanged between both sides of the Atlantic was followed up with the short-range ASRAAM developed in France and co-produced in the United States to replace the American AIM-9 Sidewinder, and the medium-range Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) developed in the United States and co-produced in Europe. However the end of this cooperation in 1989, following the American preference for an additional modernisation of the Sidewinder AIM-9X, and the German withdrawal to develop the IRIS-T and that of France to develop the Mica, considerably changed the way the programme was carried out. Now 100 per cent British, the project survived under the responsibility of BADL. The resulting missile benefits from the latest infrared guidance technologies, an innovative aerodynamic form with a lifting body design, without wings or canard surfaces. Iris-T 1996 An air-to-air for the latest aircraft Following Germany's withdrawal from the transatlantic ASRAAM programme, the Luftwaffe decided to replace the American Sidewinder with a short-range air-to-air missile for close-up combat. The programme was extended to several European countries and brought together Germany (47 per cent), Italy (20 per cent), Sweden, Greece, Norway and Spain. Project design and supervision was entrusted to the German company Bodenseewerk Gerätetechnik (BGT) with the participation of MBDA Italy as well as numerous firms among the six countries. The missile features a guidance system based on an infrared imagery seeker (IIR) and a high degree of manoeuvrability thanks to jetevators. 1st ground-based firing in st firing from a Eurofighter Typhoon in 2004 Series production authorised in

8 ASMPA An unstoppable missile Maintaining France's nuclear air capabilities led to the development of a successor to the ASMP. The ASMPA (Amélioré), a nuclear air-to-ground missile, features an extended range, greater enemy defence penetration capabilities, as well as improved manoeuvrability and guidance. This new means of deterrence is powered by a new-generation ramjet featuring longendurance combustion, substantially increasing the missile's range and allowing more diverse trajectories. Finalised starting Meteor 2000The Meteor The new reference in air superiority came about as a result of the Royal Air Force's need for a new-generation, very long-range air-to-air missile to carry out Beyond Visual Range interceptions. The programme was managed by the British Defence Procurement Agency, and the project design and supervision was awarded to Matra BAe Dynamics, following a competition in May The missile was also selected by Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden and France, where Meteor complemented the short- and medium-range Mica. The Meteor can reach very high speeds thanks to ramjet propulsion, and in its final phase still has enough energy to ensure that even a highly manoeuvrable enemy doesn't stand a chance. The missile uses active radar guidance. Approximately 1,000 Eurofighter, Gripen and Rafale fighters equipped in six European countries Range: from 20 km to more than 100 km Speed: Mach 4+ Planned to enter service by the end of the decade in 1996 as part of the VESTA programme 2000 (VEcteur à STAtoréacteur), development of the ASMPA was launched in The ASMP's general design was retained, while the electronics (inertial unit, computer system, etc.) have been completely overhauled. 1st flight in April st firing of the ASMPA carried out in 2005 Planned to enter service in 2010 Deployed on Mirage 2000N and Rafale F3 (Dassault Istres) (D.R.)

9 eginning in the late 1980s the missile threat began to be taken into account. This was a logical development. As aircraft became increasingly vulnerable in the face of threats ranging from rustic manpads to the most sophisticated ground-to-air missiles they launched their missiles from a safe distance. Modern missiles feature ranges that allow bombers to remain far from their targets and beyond the range of enemy fire, especially considering that the latest guidance systems offer a high degree of precision. As the ultimate development in response to this threat, the latest missiles have adopted very close terrain-hugging or seaskimming flight. The high speed of these missiles makes radar detection very difficult. And because they leave the enemy with little time to react, they make ferocious weapons. In response to these new needs, European industrials have improved their existing air-defence systems. At the same time, more ambitious programmes have been launched in the aim of keeping entire zones free of missiles, including ballistic missiles (Aster and MEADS programmes). Iraqi armed forces parade through Baghdad's Victory Square, 31 December (AFP) Anti-missile missiles Jernas 1992 A young but fearsome hawk The Jernas is the improved short-range ground-to-air version of the Rapier, developed for the export market. The system is optimised for operations in hot zones. The launcher holds eight missiles (compared with four on the Jernas) and the system benefits from a new 3-D surveillance and pursuit radar. Guidance is automatic; the system offers better jamming resistance, and the cabin features air conditioning for the two men at the controls. The system's automatic reaction time is five seconds, requiring only three seconds to engage a second target. The radar can detect up to 75 targets. Rapier Mark 2 Entered service in 1995 in the British Army The Rapier's production to date includes 700 firing stations and more than 25,000 missiles Reliability across the board Although similar in appearance to the original Mark 1, all of the Rapier Mark 2's components have been replaced (such as its flare system) or upgraded, 1990 thanks to developments in digital electronics making it possible to increase performance and reliability. Its range was increased by using a new solid-fuel engine. The designation Rapier Mk2 was adopted for new missiles and B1X for retrofitted missiles. Exported to Malaysia Speed: Mach

10 Sea Dart Upgrade In service until 2015 The modernisation contract for the Sea Dart was signed in 1993 and covered the renovation of the airframe and the 1993 proximity fuse. Two additional contracts signed in 1996 and 2000 covered refurbishment of the missile's electronics and its maintenance. Aspide 2000 Operational until Sea Dart systems and 1,000 missiles produced for the United Kingdom and Argentina Range: 80 km A rejuvenation Sea Wolf Block Countering more rapid targets The Block 2 programme was in fact the mid-life upgrade of the Sea Wolf system. Range: 6.5 km Its aim was to adapt the system to new Speed: Mach 2 air threats, notably to combat smaller, faster targets flying at low altitude. The target-seeker and guidance system have been modernised thanks to enhanced digitisation. The missile has undergone several improvements, in particular with the adoption of a new proximity fuse as well as an improved engine. The boosters and cruise engine are more powerful and provide an increased range, making it possible to use the same missile for both ramp and vertical launches. The system equips the Royal Navy's Type 22 and 23 frigates and will remain in operation until The Aspide 2000 is the upgraded version of the Aspide Mk1, notably featuring an increased range and improvements to the semi-active homing system to improve its 1994 jamming resistance. The all-weather system is now effective against high-manoeuvrability targets, even at low altitude. Ordered by the Italian Air Force for its Spada ground-to-air system Range: 40 km

11 MEADS The broadening of air defence In 1994, an agreement was signed between the United States, Germany and France (later replaced by Italy) to study a mobile theatre of operations missile defence system at the army corps level. Following stiff competition between the two teams between 1996 and 1999, the MEADS International team (Medium Extended Air Defence System), composed of Lockheed Martin, 2001 Siemens (EADS-LFK) and Alenia (whose missile activities were transferred to MBDA Italy) was selected. This choice was followed, in July 2001, by the signature of a Risk Reduction Effort contract stipulating that over a period of 32 months, the technologies, concepts and prototypes were to be evaluated and tested in order to then limit programme costs. More recently, following the go-ahead given by the Bundestag, a 1.4 billion-euro development contract was awarded on 31 May MEADS International joint venture: United States, 55 per cent; Germany, 28 per cent; Italy, 17 per cent Entry in service planned for 2012, to replace American Patriot system, used during the Gulf War (EUROSAM) s viewers watched, riveted to their television sets, the first Gulf War showed the world the damage caused by Saddam Hussein's Scud missiles as they struck targets in Saudi Arabia and Israel. With American Patriot defence systems offering uncertain results, Allied forces could only stand by helplessly as they watched these bombardments. Even with the disappearance of the Soviet threat, the ballistic threat remains ever present and must be addressed. France, Italy and the United Kingdom launched the Aster programme, the first European family of anti-aircraft and anti-missile missiles. Conceived as cross-forces weapons in order to meet the needs of the three services (Navy, Army and Air Force), the Aster defence system was designed to be modular and expandable. Three systems were produced (SAAM, SAMP/T, PAAMS) using two versions of the Aster missile and sharing the same second interception stage, linked to the first booster stage, which has a variable size depending on the range: Aster 15 with short acceleration and Aster 30 with long acceleration. The interception stage is fitted with an active radar seeker, and the missile is highly manoeuvrable thanks to a PIF-PAF control system featuring impulses from lateral jets at the centre of gravity. The missile is designed for a direct impact ( Hit to Kill ) on targets. A true family of European missiles (EUROSAM) (MEADS)

12 Aster 15 SAAM Naval self-defence Aster 30 SAMP/T Area land defence The Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile (SAAM) system developed in cooperation by France and Italy aimed at ensuring a broadened range of naval self-defence. It was the first missile system designed and optimised from the start to achieve self-protection of warships against the latest sea-skimming anti-ship missiles. The 1990 system has the unique ability to protect neighbouring ships within a radius of several kilometres. In 1997, the Aster 15 SAAM was selected by Saudi Arabia as part of the Sawari 2 contract to equip three frigates. Range 30 km In service since 2002 aboard the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier 1st guided firing in st interception of a sea-skimming anti-ship missile in 1997 Qualification between 1999 and 2001 system (Sol-Air Moyenne Portée/ Terrestre) developed in cooperation by France and Italy, was designed to ensure the protection of forces on the battlefield and sensitive sites. The programme's objective was to widen area land defence to include the capability to combat all modern missiles. The Aster 30 SAMP/T is to replace the anti-aircraft Hawk systems among the French and Italian armies and the Crotale in the French Air Force. New capability (in qualification) of Aster 30 Block 1 to combat Super Scud-type ballistic tactical ground-to-ground missiles 1990The SAMP/T Aster 15 and 30 PAAMS 1st firing in 1995 Industrialisation contract in 1997, series contract late 2003 Range: 100 km Naval defence expanded (DGA/CELM) 1996 The Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) developed in cooperation by France, Italy and the United Kingdom is destined for the air defence frigates of the three countries: Horizon class in France and Italy, and Daring class (Type 45) in Great Britain. It is the first system in the world capable of carrying out three missions: self-defence of the naval carrier; local area naval defence (protection of ships in the vicinity); and naval zone defence (fleet protection). In this configuration, Aster 15 and 30 missiles offer a total protection bubble whose coverage ranges from very short range (1.7 km) to long range (100 km). The Aster family's technological advances: Highly manoeuvrable thanks to PIF-PAF control, which offers remarkable manoeuvrability and trajectory precision High-performance multi-function radars (surveillance, weather, target identification, etc.) that can process up to 1 billion pieces of data per second (BAe Systems)

13 hanges in the geopolitical and economic landscape of the 1990s resulted in a consolidation of the European missile industry. While in the United States this restructuring had already taken place, organised around Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, in Europe, manufacturers were moving forward in a dispersed fashion. The turning point, aside from reductions in defence spending, was no doubt the expression of common needs and developments carried out in cooperation, whether for the Scalp, Meteor or the Aster family. On 26 April 2001, BAe Systems, EADS and Finmeccanica signed an agreement for the creation of a single company regrouping the missile and missile systems activities of their respective subsidiaries: Matra BAe Dynamics, EADS Aerospatiale Matra missiles and Alenia Marconi Systems. The new company, officially created in 2002, was named MBDA. After joining forces with the German industry (LFK), MBDA became the first-ever transnational European defence company, enabling Europe to hold its own in the sector next to its American competitors. In 2005 the company was ranked the world's number one missile manufacturer. MBDA, or the coming together of European missile manufacturers Exocet MM40 Block 3 The first MBDA missile (BAe Systems) 2002 At the request of various navies that wanted the Exocet's range increased, MBDA replaced the solid-fuel engine with a turbojet and completely refurbished the electronics. With a greater range, the system is perfectly adapted to blue water combat as well as littoral combat, with coastal ground attack capabilities. The newgeneration Exocet provides superior operational flexibility thanks to waypoints and terrain-flight capabilities. It also offers a high degree of commonality with the launch and logistical support systems of the preceding MM40 Block 1 and Block 2. The new Exocet will remain in service until 2040 a life span of nearly 70 years. (ONERA) Selected by the French Navy Range: 180 km

14 Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm (1991). Gazelle helicopters with Hot missiles used in combat by France, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, along with French and Qatari VAB armoured vehicles, fired a total of 337 Hot anti-tank missiles. (AFP) A convoy of Saudi Shahine systems moving past an abandoned Iraqi T55 in Kuwait City, now liberated, on 27 February (AFP) From the start of the air offensive against Iraq, during the night of January 1991, the Royal Air Force's bombing raids were preceded by Tornado GR.Mk1s, which deployed Alarm missiles to destroy or neutralise enemy radars. The French Air Force's Jaguars focused on the destruction of well-defended concrete targets (air base shelters, blockhouses, munitions depots, bridges, etc.) thanks to the standoff firing and penetration capabilities of the AS30 Laser (pictured), which achieved a 95 per cent success rate with 60 missiles fired. (FATac)

15 From 22 to 26 February, the Allied land offensive, which lasted 100 hours, saw the Milan used by a great number of units. The French fired 24 of the missiles against trenches and bunkers. The British 1 st Armoured Division, the famous Desert Rats of El Alamein, fired 34 Milans and roughly 25 Swingfires, notably to fend off a counter attack by Iraqi T-55 tanks. (AFP) Baghdad during the night of 21 March From the start of the war, the Royal Air Force's Tornados used the Storm Shadow long-range air-to-ground missile. The No 617 Squadron fired against the blockhouses of Baghdad's command with metric precision. (AFP) Bosnia, Operation Deliberate Force (1995). The Mirage 2000D/AS30 Laser duo underwent its baptism by fire during the first bombings carried out by NATO since its inception in Compared with the Jaguar, which during the Gulf War could only fire by day, the Mirage 2000Ds were capable of firing all their weapons at night, including the AS30. The targets destroyed were mainly Serbian munitions depots. (AFP) In November 2004, following an attack on a French camp by an Ivorian Air Force aircraft, French Operation Licorne troops were given the order to destroy air means. The units present at the Yamoussoukro airport grounded two Sukhoi Su-25 attack planes, firing a Milan on one aircraft and an Eryx on the other. (AFP)

16 Start of development LIST OF MISSILE PROGRAMMES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF DEVELOPMENT Name Type Status Manufacturer 1946 CT 10 Flying target S Arsaéro 1946 SE 4100 Ground-to-air X SNCASE 1946 SE 4200 Ground-to-air S SNCASE 1947 AA 10 Air-to-air X Arsaéro 1947 SS10 Anti-tank S Arsaéro 1948 M 04 Ground-to-air X Matra 1949 Thunderbird Ground-to-air S English Electric 1949 Bloodhound Ground-to-air S Bristol 1949 Sea Slug Surface-Air S Armstrong Whitwork 1949 Fireflash Air-to-air X Fairey 1951 Firestreak Air-to-air S De Havilland 1951 AA20 Air-to-air S Arsaéro 1951 ST600 Ramjet X Arsaéro 1952 ENTAC Anti-tank S DEFA + Nord Aviation 1952 Red Dean Air-to-air X Vickers Armstrong 1953 SE 4300 Ground-to-air X SNCASE 1953 SE 4400 Ground-to-air X SNCASE 1953 N1500 Griffon Ramjet X SFECMAS 1953 R422 Ground-to-air X Matra 1953 R431 Ground-to-air X Matra 1954 Blue Steel Air-to-ground S Avro 1954 SS11 Anti-tank S SFECMAS 1954 ST450 Ramjet X SFECMAS 1955 CT20 Target missile S SNCAN 1955 SS12 Anti-ship S SNCAN 1955 SE4500 Ground-to-ground X SNCASE 1956 R510 & R511 Air-to-air S Matra 1956 Vigilant Anti-tank S Vickers Armstrong 1956 Thunderbird 2 Ground-to-air S English Electric 1957 Red Top Air-to-air S De Havilland 1958 CT41 Narval Target missile X SNCAN 1958 Vega Ramjet X Nord Aviation 1958 Bloodhound 2 Ground-to-air S Bristol 1958 Swingfire Anti-tank S Vickers Armstrong 1958 Blue Water Ground-to-ground X English Electric 1958 AS20 Air-to-ground S Nord Aviation 1958 AS30 Air-to-ground S Nord Aviation 1959 R530 Air-to-air S Matra 1959 Harpon Anti-tank S Nord Aviation 1959 RSC & Micon Ground-to-air X Oerlikon + Contraves 1959 M20 Surface-to-surface S Nord Aviation + SAAB 1960 R20 UAV S Nord Aviation 1960 AS31 & AS33 Air-to-ground X Nord Aviation 1960 Indigo Ground-to-air X Contraves Italiana 1963 Sea Indigo Surface-to-air X Contraves Italiana 1963 Sea Killer Mk 1 Surface-to-surface X Contraves Italiana 1963 Sea Dart Surface-to-air S Hawker Siddeley 1963 Rapier Ground-to-air S BAC 1964 Milan Anti-tank S Nord Aviation + Bölkow 1964 Hot Anti-tank S Nord Aviation + Bölkow 1964 Roland 1 & 2 Ground-to-air S Nord Aviation + Bölkow 1964 X 422 Ground-to-ground X Sud Aviation 1964 Martel Anti-radar S Matra+Hawker Siddeley 1964 R440 (Crotale) Ground-to-air S CFTH+Matra 1965 Sea Killer Mk 2 Surface-to-surface S Contraves Italiana 1966 Masurca Surface-to-air S DTCN/ECAN + Matra 1968 Albatros Surface-to-air S Selenia 1968 Sea Wolf Surface-to-air S BAC 1968 AS34 Kormoran Air-to-surface S Bölkow + Nord Aviation 1967 Pluton Ground-to-ground S Nord Aviation Exocet MM38 Surface-to-surface S Nord Aviation 1969 R550 Magic Air-to-air S Matra 1969 Skyflash Air-to-air S BAC 1970 SRAAM Air-to-air X Hawker Siddeley 1970 Marte Air-to-surface S SISTEL 1971 Aspide Air-to-air S Selenia 1971 Otomat/TESEO Surface-to-surface S OTOMelara + Matra 1972 Super 530 F Air-to-air S Matra 1974 Spada Ground-to-air S Selenia 1974 Exocet AM39 Air-to-surface S SNIAS 1975 Exocet MM40 Surface-to-surface S SNIAS 1975 AS30 Laser Air-to-ground S SNIAS 1975 Milan 2 Anti-tank S SNIAS + MBB 1975 Sea Skua Air-to-surface S BAC 1977 Sica/Shahine Ground-to-air S Thomson-CSF + Matra 1977 Super 530 D Air-to-air S Matra 1978 C22 Target missile S SNIAS 1978 Exocet SM39 Subsurface-to-surface S SNIAS 1978 ASMP Air-to-ground S SNIAS 1978 Magic 2 Air-to-air S Matra 1979 Sea Eagle Air-to-surface S BAC 1980 Hot 2 Anti-tank S SNIAS + MBB 1980 Mistral Ground-to-air S Matra 1980 Otomat Mk2 Surface-to-surface S Matra + OTOMelara 1980 Marte Mk 2 Air-to-surface S SISTEL + Otobreda 1980 Armat Anti-radar S Matra 1981 MPSR 1 & 2 Ramjet X Matra 1981 AS15TT Air-to-surface S SNIAS 1983 ANS Anti-ship X SNIAS + MBB 1983 Eryx Anti-tank S SNIAS 1983 VL Sea Wolf Surface-to-air S British Aerospace 1983 Alarm Anti-radar S British Aerospace 1985 Milan 2T Anti-tank S Aerospatiale + MBB 1986 MLRS Ground-to-ground S LTV + MLRS EPG 1987 Mica Air-to-air S Matra 1987 Hot 2T Anti-tank S Aerospatiale + MBB 1987 Piver (CL289) UAV S Aerospatiale 1988 Milas Anti-submarine S Matra+Alenia 1988 Trigat AC3G-MR Anti-tank X Aerospatiale + BAe + MBB 1988 Trigat AC3G-LR Anti-tank D Aerospatiale + BAe + MBB 1988 Roland 3 Ground-to-air S Aerospatiale + BAe + MBB 1989 Brevel UAV S Matra+STN Atlas 1989 Apache Air-to-ground S Matra 1990 Milan 3 Anti-tank S Aerospatiale + DASA 1990 Hot 3 Anti-tank S Aerospatiale + DASA 1990 Rapier Mk 2 Ground-to-air S British Aerospace 1990 SWIG Anti-tank S British Aerospace 1990 Exocet Block 2 Anti-ship S Aerospatiale 1990 Aster-SAAM Surface-to-air S Aerospatiale + Thomson-CSF + Alenia 1990 Aster-SAMP/T Surface-to-air D Aerospatiale + Thomson-CSF + Alenia 1992 ASRAAM Air-to-air S British Aerospace 1992 Jernas Ground-to-air S British Aerospace 1993 Sea Dart Upgrade Surface-to-air S British Aerospace 1994 Aspide 2000 Air-to-air D Alenia 1994 Polyphem Ground-to-ground X Aerospatiale + DASA + Italmissile 1996 Scalp/Storm Shadow Air-to-ground S Matra BAe Dynamics 1996 Brimstone Air-to-ground S GEC-Marconi 1996 SL Sea Skua Surface-to-surface S British Aerospace 1996 Marte Mk 2/S Air-to-surface D Alenia 1996 Aster-PAAMS Surface-to-air D EUROSAM + UKAMS 1996 IRIS-T Air-to-air D BGT + MBDA Italia 2000 Sea Wolf Block 2 Surface-to-air D Matra BAe Dynamics 2000 VESTA-ASMPA Air-to-ground D Aerospatiale 2000 Meteor Air-to-air D Matra BAe Dynamics 2001 MEADS Ground-to-air D Lockheed Martin + MBDA Italia + LFK 2002 Exocet Block 3 Anti-ship D MBDA Abbreviations : X = Experimental S = Series D = Development

17 HISTORY OF MBDA MERGERS Arsenal SFECMAS SNCAN SNCAC Nord Aviation SNIAS Aerospatiale missile division Aerospatiale missiles SNCASE Matra Bristol Aerospace English Electric Vickers Armstrong Armstrong Whitwork A.V. Roe (AVRO) De Havilland GEC Marconi (missile activities) British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) Hawker Siddeley Hawker Siddeley Dynamics British Aerospace Dynamics Matra BAe Dynamics Alenia Marconi Systems (AMS) Selenia Aeritalia Oto Melara Breda Alenia Missile Systems Oto Breda Missile Systems Alenia Oto Sistemi Missilistici Copyright : EUROMISSILE Photos above, Copyright DR - AEROSPATIALE MATRA MISSILES multimedia collection

18 Index PREFACE TECHNOLOGIES OF EXCELLENCE AND WEAPONS OF SOVEREIGNTY 3 HISTORY FROM PILOTLESS AIRCRAFT TO GUIDED WEAPONS 10 CHAPTER 1 STRANGE NEW WEAPONS ( ) 15 In France, it's back to the drawing board A trio of anti-defeat weapons 18 CT10 - A civilised V1 18 AA10 - A first attempt that failed 19 SS10 - An impressive honour roll 20 Missiles on the Riviera 21 SE Ground-to-air begins to take shape 21 SE The very first ramjet 22 Matra is born 23 M04 - First French aircraft-launched guided weapon 23 British guided weapons 24 Fear of the heavy bomber 25 Air-to-air attack 25 Fireflash - A strange configuration 25 Firestreak - First air-to-air with infrared homing 25 AA20 - First operational air-to-air in France 26 R510 and R511 - Matra's first operational radar homing missile 27 Red Top - An air-to-air missile for the Lightning 28 Air-to-ground defence 28 Bloodhound - The Royal Air Force's ground-to-air 28 Thunderbird - The British Army's ground-to-air 29 SE Development of radar guidance 29 SE Outcome of the SA20 programme 30 R422 - A French SAM (SA-2) 31 R431 - A record-breaking ramjet 32 Bloodhound 2 - A successful upgrading 33 Thunderbird 2 - Adapted to low-flying targets 33 A surface-to-air for the Navy 34 Sea Slug - A first for the Royal Navy 34 Destroying columns of tanks 35 Entac - When competitor becomes successor 35 SS11 - A dazzling commercial success 36 SS12 - From heavy anti-tank to light anti-ship 37 Vigilant - First British-made anti-tank 38 Swingfire - An extraordinary longevity 39 A symphony of ramjets 40 Arsaero ST600 - A first attempt at ramjet propulsion 40 SFECMAS ST450 - Mastering technology 40 Nord 1500 Griffon - World record for speed in SNCAN CT41 Narval - The target that flew too fast 42 Nord Vega - Word record for speed in First steps in the nuclear world 44 Blue Steel - A highly advanced stand-off 44 SE A headless missile 45 Blue Water - A great success that was abandoned 45 End of the experimental prototype era 46 CHAPTER 2 THE ARMS RACE BEGINS ( ) 49 Escalation of the Cold War 50 An upheaval in air combat 52 R530 - The Mirage III's French air-to-air missile 53 Rapier - The first short-range ground-to-air 54 Sea Dart - A missile powered by Rolls-Royce 55 Sea Wolf - A fearsome surface-to-air 56 In-depth strikes: reaching the heart of the enemy 57 AS20 - An air-to-air swiftly transformed into an air-to-ground 57 AS30 - A powerful air-to-ground 58 In quest of new technologies 59 Harpon - An anti-tank astride two generations 59 AS31 and AS33 - A giant step in autonomous navigation 59 The first European cooperation projects 60 Birth of the Franco-German partnership 60 Milan - A revolutionary missile 61 Hot - Milan's big brother 61 Roland - A pillar of European ground-to-air defence 62 AS34 Kormoran - A private cooperation initiative 63 Matra ready for joint projects 64 Martel - The first Franco-British programme 64 R440 Crotale - A lethal bite 65 Masurca - Participation in series production 66 French deterrence 67 X422 - A cruise missile ahead of its time 67 Pluton - The fires of hell 68 From target to Drone 69 CT20 - The success target 69 M20 - First attempt at a fire-and-forget anti-ship missile 70 R20 - The first French UAV 71 Italy enters the race 72 RSC and Micon - The source of Italian inspiration 73 Indigo - First forays into the ground-to-air segment 74 Sea Indigo - From ground-to-air to surface-to-air 75 Sea Killer Mark 1 - Transformation into surface-to-surface 75 Sea Killer Mark 2 - First export success 76 Marte - The beginning of a long history 77 CHAPTER 3 THE EUROPEAN INDUSTRY MATURES ( ) 81 The Cool War 82 Selenia enters the field 84 Albatros - A great export success 84 Anti-ship missiles take off 85 The Exocet's amazing adventure 86 MM38 - The missile that revolutionised naval combat 86 AM39 - The naval air force's punch 87 MM40 - A second generation already 88 SM39 - The first dual-environment missile 89 Italian and British anti-ship missiles 90 Otomat - Long-range capabilities for anti-ship missiles 90 Sea Skua - A light anti-ship for the Lynx 91 Sea Eagle - The maritime strike missile 92 In the skies 93 The dogfight 93 Magic - A manoeuvrable missile 94 Skyflash - The first British air-to air homing missile 95 SRAAM - Ahead of its time 96 Magic 2 - An ace in dogfight combat 97 Missiles to intercept Russian fighter bombers 98 Super 530F - A missile to destroy the MiG 25 Foxbat 99 Super 530D - A huge drop in altitude 100 C22 - A high-altitude target missile 101 Aspide - An excellent multi-role missile 102 When air defence becomes mobile 103 Spada - The ground-to-air Aspide 103 Sica (Shahine) - A new means of defence for Saudi Arabia 104 High-end missile systems 105 AS30 Laser - One-metre precision 105 ASMP - An avant-garde missile 106 Piercing reinforced armour 107 Milan 2 - A composite anti-tank missile 107 Europe as the third option 108 CHAPTER 4 REACHING FARTHER, STRIKING HARDER ( ) 111 Europe as number two 112 Armour is reinforced 114 Hot 2 - A desert storm hero 114 Eryx - Power of a Hot in the hands of an infantryman 115 Milan 2T and Hot 2T - Countering reactive armour 116 AC3G-MR Trigat medium-range : A system that arrived too late 117 AC3G-LR Trigat long-range : The first fire-and-forget anti-tank 118 The low-altitude threat 119 Mistral - Bad news for enemy aircraft 119 Roland 3 - Dealing with low-flying threats 120 Reaching farther 121 MLRS - Steel rain 121 CL-289 Piver - To go where others do not 122 Brevel - Very discreet eyes 123 One missile, two missions 124 Mica - A challenge met 125 A second generation of anti-radar missiles 126 Armat - A modernised Martel 126 Alarm - The loitering missile 127 Stand-off firing capabilities 128 Apache - The beginnings of a large family 128 Naval: between modernisation and innovation 129 Otomat Mk2 - A Sawari anti-ship missile 129 Marte Mk2 - The Marte benefits from the Otomat 130 AS15TT - An all-weather anti-ship missile 131 VL Sea Wolf - A very reactive system 132 Milas - A torpedo-carrier missile 133 A technology whose time had not yet come 134 MPSR - The rustic ramjet 134 ANS - Too fast, too soon 135 CHAPTER 5 A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE ( ) 141 From peace dividends to new threats 142 Mastering the urban environment 144 SWIG - An automatic Swingfire 144 Hot 3 and Milan 3 - Outsmarting countermeasures 145 Redesigning ground attack missions 146 Brimstone - An autonomous air-to-ground anti-tank 146 Scalp EG/Storm Shadow - A stellar cooperation 147 Upgrading anti-ship missiles 148 Exocet Block 2 - A confirmed international success 148 SL Sea Skua - A winner in Kuwait 149 Marte Mk 2/S - An anti-ship missile for the latest helicopters 150 Identifying the target 151 Polyphem - The eye of the Cyclops 151 New missiles for new fighters 152 ASRAAM - A highly manoeuvrable short-range 152 Iris-T - An air-to-air for the latest aircraft 153 Meteor - A new reference in air superiority 154 ASMPA - An unstoppable missile 155 Anti-missile missiles 156 Rapier Mark 2 - Reliability across the board 156 Jernas - A young but fearsome hawk 157 Sea Dart Upgrade - In service until Aspide A rejuvenation 158 Sea Wolf Block 2 - Countering more rapid targets 159 MEADS - The broadening of air defence 160 A true family of European missiles 161 Aster 15 SAAM - Naval self-defence 162 Aster 30 SAMP/T - Area land defence 163 Aster 15 and 30 PAAMS - Naval defence expanded 163 MBDA, or the coming together of European missile manufacturers 164 Exocet MM40 Block 3 - The first MBDA missile 165 List of missiles by manufacturer 170 History of MBDA mergers

19 TTU would like to thank the following for their valuable assistance: Agence France-Presse French Defence Communication and Broadcasting Production Institute (ECPAD) The multimedia services of MBDA Rivista Italiana Difesa (RID) French Air Force Historical Service (SHAA) Printed 4th Quarter 2005 By Quebecor World This book was prepared under the direction of Guy Perrimond, Director of TTU, TTU Monde Arabe and TTU International (weekly newsletters on defence and strategy) Authors: Guillaume Belan (managing editor of TTU International) Patrick Mercillon Translation: Françoise Giovannangeli Design: Adeline Prévost Images: Alain Gortais Reproduction prohibited TTU-Certes , rue du Louvre Paris - France Tel : 33(1) Fax : 33(1) ttu@ttu.fr Web site :