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Aviation History
1975
1975 - 0853.PDF
FLIGHT International, 8 May 1975 GERMANY MBB B5810 Cobra 2000 Cobra is launched directly from the ground rather than from a container, the downward-deflected motor nozzle "jumping" the missile clear of obstructions after launch. A plate is laid on the surface beneath the motor exhaust to prevent dust being produced on ignition. Up to eight missiles can be launched by one operator up to 70m away, using the normal 20m firing cable plus a 50m extension. More; than 150,000 have been built. Operators Germany, Brazil, Italy, Pakistan, Turkey (the missile is licence-built by the four last-named), Argentina, Denmark, Greece, Israel, Spain. MBB Mamba The successor to Cobra (see below), Mamba uses the same warhead, control unit and simulator. The "jump-start" technique is, however, sustained throughout the missile's flight so that the operator does not have to maintain back pressure on his control stick. Also the missile is slower in the initial stages (to ease gathering and re duce minimum range) but faster at the end of the flight. Eleven missiles (some up to 120m away) can be connected to the same control unit, which has a X7 telescope and monocular eyepiece. Mamba is still an active project, but no orders have been placed. Its price is slightly higher than that of Cobra 2000 to recover the company-financed research and development. Contraves Mosquito This first-generation weapon was originally developed by Swiss Contraves but lost the Swiss Army order to the Bofors Bantaim. A number were bought by Japan for research, and the similarities between Mosquito and KAM-3D can be seen in the data table. Operator Italian Army. Breda Meccanica Sparviero A semi-automatic system being developed for service in the 1980s. It can also be operated from light helicopters. JAPAN Kawasaki KAM-3D Type 64, as it is designated by the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Forces, equips ten of the 13 GSDF divisions. It will be replaced by KAM-9 (see below). Operator Japanese GSDF (infantry-operated and Jeep- mounted ). k Kawasaki KAM-9 This semi-automatic missile, also known as TAN-SSM, is scheduled to enter service this year with the GSDF. Japanese ATM A short-range anti-tank missile is being developed as possible armament for the five squadrons of UH-lBs which are planned to be deployed from 1977 with 70mm rockets as an interim weapon. SWEDEN Eofors RbS3 Bantam Bantam can be made ready for firing in 25sec; an extension cable allows the operator to be up to 120m away from the launcher. Firings have also been made from helicopters and light aircraft. * Operators Swedish Army, Swiss Army. •f BAC Swingfire/Hawkswing/Beeswing The basic version of Swingfire has been in service with the British Army for "f six years, equipping a variety of armoured vehicles. The , operator can be up to 100m away from the launcher, the missile being automatically gathered on to his sightline y from anywhere within an arc of +45°. A launch angle of + 35° allows the vehicle to be hidden behind a crest. Infantry Swingfire (Beeswing) is fired from three pairs of launchers mounted on a one-ton Land-Bover; the launchers can be removed and the missiles fired from ground level if desired. Airstrike Swingfire (Hawkswing) is being developed to meet the British Army's requirement for an anti-tank missile to arm Lynx; competition comes from the Euro- missile Hot (see above) and Hughes Tow (see below). Test 767 firings are being carried out from a Westland Scout. For air launch the missile has a small spin-up motor to damp out control response until clear of the helicopter. Operators British Army (Ferret Mk 5 [FV712] scout car- four missiles in launchers plus four spares; FV438 armoured personnel carrier—2+12, reloadable from inside vehicle; CVR(T) Striker—5 + 5; one-ton Land-Rover—three pairs); Belgian Army (Striker—as UK). BAC Vigilant BAC's first-generation anti-tank weapon, Vigilant can be fired by a concealed operator up to 60m away. Operators British Army (infantry and in pairs on Mk 2/6 Ferret scout car and Shorland armoured patrol car); Abu Dhabi (Ferret); Finland (Gaz light armoured car); Saudi Arabia; Libya; Kuwait. Aeronutronic Ford MGM-51C Shillelagh Shillelagh is fired from a 152mm combined gun/launcher, which can also use conventional ammjunition. The weapon is mounted on General Sheridan armoured reconnaissance airborne assault vehicles and M60A2 tanks, replacing the 105mm gun in the latter. A total of five launches are planned in the US Army's Laser Beamrider Demonstration Programme, which uses Shillelaghs modified for laser beam-riding guidance. Operator US Army. Hughes BGM-71 Tow Production of Tow (tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided) will continue at about 30,000 missiles a year until US requirements are substantially com pleted with the Fiscal 77 purchase and foreign orders are met. The US Army Tows will be widely deployed on helicop ters, Jeeps and M113A1 armoured personnel carriers (ten missiles, single-shot launcher, manual reload from outside), being operated down to company level by the ground forces. The USMC will add one Tow company to each of its four tank battalions (three active and one reserve). Tow launchers may also be mounted on some MICVs (Mechanised Infantry Combat Vehicles), for which a fully enclosed launch turret is being developed. Hughes and Texas Instruments are developing competing night sights for Tow and the winner is likely to be selected this summer. Development of ECM hardening for the missile is continuing, The first stage in the US Army's development of missile- armed attack helicopters is the AH-1Q, 290 of which are being converted from AH-IGs by the addition of Tow equip ment. Money is being requested for the second stage, namely upgrading AH-lQs to AH-1S standard by installing an up rated engine, gearbox and transmission. This will allow the helicopters to carry a full load of fuel, Tows and other standard ordnance. About half the 290 AH-IGs will have been converted to AH-lQs by the end of the transition-budget period continued after tables GUIDE TO DATA TABLES Abbreviations: Al aluminium, AP ammonium perchlorate CEP circular error probable, CLOS comimand-to-line-of- sight, CW continuous-wave, DB double-base, DC-Automet directional control—automatic meteorological compensa tion, EMD Eleetronique Marcel Dassault, FOBS fractional- orbit bombardment system, GD General Dynamics, GE Gen eral Electric, HE high-explosive, IMI Imperial Metal Industries, IK infra-red, IRFNA inhibited red fuming nitric acid, JATO jet-assisted take-off, KT kiloton, Mirv multiple, independently targeted re-entry vehicle, MIT Massa chusetts Institute of Technology, MRV multiple re-entry vehicle, MSDS Marconi Space and Defence Systems, MT megaton, Nc nitrocellulose, Ng nitroglycerine, PBAA polybutadiene acrylic acid^ PBCS post-boost control system, prox proximity, PU polyurethane, R-R Rolls-Royce, RV re-entry vehicle, SACLOS semi-automatic command-to-line- of-sight, SAP semi-armour-piercing, SAR semi-active radar, SAT Societe Anonyme de Telecommunications, SEP Societe Europeenne de Propulsion, SMA Societa Marittimo< ed Aero, SNPE Societe Nationale des Poudres et Explosifs, Tercom terrain contour matching, TRT Telecommunica tions Radioelectriques & Telephoniques, TV television, TVC thrust-vector control, UDMH unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine.
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