ARMAT | |
---|---|
Type | anti-radar missile |
Place of origin | France |
Service history | |
Used by | France Egypt Kuwait Iraq |
Specifications | |
Mass | 550 kg (1,210 lb) [1] |
Length | 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) [1] |
Diameter | 0.40 m (16 in) (body) [1] |
Wingspan | 1.20 m (3 ft 11 in) [1] |
Warhead | 160 kg (350 lb) Semi-Armour Piercing HE |
Engine | solid fuel [ broken anchor ] rocket |
Operational range | 40–120 km (25–75 mi) [1] |
Maximum speed | Mach 0.9 (supersonic in dive) |
Guidance system | Passive radar homing |
Launch platform | Aircraft |
ARMAT is a French anti-radar missile. It is a development of the Anglo-French Martel. It was adopted by the French Air Force and exported to several other countries, and has been used in combat by Iraq.
Martel was developed as a joint Anglo-French programme in two versions, a TV-guided version, which was only used by the British, and an anti-radar version, which was used by both countries [2] [3] When it came to replace Martel, Britain and France pursued separate programmes, with British Aerospace developing the Sea Eagle anti-ship missile (which used a similar airframe to Martel but powered by a turbojet and with active radar homing and the smaller ALARM anti-radar missile. [4] [5] To meet France's requirements for an anti-radar missile, French company Matra developed the Martel into the ARMAT (Anti-Radar Matra), [6] [7] with work beginning in 1979. [8] This used the same airframe as the Martel, but with a higher impulse rocket motor, [6] and an improved homing seeker and electronics. [7]
ARMAT is reported to be provided with several interchangeable homing heads, covering differing frequency ranges (from L- to X band) depending on the likely targets, [7] and can be launched from both high or low altitude, [7] with a range of from 40 km (25 mi; 22 nmi) to 120 km (75 mi; 65 nmi) reported. [6] The missile has a high subsonic speed, and is supersonic in a dive. [6] It carries a warhead of 150 kg (330 lb) [7] to 160 kg (350 lb). [6]
Iraq took an early interest in the development of ARMAT, [9] and used the missile during the Iran–Iraq War, [7] entering Iraqi service in 1982. [10] ARMAT entered service with the French Air Force in 1984. [7]
ARMAT has been cleared for carriage on the Mirage F.1, Mirage 2000, SEPECAT Jaguar fighters and attack aircraft and the Bréguet 1150 Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft. [7] In 1988, an improved version, called MARS, was proposed. [7] French ARMATs may have been upgraded in the early 1990s. [7]
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