Eryx (missile)

Last updated
Eryx
ERYX P1220772.jpg
An Eryx deployed on tripod
Type Anti-tank guided missile
Place of originFrance
Service history
In service1994–present
Used by See Operators
Wars Yemeni Civil War (2015-present)
Saudi-led intervention in Yemen
Production history
Designed1985–1992
Manufacturer MBDA France, MKEK (under license)
ProducedFrom 1993
Specifications
Mass13.0 kg missile and container; firing post 4.5 kg
Length0.905 m (2.97 ft)
Diameter0.136 m (5.4 in)
Warhead137 mm diameter 3.6 kg tandem HEAT (penetrating 900 mm RHA behind reactive armour, [1] or 2.5 m through concrete)

Operational
range
50–600 m
Maximum speed 18 m/s (65 km/h) at launch to 245 m/s (880 km/h) at 600 m
Guidance
system
SACLOS wire
Launch
platform
Man-portable
Vehicle-launched

Eryx is a French short-range portable semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) based wire-guided anti-tank missile (ATGM) manufactured by MBDA France and by MKEK under licence. The weapon can also be used against larger bunkers and smaller pillboxes. It also has some anti-aircraft warfare ability, to bring down low flying helicopters, due to its wire-guidance system. An agreement was reached in 1989 between the French and Canadian governments to coproduce the Eryx missile system. [2]

Contents

It entered French service in 1994 and will be replaced by the upcoming AT4 F2.

Development

Eryx firing during a Franco-British exercise on Salisbury Plain in 2020 Exercise Wessex Storm 2020 MOD 45167354.jpg
Eryx firing during a Franco-British exercise on Salisbury Plain in 2020

The Eryx began as a project in the late 1970s by the French Ministry of defense to replace the short range Luchaire's LRAC F1 STRIM 89mm rocket launcher in the French Army. The requirement was for a cost-effective antitank weapon that could defeat any known or future main battle tank at a maximum range of 600 meters with considerable accuracy, including on windy days. Aérospatiale, the French defense and aerospace firm, believed it was, from a practical standpoint, impossible to design an unguided antitank rocket that could meet the strict requirements. The weapon system that Aérospatiale offered was basically a mini-short range wire guided antitank missile, the ACCP (Anti Char Courte Portée) which in French translates to Short Range Anti-tank Weapon System. The first prototype was delivered to the French Ministry of Defense for testing in 1982. The concept firing post (See: ACCP image) used a scaled-down version of the MILAN tracking and guidance system, but was found in field condition tests to be impractical both from a technical and cost standpoint. [3]

In 1989, France and Canada signed a joint venture to co-produce the ERYX missile. AlliedSignal Aerospace Canada Inc. developed the Mirabel thermal imager for the ERYX firing post. [4] Canadian industries, including Simtran and Solartron Systems, also produced the Eryx Interactive Gunnery Simulator (EVIGS) and the Eryx Precision Gunnery Simulator (EPGS). [5] [ unreliable source? ]

Enhanced Eryx

MBDA approached the Canadian government twice, once in 2005, and again in 2006, with a proposal to develop an improved version of the Eryx which would see an improved range, sight, and anti-armour capabilities as a way of extending the Eryx's service life. The Canadian government opted not to participate in the improvement program because it did not meet the new requirements of the Canadian Forces, and conflicted with an ongoing replacement project. [6] In 2007 MBDA provided funding for the development of an enhanced Eryx system. The new system features a new, non-cooled thermal sight which uses a bolometric sensor. MBDA asserts that the new sight is quieter, reduces weight, increases battery life, and provides a detection range greater than the missile's own maximum range. The enhanced Eryx also includes a new training simulator. The system was demonstrated for a potential Middle Eastern customer in October 2009. [7]

Description

The missile is ejected from its launch tube using a very low powered short burn rocket motor located in the tail. The launching motor completes its burn before leaving the container, protecting the gunner from being burned. After the missile coasts a safe distance the main sustainer motor ignites and burns until impacting the target or it reaches its maximum range of 600 meters. The main rocket motor is located at mid-body with two exhausts in the side (e.g. similar to the US BGM-71 TOW antitank missile). Unlike most wire guided antitank missiles the Eryx is propelled at a relative low speed of approximately 240 meters per second at its maximum range. The missile is guided in flight by two vanes located at mid body which act against the main rocket motors thrust. As the missile slowly rotates the launch units send signals commanding the correction by one of the two vanes to move against the missile motors thrust. For example, if the missile has to move to the left, the right thrust vector vane will actuate at the correct time. In addition the "soft launch" is what enables the Eryx to be fired from confined spaces (e.g. buildings) and not cause a massive launch signature that will reveal the Eryx gunners position to hostile counter fire. Aérospatiale claims that this "soft launch" feature enables the Eryx antitank team to be used effectively in urban antitank warfare. [8]

External images
The ERYX Anti-tank missile
Searchtool.svg ERYX missile cut-way illustration
Searchtool.svg ERYX missile and container
Searchtool.svg ERYX on tripod launch post
Searchtool.svg ERYX gunner ready to fire on shoulder
Searchtool.svg ERYX missile fired urban warfare

The Eryx missile uses a SACLOS guidance system, the launcher tracks a light source on the rear of the missile and compares its position with the center of the launcher's cross-hair, sending corrective signals down a trailing control wire. The missile increases resistance to jamming by having a beacon as the light source on the rear of the missile that pulsates or blinks at a special encoded rate recognized by the Eryx's tracking device located on the launch post. Unlike most wire guides antitank missiles that use SACLOS guidance, which require a complex optical tracker unit that has to zoom from a wide to narrow view in microseconds after the missile is launched (e.g. the MILAN), the Eryx uses one charge-coupled device (CCD) matrix that operate in the IR spectrum, and two fields of view (one narrow and one large) with an automatic switch during missile flight. Again Aérospatiale also states that this unique and simplified SACLOS tracking system provides for a far more cost-effective solution and enable the Eryx to be highly resistant to decoys or jamming and other enemy countermeasures. [8]

The missile uses a tandem-charge high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead to defeat explosive reactive armour (ERA) fitted to many armored vehicles today; a much smaller-diameter warhead at the front of the missile body and a larger main warhead at the rear. Locating the main warhead at the rear of the missile body provides the correct stand-off distance needed for the optimum effectiveness of the warhead without the need of a complex collapsible nose probe (e.g. the TOW), which is standard on most antitank missiles today. This simple solution keeps the missile's cost extremely low when compared to other antitank missiles but also for a compact missile design that can be produced in mass quantities. [8]

Dispute with MBDA and Turkey

In 1998 the Turkish government signed a contract with MBDA to replace the Turkish Armed Forces' aging 3.5-inch (9 cm) rocket launchers and RPG-7s. The deal, worth approximately €404 million, would see the licensed production of 1,600 Eryx launchers, and 20,000 missiles in Turkey. The project encountered setbacks after the Turkish Army claimed that missile failed to meet accuracy requirements of a 72 percent hit rate; this claim is "unofficially" rejected by MBDA. The poor performance was attributed to technical difficulties, and later corrected by MBDA. [9] In 2004 the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) canceled the contract citing MBDA's failure to meet the terms of the agreement in a timely manner, and MBDA was blacklisted in Turkey. MBDA, in turn, stated that the reason for cancellation was an excuse, and that the systems were simply no longer needed. This is likely based on the 2004 decision by the Turkish Armed Forces to disband four army brigades, and downsize remaining army units, thereby decreasing the requirement for new anti-armor systems. According to MBDA, the ERYX is still in service though with the Turkish Army. [9] The blacklisting has been attributed to a largescale souring of Franco-Turkish relations. [9] [10] According to report by Undersecretariat for Defense Industries of Turkey, MBDA and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding on to acquire 632 Eryx launchers, 3920 missiles and modification systems for a total package of 404m €. [11]

Combat service

With production having begun in 1994, the Eryx had remained untested in live combat until in 2008. While having no notable experience, the Eryx has seen deployment in Afghanistan and UN peace-keeping operations. The Canadian Forces have deployed Eryx to Afghanistan but except for the Mirabel thermal imager, the Eryx missile has never been used in operations. [6] French forces fired the Eryx in Afghanistan, for instance during the battle of Alasay in 2009. [12] In early 2013, pictures emerged of the Eryx being used during the French Army operations in Mali. [13] The Eryx was also fired during Operation Sangaris in Central African Republic in 2013. [14]

During Yemeni Civil War, Eryx has been used by Saudi forces against Houthis.[ citation needed ]

Operators

Operators
.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}
Current
Former ERYX operators.svg
Operators
  Current
  Former

Current operators

Former operators

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missile</span> Self-propelled guided weapon system

A missile is an airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight aided usually by a propellant, jet engine or rocket motor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-tank guided missile</span> Guided missile for combat against armored targets

An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily armored military vehicles. ATGMs range in size from shoulder-launched weapons, which can be transported by a single soldier, to larger tripod-mounted weapons, which require a squad or team to transport and fire, to vehicle and aircraft mounted missile systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MBDA</span> European developer and manufacturer of missiles

MBDA is a European multinational developer and manufacturer of missiles. It was created in December 2001 after the merger of the main French, British and Italian missile systems companies; Matra, BAe Dynamics and Alenia. These were previously the missile subsidiaries of Aérospatiale-Matra, BAE Systems and Finmeccanica. The company's headquarters are located in Le Plessis-Robinson, France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MILAN</span> Franco-German anti-tank missile

Missile d'Infanterie Léger Antichar or MILAN is a Franco-West German anti-tank guided missile system. Design of the MILAN began in 1962; it was ready for trials in 1971, and accepted for service in 1972. It is a wire-guided semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) missile, which means the sight of the launch unit must be aimed at a target to guide the missile. The MILAN can be equipped with a MIRA or MILIS thermal sight to give it night-firing ability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FGM-148 Javelin</span> American-made portable fire-and-forget anti-tank missile

The FGM-148 Javelin, or Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System-Medium (AAWS-M), is an American-made man-portable anti-tank system in service since 1996, and continuously upgraded. It replaced the M47 Dragon anti-tank missile in US service. Its fire-and-forget design features automatic infrared guidance, allowing the user to seek cover immediately after launch, in contrast to wire-guided systems, like the system used by the Dragon, which require a user to guide the weapon throughout the engagement. The Javelin's high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead can defeat modern tanks by top-down attack, hitting them from above, where their armor is thinnest, and is also useful against fortifications in a direct attack flight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BGM-71 TOW</span> American anti-tank missile

The BGM-71 TOW is an American anti-tank missile. TOW replaced much smaller missiles like the SS.10 and ENTAC, offering roughly twice the effective range, a more powerful warhead, and a greatly improved semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) that could also be equipped with infrared cameras for night time use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brimstone (missile)</span> British air-to-surface missile

Brimstone is a ground or air-launched ground attack missile developed by MBDA UK for the UK's Royal Air Force. It was originally intended for "fire-and-forget" use against mass formations of enemy armour, using a millimetre wave (mmW) active radar homing seeker to ensure accuracy even against moving targets. Experience in Afghanistan led to the addition of laser guidance in the dual-mode Brimstone missile, allowing a "spotter" to pick out specific and the highest priority targets, particularly useful to minimise collateral damage when friendly forces or civilians were in the area. The tandem shaped-charge warhead is much more effective against modern tanks than older similar weapons such as the AGM-65G Maverick missile. Three Brimstones are carried on a launcher that occupies a single weapon station, allowing a single aircraft to carry many missiles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M72 LAW</span> Anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher

The M72 LAW is a portable one-shot 66 mm (2.6 in) unguided anti-tank weapon. The solid rocket propulsion unit was developed in the newly-formed Rohm and Haas research laboratory at Redstone Arsenal in 1959, and the full system was designed by Paul V. Choate, Charles B. Weeks, Frank A. Spinale, et al. at the Hesse-Eastern Division of Norris Thermador. American production of the weapon began by Hesse-Eastern in 1963, and was terminated by 1983; currently it is produced by Nammo Raufoss AS in Norway and their subsidiary, Nammo Defense Systems in Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M47 Dragon</span> Anti-tank missile

The M47 Dragon, known as the FGM-77 during development, is an American shoulder-fired, man-portable anti-tank guided missile system. It was phased out of U.S. military service in 2001, in favor of the newer FGM-148 Javelin system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket</span> Air-to-air rocket, air-to-surface rocket

The Mk 4 Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR), also known as "Mighty Mouse", is an unguided rocket used by United States military aircraft. It was 2.75 inches (70 mm) in diameter. Designed as an air-to-air weapon for interceptor aircraft to shoot down enemy bombers, it primarily saw service as an air-to-surface weapon. The FFAR has been developed into the modern Hydra 70 series, which is still in service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HOT (missile)</span> French/German anti-tank missile

The HOT is a second-generation long-range anti-tank missile system. It was originally developed to replace the older SS.11 wire guided missile in French and West German service. The design was a collaboration between the German firm Bölkow and the French firm Nord. Bölkow and Nord later merged into MBB and Aérospatiale respectively, both of which then formed Euromissile to design and produce the MILAN, Roland and HOT. This ultimately became part of MBDA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9M14 Malyutka</span> Anti-tank missile

The 9M14 Malyutka is a manual command to line of sight (MCLOS) wire-guided anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system developed in the Soviet Union. It was the first man-portable anti-tank guided missile of the Soviet Union and is probably the most widely produced ATGM of all time—with Soviet production peaking at 25,000 missiles a year during the 1960s and 1970s. In addition, copies of the missile have been manufactured under various names by at least six countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SS.11</span> French anti-tank missile

The SS.11 is a French manual command to line of sight wire-guided anti-tank missile manufactured by Nord Aviation. It is also available in the air-to-ground version, AS.11, which featured a stabilized sighting system. The AS.11 was also known as the AGM-22 in American service. It is among the earliest guided anti-tank missiles, entering service with the French Army in 1956 and remaining in service into the 1980s. It also formed the basis for the larger and longer-ranged SS.12/AS.12 series.

The SS.12 and AS.12 are two variants of the same missile: SS for surface-to-surface and AS for air-to-surface. It was designed in 1955–1957 by Nord Aviation, later Aérospatiale. It was a derivative of the NORD SS.10 and SS.11 missiles which were surface-to-surface wire-guided missiles for use by infantry, vehicle or a helicopter primarily in the anti-tank role, but also anti-material, anti-personnel and against light field fortifications. The SS.12/AS.12 was basically a scaled-up version of the SS.11/AS.11, with a massive increase in range and warhead weight. The SS.12/AS.12 original mission was primarily to be anti-shipping from naval helicopters and combat aircraft or ground launchers, and secondarily for use against heavy field fortifications. The range and the destructive power of its warhead are roughly equivalent to a 127 mm (5-inch) artillery shell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAAD (anti-tank guided missile)</span> Anti-tank missile

The Raad or RAAD is an Iranian wire-guided anti-tank guided missile based on the Soviet 9M14M Malyutka missile. The Raad began mass production in 1988 and was publicly unveiled in 1997. It is manufactured by Parchin Missile Industries, a subsidiary of Iran's Defense Industries Organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LRAC F1</span> Shoulder-launched missile weapon

The LRAC F1, officially called Lance-Roquettes AntiChar de 89 mm modèle F1, is a French reusable rocket launcher developed by Luchaire Défense SA, and manufactured in cooperation with Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Saint-Étienne and was, in the 1970s, marketed by Hotchkiss-Brandt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bumbar</span> Anti-tank missile

The Bumbar is a Serbian short-range portable anti-tank missile system.

The 2T Stalker, also known as BM-2T Stalker, is a Belarusian armoured vehicle. it is a part of the GM chassis and It never entered production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akeron MP</span> French-made portable fire-and-forget anti-tank missile

The Akeron MP, formerly known as MMP is a French fifth generation man-portable anti-tank guided missile system. Featuring both fire-and-forget and command guidance operating modes, it also integrates third party target designation for indirect firing scenarios through its lock-on after launch capability for non-line-of-sight (NLOS) use.

References

Notes
  1. "Equipment - Canadian Army - ERYX". Department of National Defence. Archived from the original on 2011-06-10. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
  2. Furlong, Robert (1990-04-01). "Anti-tank guided missile developments". Armada International . Armada International AG. ISSN   0252-9793. Archived from the original on 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
  3. Fritz, B. (July 1982). "A Guided Missile As a Short Range Anti-tank Weapon". International Defense Review . Jane's Information Group: 68. ISSN   0020-6512.
  4. "Eryx". Federation of American scientists. Archived from the original on 2010-02-12.
  5. "Eryx Heavy Anti-Armour Missile, France". Army-Technology. Archived from the original on 2005-11-25.
  6. 1 2 David Pugliese (2009-12-14). "CANADIAN ARMY ERYX MISSILE SYSTEM BEING CANNIBALIZED TO KEEP IT GOING UNTIL 2016". Ottawa Citizen . Archived from the original on 2018-08-29. Retrieved 2018-08-29.
  7. "ENHANCED ERYX REGISTERS 100% SUCCESS RATE" (Press release). MBDA. 2009-11-16.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. 1 2 3 Nicholas, Nick (Fall 1985). "AEROSPATIALE'S ACCP BRIDGES THE GAP". Combat Weapons. Omega Group Ltd.: 53. ISSN   1052-5076.
  9. 1 2 3 Kemal, Lale (2009-09-06). "Long-standing Eryx missile dispute comes to an end". Sunday's Zaman. Archived from the original on 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
  10. Enginsoy, Umit; Ege Bekdil, Burak (2009-10-26). "Turkey Blacklists MBDA Over Missile Dispute".[ dead link ]
  11. "Signed Rockets, Missiles and Munitions Project Agreements". Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (in Turkish). p. 74. Archived from the original (pdf) on 10 October 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  12. "Diner en ville, par le menu". lemamouth.blogspot.com (in French). 31 July 2009. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  13. Janes Defense Weekly Vol.50, Issue 10, p 19
  14. Mariotti, François (Spring 2014). "Considering fire by the perspective of weapon arrays" (PDF). Fantassins. No. 32. pp. 14–16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-12-15. Retrieved 2018-12-12. Opération Sangaris, mai 2014, tir de missiles Eryx durant un accrochage
  15. 1 2 3 Gander, Terry J.; Cutshaw, Charles Q., eds. (2001). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001/2002 (27th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN   9780710623171.
  16. International Institute for Strategic Studies (2021). The Military Balance. p. 457. ISBN   9781032012278.
  17. "SIPRI arms transfer database". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  18. The World Defence Almanac 2005 page 314 ISSN 0722-3226
  19. "MKEK - Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi Kurumu". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  20. "Saudi Military use ERYX missile to destroy a Houthi vehicle - YouTube". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2020-06-15.
  21. "Eryx Anti-Armour Missile". Army Technology.
  22. "Aérospatiale vend des missiles Eryx au Canada". Les Échos (in French). 16 June 1993. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  23. Boutilier, Misha; Pasandideh, Shahryar (July 13, 2016). "When it comes to deterring Russia, will Canada's Latvia deployment do the trick?". opencanada.org . Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.