Pluton (missile)

Last updated
Pluton
Pluton 034.jpg
Type Tactical ballistic missile
Place of originFrance
Service history
In service1974 to 1993
Used byFrance
Production history
ManufacturerSNIAS
Specifications
Mass2,423 kg (5,342 lb)
Length7.64 m (25 ft 1 in)
Diameter0.65 m (2 ft 2 in)
Warhead- Nuclear 15 kt of TNT
- Nuclear 25 kt of TNT
- Conventional High-Explosive

EngineSingle-stage solid
Operational
range
120 km (75 mi)
Maximum speed 1,100 m/s (3,600 ft/s)
Guidance
system
Inertial
Launch
platform
TEL platform on an AMX-30 chassis

The Pluton missile was a French nuclear-armed tactical ballistic missile (short-range ballistic missile, SRBM) system launched from a transporter erector launcher (TEL) platform mounted on an AMX-30 tank chassis. [1] It was designed to provide the tactical part of French nuclear deterrence during the Cold War. [2]

Contents

Development

The Pluton came in replacement of the U.S.-built Honest John missile. It had an operating range between 17 and 120 km (11 and 75 mi), with a CEP of 150 m. This short range only allowed strikes on targets in West Germany or within France itself, which led to the development of the longer ranged Hadès missile.

The system was relatively light-weight, which allowed its deployment in difficult conditions. A CT-20 drone was available to provide last-minute information about the target before launch, making the Pluton system battle-capable.

A project for an updated version, called Super-Pluton, was dropped in favour of the Hadès project, and the aging Pluton was gradually discarded until completely retired in 1993. [3]

Units

The regiments and groups which used the equipment included: [4]

Operators

Flag of France.svg  France

See also

Related Research Articles

The MGM-31A Pershing was the missile used in the Pershing 1 and Pershing 1a field artillery missile systems. It was a solid-fueled two-stage theater ballistic missile designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the PGM-11 Redstone missile as the primary nuclear-capable theater-level weapon of the United States Army and replaced the MGM-1 Matador cruise missiles operated by the German Air Force. Pershing later replaced the European-based MGM-13 Mace cruise missiles deployed by the United States Air Force and the German Air Force. Development began in 1958, with the first test missile fired in 1960, the Pershing 1 system deployed in 1963 and the improved Pershing 1a deployed in 1969. The U.S. Army replaced the Pershing 1a with the Pershing II Weapon System in 1983 while the German Air Force retained Pershing 1a until all Pershings were eliminated in 1991. The U.S. Army Missile Command (MICOM) managed the development and improvements while the Field Artillery Branch deployed the systems and developed tactical doctrine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regiment</span> Military unit

A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service, or specialisation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Force de dissuasion</span> French nuclear deterrence force

The Force de dissuasion, known as the Force de frappe prior to 1961, is the French nuclear deterrence force. The Force de dissuasion used to be a triad of air-, sea- and land-based nuclear weapons intended for dissuasion, the French term for deterrence. Following the end of the Cold War, France decommissioned all its land-based nuclear missiles, thus the Force de dissuasion today only incorporates an air- and sea-based arsenal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MGR-1 Honest John</span> Nuclear-capable surface-to-surface rocket

The MGR-1 Honest John rocket was the first nuclear-capable surface-to-surface rocket in the United States arsenal. Originally designated Artillery Rocket XM31, the first unit was tested on 29 June 1951, with the first production rounds delivered in January 1953. Its designation was changed to M31 in September 1953. The first Army units received their rockets by year's end and Honest John battalions were deployed in Europe in early 1954. Alternatively, the rocket was capable of carrying an ordinary high-explosive warhead weighing 1,500 pounds (680 kg).

The Hadès system was a short-range ballistic pre-strategic nuclear weapon system designed by France as a last warning before the use of strategic nuclear weapons in a prospective Soviet invasion of Western Europe. It was designed from July 1984 as a replacement for the tactical road-mobile Pluton missile. Initially 120 missiles were planned to be deployed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MGM-5 Corporal</span> Tactical ballistic missile

The MGM-5 Corporal missile was a nuclear-armed tactical surface-to-surface missile. It was the first guided weapon authorized by the United States to carry a nuclear warhead. A guided tactical ballistic missile, the Corporal could deliver either a nuclear fission, high-explosive, fragmentation or chemical warhead up to a range of 75 nautical miles (139 km).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MGM-52 Lance</span> 1970s short-range ballistic missile of American origin

The MGM-52 Lance was a mobile field artillery tactical surface-to-surface missile system used to provide both nuclear and conventional fire support to the United States Army. The missile's warhead was developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. It was replaced by MGM-140 ATACMS, which was initially intended to likewise have a nuclear capability during the Cold War.

The 1957 White Paper on Defence was a British white paper issued in March 1957 setting forth the perceived future of the British military. It had profound effects on all aspects of the defence industry but probably the most affected was the British aircraft industry. Duncan Sandys, the recently appointed Minister of Defence, produced the paper. The decisions were influenced by two major factors: the finances of the country and the coming of the missile age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulgarian Land Forces</span> Land warfare branch of the Bulgarian Armed Forces

The Bulgarian Land Forces are the ground warfare branch of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. It is administered by the Ministry of Defence, previously known as the Ministry of War during the Kingdom of Bulgaria. The Land Forces were established in 1878, when they were composed of anti-Ottoman militia (opalchentsi) and were the only branch of the Bulgarian military.

The Balkan Front was a military formation of the Bulgarian People's Army, intended for wartime use under the general direction of the Soviet General Staff. If a war was to have broken out between NATO and the Warsaw Pact, the bulk of the Bulgarian army would have been assigned to it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocket Forces and Artillery (Ukraine)</span> Military unit

The Rocket Forces and Artillery of the Ukrainian Ground Forces consist of units armed with tactical missiles, howitzers, cannons, mortars, jet-propelled and anti-tank artillery. They are tasked to destroy human resources, tanks, artillery, anti-tank weapons, aircraft, air defense and other important installations operations.

The 9th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1916. The regiment served in Hawaii during World War I, 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 9th Divisions between the world wars, and with 3rd Infantry Division during World War II and Korea. Since 1957, the regiment has been a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System and the U.S. Army Regimental System, with regimental elements serving with the 3rd, 4th, 10th, 25th, 79th, 83rd, and 96th Infantry Divisions and various field artillery brigades and groups. The regiment's single active component, the 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment, is assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division and stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia.

This article provides formation lists of the Polish People's Army order of battle at various points in history between 1943 and 1989.

The Northern Army Group (NORTHAG) was a NATO military formation comprising five Army Corps from five NATO member nations. During the Cold War NORTHAG was NATO's forward defence in the Northern half of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). The Southern half of the Federal Republic of Germany was to be defended by the four Army Corps of NATO's Central Army Group (CENTAG). During wartime NORTHAG would command four frontline corps and one reserve corps. Air support was provided by Second Allied Tactical Air Force.

The Central Army Group (CENTAG) was a NATO military formation comprising four Army Corps from two NATO member nations comprising troops from Canada, West Germany and the United States. During the Cold War, CENTAG was NATO's forward defence in the southern half of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). The northern half of the FRG was defended by the four Army Corps of NATO's Northern Army Group (NORTHAG). During wartime, CENTAG would command four frontline corps. Air support was provided by Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force</span> Former NATO military aviation formation

Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force was a NATO military formation under Allied Air Forces Central Europe tasked with providing air support to NATO's Central Army Group (CENTAG) in the southern portion of West Germany. 4 ATAF commanded all flying units based within its sector and all reinforcements flying into its sector, as well as ground-based radar systems and stations, air defense units and the airfields in its sector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Missiles Brigade "Aquileia"</span> Military unit

The 3rd Missiles Brigade "Aquileia" was an artillery brigade of the Italian Army active between 1959 and 1991. The brigade was stationed in North-Eastern Italy and armed with missile and artillery systems capable of firing tactical nuclear weapons as part of Italy's participation in NATOs nuclear sharing programme. During peacetime the brigade fell under command of the Italian V Army Corps, but during wartime the brigade would have been subordinate to NATOs Allied Land Forces Southern Europe (LANDSOUTH) command in Verona. After the end of the Cold War the brigade was disbanded and its weapon systems retired.

The following is a hierarchical outline of the Czechoslovak People's Army at the end of the Cold War. It is intended to convey the connections and relationships between units and formations. At the end of the Cold War in 1989 the Czechoslovak People's Army structure was as follows.

The 1st Army was a field army of the Czechoslovak People's Army, active in 1958–1965 and 1969–1991. In its second formation its headquarters was in Příbram.

The 4th Army was a field army of the Czechoslovak People's Army, active from 1958 to 1965 and 1969–1991. In its second formation its headquarters was in Písek.

References

  1. Jackson, Robert (2012) [2010]. Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles : Visual encyclopedia. New York, N.Y.: Chartwell Books. p. 366. ISBN   9780785829263. OCLC   785874088.
  2. Barrillot, Bruno. "Audit atomique - Le coût de l'arsenal nucléaire français (1945-2010)". Éditions Observatoire des armements/CDRPC.
  3. "Pluton - France Nuclear Forces".
  4. "2- Insignes des unités Pluton et de leurs unités de soutien". artillerie.asso.fr. Retrieved 2021-08-28.