| MILAN | |
|---|---|
MILAN 1 missile |
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| Type | Anti-tank missile |
| Place of origin | France / West Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1972–present |
| Used by | See users |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1970s |
| Manufacturer | MBDA |
| Produced | 1972 |
| Number built | 350,000 missiles, 10,000 launchers |
| Variants | See variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 7.1 kg |
| Length | 1.2 m |
| Diameter | 0.125 m |
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| Warhead | tandem HEAT |
| Detonation mechanism |
contact |
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| Engine | solid-fuel rocket |
| Wingspan | 0.26 m |
| Operational range |
400–2000 m |
| Flight ceiling | - |
| Speed | 200 m/s |
| Guidance system |
SACLOS wire |
| Steering system |
Thrust Vector |
| Launch platform |
Individual, Vehicle |
MILAN (French: Missile d´infanterie léger antichar; English: Anti-Tank Light Infantry Missile, "milan(e)" is French and German for "kite bird") is a European anti-tank guided missile. Design of the MILAN started in 1962. It was ready for trials in 1971, and was accepted for service in 1972. It is a wire guided SACLOS (Semi-Automatic Command to Line-Of-Sight) missile, which means the sight of the launch unit has to be aimed at the target to guide the missile. The MILAN can be equipped with a MIRA thermal sight, to give it night-firing ability.
Contents |
MILAN is a French and German missile that has been license-built by Italy, Spain, Britain and India. As it is guided by wire by an operator, this missile can avoid most countermeasures (flares and chaffs). The drawbacks are its short range, the exposure of the operator, and that it requires a skilled and well-trained operator.
The later MILAN models have tandem HEAT warheads. This was done to keep pace with developments in Soviet Armour technology. Soviet tanks began to appear with explosive reactive armor, which could defeat earlier ATGMs. The smaller precursor HEAT warhead penetrates and detonates the ERA tiles, paving the way for the main HEAT warhead to penetrate the armor behind.
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