SS.11
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SS.11 is the designation of the Nord Aviation MCLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile. In American service the missile was designated the AGM-22. The missile entered service with the French army in 1956. Production of the missile ceased some time in the 1980s after 180,000 missiles had been produced.
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[edit] Development
Development of an improved version of the SS.10 (Nord-5203) began in 1953 as the Nord-5210. The missile was intended as a heavy version of the SS.10 for use from vehicles, ships and helicopters. The missile entered service with the French army under the designation SS.11.
The later B model of the missile replaces some of the original electronics with solid state components.
[edit] History
After the cancellation of the SSM-A-23 Dart in 1958 the United States began evaluating the SS.11, and accepted it into service in 1961. The missile was deployed from UH-1B Huey helicopters.
The missile was used in combat for the first time in 1966 during the Vietnam War. The missile was phased out by 1976, having been replaced by the BGM-71 TOW. The British Royal Air Force fired at least four of the missiles in the Falklands War against an Argentine battery of 105mm guns, during the Battle of Wireless Ridge, with little apparent success. [citation needed]
Due to the manual nature of the guidance, performance of the missile was poor—requiring a highly trained operator—see MCLOS.
[edit] Description
A variety of warheads are available for the missile.
- 140AC hollow-charge - 600 mm versus RHA
- 140AP02 blast-fragmentation
- 140AP59 anti personnel
- 140CCN anti-shipping
On launch the rocket booster fired for 1.2 seconds, after which the sustainer engine fires for 20 seconds.
In flight the missile is steered by the vectoring of thrust from the engine. Since the missile spins in flight, a gyroscope is needed to determine the missiles relative orientation to the ground. This is very similar to the system used on AT-3 Sagger.
[edit] General characteristics
- Length: 1190 mm
- Wingspan: 500 mm
- Diameter: 165 mm
- Launch weight: 30 kg
- Speed: 190 m/s
- Range: 500 m to 3 km
- Guidance: wire-guided MCLOS
- Warhead: 6.8 kg Type 140AC anti-armour
[edit] Models
- SS.11 / AGM-22
- SS.11A1 XAGM-22A
- SS.11B1 XAGM-22B
- SS.11B1 (training) XATM-22B
[edit] Operators
- Image:Flag of France.svg France
- Image:Flag of Germany.svg Germany
- Image:Flag of India.svg India
- Image:Flag of Iran.svg Iran
- Image:Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq
- Image:Flag of Israel (bordered).svg Israel
- Image:Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon
- Image:Flag of Libya.svg Libya
- Image:Flag of Peru.svg Peru
- Image:Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia
- Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
- Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
- Please note that this list is not complete.


