Is missile	yes
Name	Exocet
Origin	France
Type	Medium-range anti-ship missile
Manufacturer	MBDA
Service	1979
Engine	solid propellant engine turbojet (MM40 Block 3 version)
Weight
Length
Diameter
Wingspan
Speed
Vehicle range
Altitude	Sea-skimming
Filling
Guidance	Inertial and active radar
Launch platform	multi-platform: MM38 surface-launched AM39 air-launched SM39 submarine-launched MM40 surface-launched }}

The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Hundreds were fired in combat during the 1980s.

Etymology

The missile's name was given by M. Guillot, then the technical director at Nord Aviation. It is the French word for flying fish from the Latin name ''exocoetus'', a transliteration of the Greek name for flying fish , which literally means "lying down outside (ἒξω, κεῖμαι), sleeping outside" because it sometimes stranded itself in boats.

Description

The Exocet is built by MBDA, a European missile company. Development began in 1967 by Nord as a ship-launched missile named MM 38. A few years later Aerospatiale and Nord merged. The basic missile body design was based on the Nord AS30 air to ground tactical missile. The air-launched Exocet was developed in 1974 and entered service with the French Navy five years later.

The relatively compact missile is designed for attacking small- to medium-size warships (e.g. frigates, corvettes, and destroyers), although multiple hits are effective against larger vessels, such as aircraft carriers. It is guided inertially in mid-flight and turns on active radar late in its flight to find and hit its target. As a counter measure against the air defence around the target, it maintains a very low altitude during ingress, staying 1–2 m above the sea surface. Due to the effect of the radar horizon, this means that the target may not detect an incoming attack until the missile is only 6000 m from impact. This leaves little time for reaction and stimulated the design of CIWS.

Its solid propellant engine gives the Exocet a maximum range of . The solid-propellant engine was replaced on the Block 3 MM40 ship-launched version of the missile with a solid-propellant booster and a turbojet sustainer engine which extends the range to . The submarine-launched version places the missile inside a launch capsule.

The Exocet has been manufactured in a number of versions, including:

MM38 (surface-launched)

AM38 (helicopter-launched - tested only)

AM39 (air-launched)

SM39 (submarine-launched)

MM40 (surface-launched)

The chief competitors to the Exocet are the U.S.-made Harpoon, and the Chinese Yingji series.

MM40 Block 3

The newest MM40 version (MM40 block 3) has an improved range of through the use of a turbojet engine, and includes four air intakes to provide continuous airflow to the engine during high-G maneuvers.

The Block 3 missiles accept GPS guidance system waypoint commands, which allow them to attack naval targets from different angles and to strike land targets, giving them a marginal role as a land-attack missile. The Block 3 Exocet is lighter than the previous MM40 Block 2 Exocets.

The 45 Block 3 Exocets were ordered by the French Navy in December 2008. These are not to be new productions but the conversion of older Block 2 missiles to the Block 3 standard. The first firing of the Block 3 from a warship took place on March 18, 2010, from the French Navy air defense frigate ''Chevalier Paul''. Besides the French Navy, the Block 3 has been ordered by the navies of Greece, the UAE, Perú, Qatar, Oman and Morocco.

History

Falklands War

In 1982, during the Falklands War, the Exocet became noted worldwide when Argentine Navy Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard warplanes carrying the AM39 Air Launched version of Exocet caused irreparable damage and disabled the Royal Navy destroyer HMS ''Sheffield'' on 4 May 1982; and when the 15,000 ton merchant ship ''Atlantic Conveyor'' was struck by two Exocet anti-ship missiles on 25 May. Two MM38 ship-to-ship Exocet missiles were removed from the old destroyer ARA ''Seguí'', a retired US Sumner class, and transferred to an improvised launcher for land use. One of these was fired at, and caused damage to, the destroyer HMS ''Glamorgan'' on 12 June.

The Exocet that struck HMS ''Sheffield'' impacted on the second deck, above the waterline and penetrated deeply into ''Sheffield'''s control room, near the forward engine room, creating a hole in the hull roughly . It appears that the warhead did not explode. Accounts suggest that the initial impact of the missile destroyed the ship's electrical generation systems and fractured the water main, preventing the fire suppresion mechanisms from operating and dooming the ship to be consumed by the fire. The loss of ''Sheffield'' was a shock to the British.

Some of the crew of ''Sheffield'' were of the opinion that the missile exploded, others held the view that it had not. The official Royal Navy Board of Enquiry Report, however, stated that evidence indicates that the warhead did not detonate. During the four and a half days that the ship remained afloat, five salvage inspections were made and a number of photographs were taken. Members of the crew were interviewed, and testimony was given by Exocet specialists (note that the Royal Navy had 15 surface combat ships that were Exocet-armed in the Falklands War). There was no evidence of explosion although burning propellant from the rocket motor had caused a number of fires, which continued unchecked as a result of a punctured fire main.

The Exocet that struck ''Glamorgan'' detonated (indeed a number of crew witnessed this, as did the Argentines who fired it, the whole event being recorded by a film crew) on the port side of the hangar deck, punching a hole in the deck and galley below, causing fires. The missile body traveled into the hangar and caused a fully fueled and armed Wessex helicopter to explode. Prompt action of the officers and men at the helm had saved the ship. With less than a minute's warning the incoming missile had been being tracked on radar in the operations room and bridge; as the ship was travelling at speed, a turn was ordered to present her stern to the missile. The ship was heeled far over to starboard when the missile struck. The missile hit the coaming and was deflected upwards. The dent caused by the impact was clearly visible when ''Glamorgan'' was refitted in late 1982.

In the years after the Falklands War it was revealed that the British government and the Secret Intelligence Service were extremely concerned by the perceived inadequacy of the Royal Navy's anti-missile defences against Exocet missiles and their potential to tip the naval war decisively in favour of Argentine forces. A scenario was envisioned in which one or both of the force’s two aircraft carriers (HMS ''Invincible'' and HMS ''Hermes'') would be destroyed or incapacitated by Exocet attacks, which would make recapturing the Falklands much more difficult.

Actions were taken to contain the Exocet threat. During the preparation for the war Britain benefited from the help of France, which gave the Exocet's code and homing radar. A major intelligence operation was also initiated to prevent the Argentine Navy from acquiring more on the international market. The operation included British intelligence agents claiming to be arms dealers able to supply large numbers of Exocet to Argentina, who diverted Argentina from pursuing sources which could genuinely supply a few missiles. France denied deliveries of Exocet AM39s purchased by Peru to avoid the possibility of them getting to Argentina.

Iran-Iraq War

Iraq fired an estimated 200 air-launched Exocet missiles against Iranian shipping during the Iran–Iraq War with varying levels of success. Tankers and other civilian shipping were often hit.

On May 17, 1987, the pilot of an Iraqi Mirage F-1 attacked the U.S. Navy ''Oliver Hazard Perry'' class frigate with two Exocets for unknown reasons. The first missile penetrated the port-side hull of the ''Stark''. The second entered at almost the same point, and left a gash, exploding in crew quarters. Thirty-seven sailors were killed and 21 were injured. ''Stark'' was heavily damaged, but saved by the crew and sent back for repairs. At first, it was reported that the errant pilot had been executed for his error, and his explanations for the attack are not available. Later, Iraqi officials denied that the pilot had been executed and stated that he was still alive.

Operators

{{externalimage |topic=Aerospatiale EXOCET |width= |align=right |image1=AM 39 Exocet launched from French Navy Super Etendard |image2=Alpha Jet ''Lancier'' multi-role with Exocet AM 39 |image3=AM 39 launched from Super Puma |image4=Exocet MM 40 fired from French vessel |image5=Test firing of SM 39 subsurface version of Exocet high resolution |image6=Aerospatiale Media Relations Photo Sent Out Shortly After Falkland's War |image7=Super Etendard taking off with test AM39 under wing. Note, electronic pod under fuselage and drop tank under other wing pylon. |image8=Impact of a MM40 on a target ship |image9=First test launch of Exocet MM40 Block 3 }}

Current operators

;: Argentine Navy - MM38, MM40 and AM39 ;: Royal Brunei Navy - MM38, MM40 ; ;: Brazilian Navy - MM38, MM40 Block 2 and AM39 ;: Chilean Navy - MM38, AM39 and recently acquired SM39 for the ''Scorpène'' class submarine . Previously used MM40. Is unknown if the missiles were sold along with the two ''Condell'' class frigates to Ecuador ; ;: Cyprus Navy - MM40 ;: MM40 ;: AM39, MM38 & MM40 ; ;: German Navy - To be replaced with RBS 15. ;: Hellenic Navy - MM38, MM40 Block 2/3
Hellenic Air Force - AM39 ;: MM38 on Fatahillah class corvette , MM40 Block 2 (on Sigma class corvette) ;: Indian Navy (on Scorpène class submarines) ;: Iranian Air Force - Captured ex-Iraqi AM39 from rebellious ex-Iraqi Mirage F1 ; ; ;: Royal Malaysian Navy - MM38, MM40 Block 2, SM39 (on Scorpène class submarines) ; ; ;: Pakistan Air Force - AM39 (on Dassault Mirage 5 (naval support fighters)Pakistan Navy - SM39 (on Agosta 90B submarines), AM39 (on Breguet Atlantic patrol aircraft) ;: Peruvian Navy - MM38 on PR-72P class corvettes, AM39 Block 1 on ASH-3D Sea Kings, MM40 Block 3 on Lupo class frigates ; ;: South African Navy - MM40 Block 2 on Valour class frigates ;: Republic of Korea Navy ; ;: MM38 ; ; ;: Venezuelan Air Force - AM39 (on Dassault Mirage 50)

Former operators

;: Belgian Navy operated Exocet on its ''Wielingen'' class frigates. Those warships were all sold in 2008 ; ;: Iraqi Air Force - AM39 on Mirage F1 & Super Étendard during Iran-Iraq War, all retired. ;: Royal Navy operated Exocet until the last MM38 armed surface vessel was decommissioned in 2002.

References

External links

Manufacturer's Website Gallery of photographs of various variants of the Exocet missile Argentine Account of the role of the Exocet in the Falklands War Photos of Exocet damage to USS Stark Testing of Exocet MM-40 Block 3

Category:Cold War anti-ship missiles of France Category:Anti-ship missiles of France Category:Modern weapons of France Category:Falklands War guided missiles Category:Hellenic Navy anti-ship missiles

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