ENTAC ("Engin Téléguidé Anti-Char") or MGM-32A was a French MCLOSwire-guidedanti-tank missile. Developed in the early 1950s, the weapon entered service with the French Army in 1957. Production ended in 1974 after approximately 140,000 had been built.
The missile was developed by the French Government agency - DTAT (Direction Technique des Armements Terrestres) at the same time as the private industry SS.10. Development time for the ENTAC was longer than the SS.10, so it did not enter service until 1957. It proved to be a great improvement over the SS.10, which had entered production five years earlier. Once fully developed and tested, production of the ENTAC was given to the firm of Aerospatiale. The ENTAC was designed to be a man-portable weapon or operated from a small vehicle like the Jeep, replacing the Nord SS.10 in French service.
DesignEdit
French Hotchkiss M201 with four ENTAC missilesENTAC Model 58 missile at the US Redstone testing facility on 29 March 1961
The missile is launched from a simple metal box, which is connected to an operator station. An individual operator station can control up to 10 launcher boxes. The operator manually steers the missile by means of a small joystick. These course corrections are transmitted to the missile via a thin set of wires that trail behind the missile - see MCLOS. Like many early ATGMs, the missile had a large minimum range (see 9M14 Malyutka) due to the time it took to get up to flight speed and come under operator control.
The missile first entered service in 1957. The ENTAC may have been used by France in small numbers during the 1960s and 1970s on peacekeeping operations.[2]
IndiaEdit
ENTAC missiles entered service in 1968 after being ordered a year prior. They were used by 12 GUARDS(IND)most effectively against Pakistani tanks during the 1971 war.[3]
IranEdit
Ordered in 1966 and delivered from 1966-1969. It remained in service after the 1979 Iranian revolution and was used against Iraqi tanks during the 1980-88 war.[4]
IsraelEdit
Entered service in 1963 after being ordered the year before. It is likely that they were used during the 1967 Six-Day War against Arab tanks.[citation needed]
LebanonEdit
Ordered in 1966 and entered service in 1967. These were deployed during the Lebanese Civil War and was used in street fighting, particularly during the early 1980s.[2]
South AfricaEdit
French-made missiles were in the inventory, alongside locally manufactured licence-built missiles.[5] Having acquired some 500 examples by 1969,[6] expeditionary units of the South African Defence Force first deployed ENTACs against People's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA) and Cuban military advisers during Operation Savannah. The system was often mounted on unarmoured Land Rovers.[7] South African servicemen destroyed at least one FAPLA mortar position with their missiles in September 1975.[7] Two Angolan T-54/55 tanks were also eliminated by ENTAC crews, working in concert with Eland and Ratel-90 armoured cars, during Operation Askari, 1984.[2]
United StatesEdit
The US army purchased the Model 58 ENTAC with an improved warhead to replace the Nord SS.10 (or MGM-21A). It was designed to be an interim weapon, used as the BGM-71 TOW was being developed. The first missiles were deployed in 1963, that year the missile received the US designation MGM-32A. In US service the missile was based on the M151 Jeep and issued to the Anti-tank Platoon of the Heavy Weapons Company. In Korea (7th ID @ 1st CAV) it replaced the Scorpion tracked AT vehicle, a 90MM SP Gun which could not climb the hilly terrain as easily as the Jeep. Using extended cables missiles could be fired from defilade. The missile was phased out between 1968 and 1969, being replaced with the more advanced BGM-71 TOW. It was used in the Vietnam War against fortified infantry positions, but not enemy tanks. It was fired by the 14th Infantry Regiment, amongst others.[2]
ModelsEdit
ENTAC / MGM-32A
OperatorsEdit
Map with former ENTAC operators in red
Former operatorsEdit
Australia - Around 500 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963-64.[6] Served from 1964–1982, after which it was replaced by the MILAN.[8]
Belgium - Around 2,500 ordered in 1961 and delivered from 1961-66 for the AMX-VCI tank destroyer variant.[6]
Canada - Ordered in 1959 and delivered from 1960-1963. Around 2,000 delivered.[6]
India - Around 2,000 ordered in 1967 and delivered from 1968-71. Replaced by the MILAN from 1982.[6]
Iran - Around 2,000 ordered in 1966 and delivered from 1966-69.
Indonesia - Around 500 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963-64. Now retired.[6]
Israel - Around 1,000 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963-64.[6]
Lebanon - Around 200 acquired in 1967 after being ordered in 1966.[6]
Morocco - Around 500 ordered in 1972 and delivered from 1973 to 1974.[6] Supplanted by BGM-71 TOW from around 1977.[9]
Norway - Around 1,000 ordered in 1965 and acquired from 1966-1968.[6]
South Africa - Around 500 acquired by 1969.[6] Supplemented by MILAN from 1975 and eventually eased out of service.[10]
United States - Acquired as the MGM-32A in 1963. Replaced by the BGM-71 TOW between 1968 and 1969 and transferred to National Guard units before being retired completely by 30 September 1972.[2]
UNITA - Presumably acquired from South African stockpiles.[11]
^ abcdeHenson, Jason W."MGM-32 Entac ATGM." 2 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine "Harpoon Head Quarters". Retrieved: 24 December 2009.
^Amin, Agha Humayun, "The Battle of Chamb-1971" 23 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine "Defence Journal", September 1999. Retrieved: 24 December 2009.
^[1] "Flightglobal", 1986. Retrieved: 24 December 2009.
^Moukambi, Victor (December 2008). RELATIONS BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND FRANCE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MILITARY MATTERS, 1960-1990(PDF) (Doctoral dissertation thesis). Stellenbosch: Military Science, Stellenbosch University. pp. 181–2. Retrieved 27 April 2017. manufacturing licences for ENTAC missiles, 400 kg aircraft bombs and [STRIM] anti-tank rifle grenades were also granted to South Africans. Source: DOD, SANDF Documentation Centre, Pretoria. File No. Map 70/15 Vol. 1, Licence agreements, Annexure 2 to MAP/70/15 dated December 1966. Subject: Armament policy
^ abcdefghijkSIPRI Arms Transfers Database "Stockholm International Peace Research Institute". Retrieved: 24 December 2009.
^ abSteenkamp, Willem (2006) [1985]. (3rd ed.). Durban, South Africa: Just Done Productions Publishing (published 1 March 2006). pp. 38–200. ISBN978-1-920169-00-8. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
^Cecil, Michael. "REMEMBER WHEN.... WE GOT ATGWS?" "OnTarget", December 2007. Retrieved: 24 December 2009.
^"Missile Forces of the World." "Flightglobal", 1977. Retrieved: 24 December 2009.
^Zarzecki, Thomas W., Arms diffusion: the spread of military innovations in the international system, Routledge, c. 2002, ISBN978-0-415-93514-2
entac, engin, téléguidé, anti, char, french, mclos, wire, guided, anti, tank, missile, developed, early, 1950s, weapon, entered, service, with, french, army, 1957, production, ended, 1974, after, approximately, been, built, away, early, model, missiletypeanti,. ENTAC Engin Teleguide Anti Char or MGM 32A was a French MCLOS wire guided anti tank missile Developed in the early 1950s the weapon entered service with the French Army in 1957 Production ended in 1974 after approximately 140 000 had been built ENTACCut away of an early Model 56 ENTAC missileTypeAnti tank missilePlace of originFranceService historyIn service1957Used by see below Production historyDesigned1950sManufacturerDTAT amp AerospatialeProduced1957 1974No built140 000SpecificationsMass12 2 kgLength820 mmDiameter152 mmWingspan375 mmWarhead4 kg Hollow charge capable of piercing 650 mm of RHADetonationmechanismnose fuseEnginecombination solid booster and sustainerOperationalrange400 m 2 kmMaximum speed100 m sGuidancesystemMCLOS wireSteeringsystemtrailing edge wing spoilersLaunchplatformindividualExternal imageDTAT Aerospatiale ENTACManufacture s Fact Sheet Contents 1 Development 2 Design 3 Operational history 3 1 Australia 3 2 France 3 3 India 3 4 Iran 3 5 Israel 3 6 Lebanon 3 7 South Africa 3 8 United States 4 Models 5 Operators 5 1 Former operators 6 Notes 7 External linksDevelopment EditThe missile was developed by the French Government agency DTAT Direction Technique des Armements Terrestres at the same time as the private industry SS 10 Development time for the ENTAC was longer than the SS 10 so it did not enter service until 1957 It proved to be a great improvement over the SS 10 which had entered production five years earlier Once fully developed and tested production of the ENTAC was given to the firm of Aerospatiale The ENTAC was designed to be a man portable weapon or operated from a small vehicle like the Jeep replacing the Nord SS 10 in French service Design Edit nbsp French Hotchkiss M201 with four ENTAC missiles nbsp ENTAC Model 58 missile at the US Redstone testing facility on 29 March 1961The missile is launched from a simple metal box which is connected to an operator station An individual operator station can control up to 10 launcher boxes The operator manually steers the missile by means of a small joystick These course corrections are transmitted to the missile via a thin set of wires that trail behind the missile see MCLOS Like many early ATGMs the missile had a large minimum range see 9M14 Malyutka due to the time it took to get up to flight speed and come under operator control Operational history EditAustralia Edit Used from 1964 until 1985 1 France Edit The missile first entered service in 1957 The ENTAC may have been used by France in small numbers during the 1960s and 1970s on peacekeeping operations 2 India Edit ENTAC missiles entered service in 1968 after being ordered a year prior They were used by 12 GUARDS IND most effectively against Pakistani tanks during the 1971 war 3 Iran Edit Ordered in 1966 and delivered from 1966 1969 It remained in service after the 1979 Iranian revolution and was used against Iraqi tanks during the 1980 88 war 4 Israel Edit Entered service in 1963 after being ordered the year before It is likely that they were used during the 1967 Six Day War against Arab tanks citation needed Lebanon Edit Ordered in 1966 and entered service in 1967 These were deployed during the Lebanese Civil War and was used in street fighting particularly during the early 1980s 2 South Africa Edit French made missiles were in the inventory alongside locally manufactured licence built missiles 5 Having acquired some 500 examples by 1969 6 expeditionary units of the South African Defence Force first deployed ENTACs against People s Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola FAPLA and Cuban military advisers during Operation Savannah The system was often mounted on unarmoured Land Rovers 7 South African servicemen destroyed at least one FAPLA mortar position with their missiles in September 1975 7 Two Angolan T 54 55 tanks were also eliminated by ENTAC crews working in concert with Eland and Ratel 90 armoured cars during Operation Askari 1984 2 United States Edit The US army purchased the Model 58 ENTAC with an improved warhead to replace the Nord SS 10 or MGM 21A It was designed to be an interim weapon used as the BGM 71 TOW was being developed The first missiles were deployed in 1963 that year the missile received the US designation MGM 32A In US service the missile was based on the M151 Jeep and issued to the Anti tank Platoon of the Heavy Weapons Company In Korea 7th ID 1st CAV it replaced the Scorpion tracked AT vehicle a 90MM SP Gun which could not climb the hilly terrain as easily as the Jeep Using extended cables missiles could be fired from defilade The missile was phased out between 1968 and 1969 being replaced with the more advanced BGM 71 TOW It was used in the Vietnam War against fortified infantry positions but not enemy tanks It was fired by the 14th Infantry Regiment amongst others 2 Models EditENTAC MGM 32AOperators Edit nbsp Map with former ENTAC operators in redFormer operators Edit nbsp Australia Around 500 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963 64 6 Served from 1964 1982 after which it was replaced by the MILAN 8 nbsp Belgium Around 2 500 ordered in 1961 and delivered from 1961 66 for the AMX VCI tank destroyer variant 6 nbsp Canada Ordered in 1959 and delivered from 1960 1963 Around 2 000 delivered 6 nbsp France First adopted in 1957 nbsp India Around 2 000 ordered in 1967 and delivered from 1968 71 Replaced by the MILAN from 1982 6 nbsp Iran Around 2 000 ordered in 1966 and delivered from 1966 69 nbsp Indonesia Around 500 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963 64 Now retired 6 nbsp Israel Around 1 000 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963 64 6 nbsp Lebanon Around 200 acquired in 1967 after being ordered in 1966 6 nbsp Morocco Around 500 ordered in 1972 and delivered from 1973 to 1974 6 Supplanted by BGM 71 TOW from around 1977 9 nbsp Norway Around 1 000 ordered in 1965 and acquired from 1966 1968 6 nbsp South Africa Around 500 acquired by 1969 6 Supplemented by MILAN from 1975 and eventually eased out of service 10 nbsp United States Acquired as the MGM 32A in 1963 Replaced by the BGM 71 TOW between 1968 and 1969 and transferred to National Guard units before being retired completely by 30 September 1972 2 nbsp UNITA Presumably acquired from South African stockpiles 11 Notes Edit Australian Government site Archived from the original on 8 February 2010 a b c d e Henson Jason W MGM 32 Entac ATGM Archived 2 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine Harpoon Head Quarters Retrieved 24 December 2009 Amin Agha Humayun The Battle of Chamb 1971 Archived 23 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine Defence Journal September 1999 Retrieved 24 December 2009 1 Flightglobal 1986 Retrieved 24 December 2009 Moukambi Victor December 2008 RELATIONS BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND FRANCE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MILITARY MATTERS 1960 1990 PDF Doctoral dissertation thesis Stellenbosch Military Science Stellenbosch University pp 181 2 Retrieved 27 April 2017 manufacturing licences for ENTAC missiles 400 kg aircraft bombs and STRIM anti tank rifle grenades were also granted to South Africans Source DOD SANDF Documentation Centre Pretoria File No Map 70 15 Vol 1 Licence agreements Annexure 2 to MAP 70 15 dated December 1966 Subject Armament policy a b c d e f g h i j k SIPRI Arms Transfers Database Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Retrieved 24 December 2009 a b Steenkamp Willem 2006 1985 Borderstrike South Africa into Angola 1975 1980 3rd ed Durban South Africa Just Done Productions Publishing published 1 March 2006 pp 38 200 ISBN 978 1 920169 00 8 Archived from the original on 6 October 2014 Retrieved 14 October 2014 Cecil Michael REMEMBER WHEN WE GOT ATGWS OnTarget December 2007 Retrieved 24 December 2009 Missile Forces of the World Flightglobal 1977 Retrieved 24 December 2009 Zarzecki Thomas W Arms diffusion the spread of military innovations in the international system Routledge c 2002 ISBN 978 0 415 93514 2 Nortje Piet 2003 32 Battalion Zebra Press p 98 ISBN 978 1 86872 914 2 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to ENTAC astronautix com redstone army mil permanent dead link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title ENTAC amp oldid 1161398885, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
