AS-30L
Encyclopedia
The AS-30L is a French short-to-medium range air-to-ground missile which employees laser homing guidance. The AS-30L was a development of the earlier 1970s AS-30 missile, which uses MCLOS
guidance via a radio command link between the aircraft to the missile. The only difference between the AS-30 and AS-30L is their guidance systems. In appearance, the earlier AS-30 has a sharp nose and the AS-30L has a slightly blunted nose. The AS-30L is employed for attacking targets which require a high degree of precision to engage effectively, but are also potentially dangerous enough to necessitate a longer-distance "stand off" attack profile to reduce the danger to the aircraft and pilot to ground based anti-aircraft defences. The missile has a range of 3 to 11 kilometers, carries a 240 kilogram warhead, and claims a 1-meter CEP
with either airborne or ground-based laser designators.
The first AS-30 was a development of the 1960s Nord AS-20
to allow both an increase in range and a much larger warhead, and is almost identical to the earlier AS-20 in design. The AS-30 has four large steeply swept-back fins like those on the AS-20, cruciform in cross-section around the mid section of its body. But because of its larger size, the AS-30 in addition has four smaller fins at the rear of the missile body to increase stability in flight. The AS-30 has a two-stage solid fuel rocket motor, a short burn time booster section which is exhausted through two large nozzles located mid-way between the rear edge's of the large fins, and a longer burn time sustainer, which exhaust at a nozzle located at the back-center of the missile body. As with the AS-20, the AS-30 uses a simple MCLOS
guidance with the pilot aligning the flares located near the missile's rear with the target and controlling the missile in flight after launch with a small joystick
sending steering command's to the missile via a radio link. The steering command's steer the missile back to the line-of-sight by thrust vectoring
by the movement of one of four metal vanes around the sustainer nozzle. The missile's internal gyro gives the missile command unit, the correct position of the missile in flight, so one of the four thrust vanes is actuate at the correct time, to steer the missile back to the correct flight path.
The AS-30L was deployed by French SEPECAT Jaguar
aircraft during Operation Desert Storm in Iraq
and Operation Deliberate Force in Bosnia
, with roughly 60 missiles being launched. It was proven highly effective and accurate, with a claimed hit rate of 97%.
MCLOS
MCLOS is a first-generation method for guiding guided missiles.With an MCLOS missile, the operator must track the missile and the target simultaneously and guide the missile to the target. Typically the missile is steered with a joystick, and its path is observed through a periscope-type...
guidance via a radio command link between the aircraft to the missile. The only difference between the AS-30 and AS-30L is their guidance systems. In appearance, the earlier AS-30 has a sharp nose and the AS-30L has a slightly blunted nose. The AS-30L is employed for attacking targets which require a high degree of precision to engage effectively, but are also potentially dangerous enough to necessitate a longer-distance "stand off" attack profile to reduce the danger to the aircraft and pilot to ground based anti-aircraft defences. The missile has a range of 3 to 11 kilometers, carries a 240 kilogram warhead, and claims a 1-meter CEP
Circular error probable
In the military science of ballistics, circular error probable is an intuitive measure of a weapon system's precision...
with either airborne or ground-based laser designators.
The first AS-30 was a development of the 1960s Nord AS-20
AS-20
The AS-20 was a French air-to-surface missile developed during the late 1950s. It was similar to the U.S. AGM-12 Bullpup missile.-Development:...
to allow both an increase in range and a much larger warhead, and is almost identical to the earlier AS-20 in design. The AS-30 has four large steeply swept-back fins like those on the AS-20, cruciform in cross-section around the mid section of its body. But because of its larger size, the AS-30 in addition has four smaller fins at the rear of the missile body to increase stability in flight. The AS-30 has a two-stage solid fuel rocket motor, a short burn time booster section which is exhausted through two large nozzles located mid-way between the rear edge's of the large fins, and a longer burn time sustainer, which exhaust at a nozzle located at the back-center of the missile body. As with the AS-20, the AS-30 uses a simple MCLOS
MCLOS
MCLOS is a first-generation method for guiding guided missiles.With an MCLOS missile, the operator must track the missile and the target simultaneously and guide the missile to the target. Typically the missile is steered with a joystick, and its path is observed through a periscope-type...
guidance with the pilot aligning the flares located near the missile's rear with the target and controlling the missile in flight after launch with a small joystick
Joystick
A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks, also known as 'control columns', are the principal control in the cockpit of many civilian and military aircraft, either as a center stick or...
sending steering command's to the missile via a radio link. The steering command's steer the missile back to the line-of-sight by thrust vectoring
Thrust vectoring
Thrust vectoring, also thrust vector control or TVC, is the ability of an aircraft, rocket or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine or motor in order to control the attitude or angular velocity of the vehicle....
by the movement of one of four metal vanes around the sustainer nozzle. The missile's internal gyro gives the missile command unit, the correct position of the missile in flight, so one of the four thrust vanes is actuate at the correct time, to steer the missile back to the correct flight path.
The AS-30L was deployed by French SEPECAT Jaguar
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet ground attack aircraft, originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Armée de l'Air in the close air support and nuclear strike role, and still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force...
aircraft during Operation Desert Storm in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Operation Deliberate Force in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, with roughly 60 missiles being launched. It was proven highly effective and accurate, with a claimed hit rate of 97%.