.gif)
Pluton (missile)
Encyclopedia
The Pluton missile was a French
nuclear
-armed short-range ballistic missile
(SRBM) system launched from a transporter erector launcher
(TEL) platform mounted on an AMX 30
tank chassis. It was designed to provide the tactical part of French nuclear deterrence
during the Cold War
.
The Pluton came in replacement of the U.S.-built Honest John missile. It had an operating range between 17 kilometre, with a CEP
of 150 m. This short range only allowed strikes on targets in West Germany
or within France itself, which led to the development of the longer ranged Hadès missile
.
The system was relatively light-weight, which allowed its deployment in difficult conditions. A CT-20 drone
was available to provide last-minute information about the target before launch, making the Pluton system battle-capable.
There were five Pluton regiments in the North of France, each having six launchers:
A project for an updated version, called Super-Pluton, was dropped in favour of the Hadès project, and the aging Pluton was gradually discarded until completely retired in 1993. http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/france/theater/pluton.htm
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
nuclear
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
-armed short-range ballistic missile
Short-range ballistic missile
A short-range ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a range of about 1,000 km or less. They are usually capable of carrying nuclear weapons. In potential regional conflicts, these missiles would be used because of the short distances between some countries and their relative low cost...
(SRBM) system launched from a transporter erector launcher
Transporter erector launcher
A transporter erector launcher is a vehicle with an integrated prime mover that can carry, elevate to firing position and launch one or more missiles. Such vehicles exist for both surface-to-air missiles and surface-to-surface missiles...
(TEL) platform mounted on an AMX 30
AMX 30
The AMX-30 is a main battle tank designed by GIAT, first delivered to the French Army in 1966. The first five tanks were issued to the 501st Régiment de Chars de Combat in August of that year. The production version of the AMX-30 weighed , and sacrificed protection for increased mobility...
tank chassis. It was designed to provide the tactical part of French nuclear deterrence
Force de frappe
The Force de Frappe is the designation of what used to be a triad of air-, sea- and land-based nuclear weapons intended for dissuasion, and consequential deterrence...
during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
The Pluton came in replacement of the U.S.-built Honest John missile. It had an operating range between 17 kilometre, with a CEP
Circular error probable
In the military science of ballistics, circular error probable is an intuitive measure of a weapon system's precision...
of 150 m. This short range only allowed strikes on targets in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
or within France itself, which led to the development of the longer ranged Hadès missile
Hadès (missile)
The Hadès system was a short-range ballistic pre-strategic nuclear weapon system designed by France, as a last warning before use of strategic nuclear weapons, in the perspective of a Soviet invasion of Western Europe...
.
The system was relatively light-weight, which allowed its deployment in difficult conditions. A CT-20 drone
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
was available to provide last-minute information about the target before launch, making the Pluton system battle-capable.
There were five Pluton regiments in the North of France, each having six launchers:
- 3rd Artillery Regiment in MaillyMaillyMailly is a picturesque commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.France's 3rd Artillery Regiment is based in Mailly and it once operated the nuclear Pluton missile as part of France's deterrent during the Cold war....
- 4th Artillery Regiment in LaonLaonLaon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
- 15th Artillery Regiment in SuippesSuippesSuippes is a picturesque commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.It is home to France's 15th Artillery Regiment which once operated the nuclear Pluton missile as part of France's deterrent during the Cold war....
- 32nd Artillery Regiment in OberhoffenOberhoffenOberhoffen may refer to one of two communes in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France:*Oberhoffen-lès-Wissembourg*Oberhoffen-sur-Moder...
near HaguenauHaguenau-Economy:The town has a well balanced economy. Centuries of troubled history in the buffer lands between France and Germany have bequeathed to Haguenau a rich historical and cultural heritage which supports a lively tourist trade. There is also a thriving light manufacturing sector centred on the... - 74th Artillery Regiment in BelfortBelfortBelfort is a commune in the Territoire de Belfort department in Franche-Comté in northeastern France and is the prefecture of the department. It is located on the Savoureuse, on the strategically important natural route between the Rhine and the Rhône – the Belfort Gap or Burgundian Gate .-...
A project for an updated version, called Super-Pluton, was dropped in favour of the Hadès project, and the aging Pluton was gradually discarded until completely retired in 1993. http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/france/theater/pluton.htm