SNEB
Encyclopedia
The SNEB rocket is an unguided air-to-ground 68 mm (2.7 in) rocket
projectile (RP) manufactured by the French
company TDA Armements, designed for launch by combat aircraft
and helicopters. Two other rockets were developed in the 37 mm (1.5 in) and 100 mm (3.9 in) caliber. The 37mm caliber was one of the earliest folding fin free flight rockets developed after WW2 and was developed mainly for air to air engagements and is no longer in service. The 100mm caliber is in service with the French Air Force and a few other air forces. The 68mm caliber is by far the most popular in use today in both the time span of service and numbers produce, even out pacing the Russian 57mm
air to ground rocket, and is commonly referred in both military and civilian publications as the "SNEB rocket pods". Besides France, several other nations produce the SNEB 68mm rocket under license. In France today, the SNEB has been reorganized to the firm of Thomas-Brandt.
The caliber of 68 mm was preferred by the French over other international designs of 57 mm, 70 mm, or 80 mm. The SNEB rocket projectile is propelled by a single rocket motor
, and, depending on the warhead loadout on the launchers, it can be used against armoured fighting vehicle
s, bunker
s, or soft target
s.
project.
s:
produced the following types of rocket launcher for use with the SNEB 68 mm RPs:
The following is a list of fixed-wing aircraft that have been fitted with the SNEB 68 mm RPs:
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
projectile (RP) manufactured by the French
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...
company TDA Armements, designed for launch by combat aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
and helicopters. Two other rockets were developed in the 37 mm (1.5 in) and 100 mm (3.9 in) caliber. The 37mm caliber was one of the earliest folding fin free flight rockets developed after WW2 and was developed mainly for air to air engagements and is no longer in service. The 100mm caliber is in service with the French Air Force and a few other air forces. The 68mm caliber is by far the most popular in use today in both the time span of service and numbers produce, even out pacing the Russian 57mm
S-5 rocket
The S-5 is a rocket weapon developed by the Soviet Air Force and used by military aircraft against ground area targets...
air to ground rocket, and is commonly referred in both military and civilian publications as the "SNEB rocket pods". Besides France, several other nations produce the SNEB 68mm rocket under license. In France today, the SNEB has been reorganized to the firm of Thomas-Brandt.
The caliber of 68 mm was preferred by the French over other international designs of 57 mm, 70 mm, or 80 mm. The SNEB rocket projectile is propelled by a single rocket motor
Rocket engine
A rocket engine, or simply "rocket", is a jet engineRocket Propulsion Elements; 7th edition- chapter 1 that uses only propellant mass for forming its high speed propulsive jet. Rocket engines are reaction engines and obtain thrust in accordance with Newton's third law...
, and, depending on the warhead loadout on the launchers, it can be used against armoured fighting vehicle
Armoured fighting vehicle
An armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
s, bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
s, or soft target
Soft target
Soft target is a military term referring to unarmored/undefended targets needing to be destroyed. For example, a soft target would be an automobile, a house, or assembly of people while a hard target could be a main battle tank or a well defended installation...
s.
Recent development
The Systeme de Roquette A Corrections de Trajectoire (SYROCOT) is a program where a laser-guided seeker is incorporated into the design. It is compatible with the existing SNEB system. It is comparable to the US Advanced Precision Kill Weapon SystemAdvanced Precision Kill Weapon System
The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System is a developmental program to provide a laser guided missile which is compatible with existing Hydra 70 unguided rocket systems in service.-Overview:...
project.
Warheads
The SNEB rocket projectiles could be armed with the following warheadWarhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
s:
- High explosive (HE)
- High explosive anti-tank warhead (HEAT)
- Multi-purpose fragmentationFragmentation (weaponry)Fragmentation is the process by which the casing of an artillery shell, bomb, grenade, etc. is shattered by the detonating high explosive filling. The correct technical terminology for these casing pieces is fragments , although shards or splinters can be used for non-preformed fragments...
- FlechetteFlechetteA flechette is a pointed steel projectile, with a vaned tail for stable flight. The name comes from French , "little arrow" or "dart", and sometimes retains the acute accent in English: fléchette.-Bulk and artillery use:...
anti-personnel/material - Smoke
- IlluminatingFlare (pyrotechnic)A flare, also sometimes called a fusee, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a brilliant light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for signalling, illumination, or defensive countermeasures in civilian and military applications...
- Training rocket
Rocket launchers/pods
The French armament company of MatraMatra
Mécanique Aviation Traction or Matra was a French company covering a wide range of activities mainly related to automobile, bicycles, aeronautics and weaponry. In 1994, it became a subsidiary of the Lagardère Group and now operates under that name.Matra was owned by the Floirat family...
produced the following types of rocket launcher for use with the SNEB 68 mm RPs:
- Matra Type 116M rocket launcher — This was lightly constructed and is used as an expendable rocket launcher pod with a frangibleFrangibleA material is said to be frangible if through deformation it tends to break up into fragments, rather than deforming plastically and retaining its cohesion as a single object...
nose coneNose coneThe term nose cone is used to refer to the forwardmost section of a rocket, guided missile or aircraft. The cone is shaped to offer minimum aerodynamic resistance...
, loaded with 19× SNEB 68mm RPs which were fired in a single rippleRippleRipple is the more common name for a capillary wave in fluid dynamics.Ripple can also refer to:* Ripple , a non-profit click-to-donate internet site and search engine* Ripple effect, the socio-educational phenomenon...
d 0.5 second salvoSalvoA salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute.Troops armed with muzzleloaders required time in which to refill their arms with gun powder and shot...
with a time interval of 33 milliseconds between each rocket firing, the pod is automatically jettison after all the rockets are expended.
- Matra Type 155 rocket launcher — Widely produced, this was a reusable device manufactured completely from metal with a fluted nose cone through which the RPs were fired. Loaded with 18× SNEB 68mm RPs, it can be pre-programmed on the ground to fire in shots or in one single ripple salvo as the Type 116M.
- Matra JL-100 drop tank/rocket pack — This unique arrangement combines a 66 gal drop tankDrop tankIn aeronautics, a drop tank is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often jettisonable...
with a rocket launcher containing 19× SNEB 68 mm RPs in front to form an aerodynamically-shaped pod which can be mounted on over-wing or under-wing hardpoints. One notable aircraft equipped with this was the English Electric LightningEnglish Electric LightningThe English Electric Lightning is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft of the Cold War era, noted for its great speed and unpainted natural metal exterior finish. It is the only all-British Mach 2 fighter aircraft. The aircraft was renowned for its capabilities as an interceptor; Royal Air Force ...
F.53 of Royal Saudi Air Force.
Use by
The following is a list of rotor craft that have been fitted with the SNEB 68 mm RPs:- Bell UH-1H of the Lebanese Air ForceLebanese Air ForceThe Lebanese Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Lebanese Armed Forces. The seal of the air force is constituted of a Roundel with two wings and a Lebanese Cedar tree, surrounded by two laurel leaves on a blue background.-History:...
were modified locally to carry Bombs and Matra SNEB 68 mm rocket pods taken from unserviceable Hawker Hunters - Aérospatiale PumaAérospatiale PumaThe Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France.-Development:...
- Eurocopter AS332
- Eurocopter AS 532
- Eurocopter EC 725Eurocopter EC 725-See also:-External links:* * * *...
- Eurocopter TigerEurocopter TigerThe Eurocopter Tiger is an attack helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter. In Germany it is known as the Tiger; in France and Spain it is called the Tigre.-Origins:...
The following is a list of fixed-wing aircraft that have been fitted with the SNEB 68 mm RPs:
- Atlas CheetahAtlas CheetahThe Atlas Cheetah is a fighter aircraft currently operated by the Ecuadorian Air Force. It was operated by the South African Air Force between 1986 and 2008. It was first built as a major upgrade of the Dassault Mirage III by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation of South Africa in South Africa and is...
- BAE Sea HarrierBAE Sea HarrierThe British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval VTOL/STOVL jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft, a development of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier. It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980 as the Sea Harrier FRS1 and became informally known as the "Shar"...
- BAE Harrier II
- Blackburn BuccaneerBlackburn BuccaneerThe Blackburn Buccaneer was a British low-level subsonic strike aircraft with nuclear weapon delivery capability serving with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force between 1962 and 1994, including service in the 1991 Gulf War...
- Canadair Sabre
- Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard
- Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet
- Dassault Étendard IV
- Dassault Mystère
- Dassault Mystère IVDassault Mystère IV|-See also:-External links:*...
- Dassault Mirage IIIDassault Mirage IIIThe Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...
- Dassault Mirage 5Dassault Mirage 5The Dassault Mirage 5 is a supersonic attack aircraft designed in France by Dassault Aviation during the 1960s, and manufactured in France and a number of other countries. It was derived from Dassault's popular Mirage III fighter, and spawned several variants of its own.-Early development:The...
- Dassault Mirage F1Dassault Mirage F1The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation as a successor of the Mirage III family. The Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force in the early seventies...
- Dassault OuraganDassault OuraganThe Dassault M.D.450 Ouragan was the first French-designed jet fighter-bomber to enter production, playing a key role in resurgence of the French aviation industry after World War II. The Ouragan was operated by France, Israel, India and El Salvador...
- Dassault Super MystèreDassault Super Mystère|-See also:-References: http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/americas/el_salvador/El_Salvador-af-EscCazaBomb.htm...
- de Havilland Sea VixenDe Havilland Sea VixenThe de Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen was a twin boom 1950s–1960s British two-seat jet fighter of the Fleet Air Arm designed by de Havilland. Developed from an earlier first generation jet fighter, the Sea Vixen was a capable carrier-based fleet defence fighter that served into the 1970s...
- Douglas A-26 Invader
- English Electric CanberraEnglish Electric CanberraThe English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
- English Electric LightningEnglish Electric LightningThe English Electric Lightning is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft of the Cold War era, noted for its great speed and unpainted natural metal exterior finish. It is the only all-British Mach 2 fighter aircraft. The aircraft was renowned for its capabilities as an interceptor; Royal Air Force ...
- Fiat G.91
- Hawker HunterHawker HunterThe Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
- Hawker Siddeley Harrier
- IAI KfirIAI KfirThe Israel Aircraft Industries Kfir is an Israeli-built all-weather, multirole combat aircraft based on a modified Dassault Mirage 5 airframe, with Israeli avionics and an Israeli-made version of the General Electric J79 turbojet engine.-Background:...
- McDonnell Douglas F-4J/K/M in service with Royal Air Force/Royal NavyF-4 Phantom II variantsThe McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II variants were numerous versions and designations of the F-4 and are described below.-Variants:XF4H-1F4H-1F TF-4AF4H-1 DF-4BEF-4BNF-4BQF-4BF4H-1P F-110A SpectreF-4CEF-4C Wild Weasel IV...
- North American F-86 Sabre
- SEPECAT JaguarSEPECAT JaguarThe 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...
- Sud Aviation VautourSud Aviation Vautour|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. Fighters of the Fifties. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1981. ISBN 0-85059-463-4.-External links:*...