ENTAC
Encyclopedia
Entac or MGM-32A was a French
MCLOS
wire-guided
Anti-tank missile. Developed in the early 1950s, the missile entered service with the French army in 1957. Production ended in 1974 after approximately 140,000 missiles had been built.
in French service.
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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 AT-3 Sagger
) due to the time it took to get up to flight speed and come under operator control.
and was used against Iraqi tanks during the 1980-88 war.
against Arab tanks.
against both MPLA
forces and Cuban
forces. They were frequently mounted on Land Rovers. Two MPLA BRDM-2
scout cars were destroyed by ENTAC's in September 1975 and two Cuban T-55
tanks were destroyed in December 1983 (during Operation Askari). ENTAC's were also used in Angola during 1984.
(or MGM-21A). It was designed to be an interim missile, used as the BGM-71 TOW was being developed. The first missiles where deployed in 1963, that year the missile received the US designation MGM-32A. In US service the missile was based on the M151 Jeep. 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.
. - Around 2500 ordered in 1961 and delivered from 1961-66 for AMX-VCI tank destroyer variant. - Ordered in 1959 and delivered from 1960-1963. Around 2000 delivered. - First adopted in 1957. - Around 2000 ordered in 1967 and delivered from 1968-71. Replaced by the MILAN
from 1982. - Around 2000 ordered in 1966 and delivered from 1966-69. - Around 500 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963-64. - Around 1000 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963-64. - Around 200 acquired in 1967 after being ordered in 1966. - Around 500 ordered in 1972 and delivered from 1973 to 1974. Supplanted by BGM-71 TOW
from around 1977. - Around 1000 ordered in 1965 and acquired from 1966-1968. - Around 500 acquired in 1969. Supplemented by MILAN from 1975 and eventually eased out of service. - Acquired as MGM-32A in 1963. Replaced by BGM-71 TOW
between 1968 and 1969 and transferred to National Guard units before being retired completely by 30 September 1972.
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...
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...
wire-guided
Wire-guided missile
A wire-guided missile is a missile that is guided by signals sent to it via thin wires connected between the missile and its guidance mechanism, which is located somewhere near the launch site. As the missile flies, the wires are reeled out behind it...
Anti-tank missile. Developed in the early 1950s, the missile entered service with the French army in 1957. Production ended in 1974 after approximately 140,000 missiles had been built.
Development
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 and did not enter service till 1957. It proved to be a great improvement over the SS.10 which 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.10SS.10
SS.10 is the designation of the Nord Aviation MCLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile designed by French engineer Jean Bastien-Thiry. In American service the missile was called the MGM-21A. The missile entered service in 1955 with the French army. It was used briefly by the US army in the early 1960s...
in French service.
Design
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...
. These course corrections are transmitted to the missile via a thin set of wires that trail behind the missile - see 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...
. Like many early ATGMs the missile had a large minimum range (see AT-3 Sagger
AT-3 Sagger
The 9K11 Malyutka is a Manual Command to Line-of-Sight wire-guided anti-tank guided missile developed in the Soviet Union. It was the first man-portable anti-tank guided missile of the Soviet Union and is probably the most widely produced ATGM of all time—with Soviet production peaking at...
) due to the time it took to get up to flight speed and come under operator control.
France
The missile first entered service with the French in 1957. The ENTAC may have been used by France in small numbers during 1960's and 1970s peackeeping operations.India
ENTAC missiles entered service in 1968 after being ordered a year prior. They may have been used against Pakistani tanks during the 1971 war.Iran
Ordered in 1966 and delivered from 1966-1969. It remained in service after the 1979 Iranian revolutionIranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
and was used against Iraqi tanks during the 1980-88 war.
Israel
Entered service in 1963 after being ordered a year prior. It is likely that they were used during the 1967 Six-Day WarSix-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
against Arab tanks.
Lebanon
Ordered in 1966 and entered service in 1967. These were deployed during the Lebanon civil war and participated in street fighting, particularly during the early 1980s.South Africa
Acquired in 1969. These were used extensively during the 1966-1989 Border WarSouth African Border War
The South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
against both MPLA
Angolan Armed Forces
The Angolan Armed Forces are the military in Angola that succeeded Forças Armadas de Libertação de Angola following the abortive Bicesse Accord with UNITA in 1991. As part of the peace agreement, troops from both armies were to be demilitarized and then integrated. Integration was never completed...
forces and Cuban
Military of Cuba
The Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces consist of ground forces, naval forces, air and air defence forces, and other paramilitary bodies including the Territorial Troops Militia , Revolutionary Armed Forces , and Youth Labor Army .The armed forces has long been the...
forces. They were frequently mounted on Land Rovers. Two MPLA BRDM-2
BRDM-2
The BRDM-2 is an amphibious armoured patrol car used by Russia and the former Soviet Union. It was also known under designations BTR-40PB, BTR-40P-2 and GAZ 41-08...
scout cars were destroyed by ENTAC's in September 1975 and two Cuban T-55
T-55
The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
tanks were destroyed in December 1983 (during Operation Askari). ENTAC's were also used in Angola during 1984.
United States
The US army purchased the Model 58 Entac with an improved warhead to replace the Nord SS.10SS.10
SS.10 is the designation of the Nord Aviation MCLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile designed by French engineer Jean Bastien-Thiry. In American service the missile was called the MGM-21A. The missile entered service in 1955 with the French army. It was used briefly by the US army in the early 1960s...
(or MGM-21A). It was designed to be an interim missile, used as the BGM-71 TOW was being developed. The first missiles where deployed in 1963, that year the missile received the US designation MGM-32A. In US service the missile was based on the M151 Jeep. The missile was phased out between 1968 and 1969, being replaced with the more advanced BGM-71 TOW
BGM-71 TOW
The BGM-71 TOW is an anti-tank missile. "BGM" is a weapon classification that stands for "Multiple Environment , Surface-Attack , Missile ". "TOW" is an acronym that stands for "Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire command data link, guided missile"...
. It was used in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
against fortified infantry positions, but not enemy tanks. It was fired by the 14th Infantry Regiment, amongst others.
Users
- Around 500 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963-64. Served from 1964–1982, after which it was replaced by the MILANMILAN
MILAN " is French and German for "kite bird") is a European anti-tank guided missile. Design of the MILAN started in 1962. It was ready for trials in 1971, and was accepted for service in 1972. It is a wire guided SACLOS missile, which means the sight of the launch unit has to be aimed at the...
. - Around 2500 ordered in 1961 and delivered from 1961-66 for AMX-VCI tank destroyer variant. - Ordered in 1959 and delivered from 1960-1963. Around 2000 delivered. - First adopted in 1957. - Around 2000 ordered in 1967 and delivered from 1968-71. Replaced by the MILAN
MILAN
MILAN " is French and German for "kite bird") is a European anti-tank guided missile. Design of the MILAN started in 1962. It was ready for trials in 1971, and was accepted for service in 1972. It is a wire guided SACLOS missile, which means the sight of the launch unit has to be aimed at the...
from 1982. - Around 2000 ordered in 1966 and delivered from 1966-69. - Around 500 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963-64. - Around 1000 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963-64. - Around 200 acquired in 1967 after being ordered in 1966. - Around 500 ordered in 1972 and delivered from 1973 to 1974. Supplanted by BGM-71 TOW
BGM-71 TOW
The BGM-71 TOW is an anti-tank missile. "BGM" is a weapon classification that stands for "Multiple Environment , Surface-Attack , Missile ". "TOW" is an acronym that stands for "Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire command data link, guided missile"...
from around 1977. - Around 1000 ordered in 1965 and acquired from 1966-1968. - Around 500 acquired in 1969. Supplemented by MILAN from 1975 and eventually eased out of service. - Acquired as MGM-32A in 1963. Replaced by BGM-71 TOW
BGM-71 TOW
The BGM-71 TOW is an anti-tank missile. "BGM" is a weapon classification that stands for "Multiple Environment , Surface-Attack , Missile ". "TOW" is an acronym that stands for "Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire command data link, guided missile"...
between 1968 and 1969 and transferred to National Guard units before being retired completely by 30 September 1972.