The Exocet is the most widely used anti-ship missile in naval battles.
This weapon system, which has proven itself in many wars,
played an important role in the transformation of naval warfare concepts. This missile, which can
still reach large markets with its new models, has been the fear of ships for nearly half a century.
Now we are investigating the Exocet, a true anti-ship missile legend.
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Today the anti-ship missiles are indispensable for the western naval planners. Nevertheless,
this acceptance took time. The impact of the Exocet played an important role in this change.
Before investigating it, let's briefly take a look at the history of the anti-ship missile.
The works on development of the anti-ship missiles started in the Second World War.
At the early stage of the war, Nazi Germany realised that new weapon system is required
to carry out the air attack against the surface combatants full of anti-aircraft guns.
To answer this requirement, the German engineers developed the early examples of the anti-ship
missiles. They could be launched from a bomber out of range and altitude of anti-aircraft
guns and hit accurately a ship size target. During the war, the Fritz X which was one of them
sunk many ships, with Italian battleship Roma in particular.
Despite these successes, the Western navies had not shown
interest enough the anti-ship missile until 1967. On October 21, 1967, a Soviet-made P-20 Termit
missile launched from an Egyptian Komar-class boat sunk the Israeli Navy destroyer, INS Eilat.
Now, the naval staff had to accept that naval guns became obsolete.
In fact, the French engineers had already recognized the importance of the anti-ship
missiles a long time ago. Nevertheless, the conservative staff of the French navy
had not been ready for this change, until the sinking of INS Eliat.
By the early 1960s, air-to-surface guided missiles had already become common for the air forces.
Therefore, encouraged by this accomplishment, Nord Aviation company of France offered to develop a
ship-based model of the AS-30 air-to-surface missiles to the French Navy in 1963. Yet,
this offer did not receive the expected attention. Hence, Nord Aviation decided to continue the
work on as a private venture. However, there was no demand from foreign markets too. So, the
project continued remarkably slow. As we mentioned before, the sinking of INS Eilat changed the
perspective, not in only France, also worldwide. In 1968, the French Navy gave a green light to
equip its ships with the new anti-ship missiles called Exocet developed by Nord Aviation.
During the process, Nord Aviation merged with Sud Aviation to create Aérospatiale.
Since 1970, this company continued the project. The first customer of the MM38, the ship-based
model of the Exocet became Greece. One day later, France ordered for it. After
trials which began in 1970 and lasted four years, the serial production of the missile commenced.
The works on the air-launched model of the Exocet, the AM39,
started in 1972. One year later,
an SA 321 Super Frelon helicopter conducted the first fire trial of the missile successfully.
The French Navy evaluating data from this trial demanded some changes. For example,
Aérospatiale engineers redesigned the control surfaces. Now an aircraft flying at supersonic
speed could launch the missile. The French Navy also demanded a more engine power. Depend on the
increased engine power, the engine mount of the missile changed with steel ones.
Following the modifications, the AM39 became operational in 1979.
The French Navy also demanded the submarine-launched version of the Exocet.
Actually, the primary task of this model was not the surface attack.
French naval staff had developed a new concept. Once a submarine would send a torpedo to its
target, it reveals its presence and becomes a target for the enemy anti-submarine warfare ships.
According to the new concept, the submarine would win time to escape, by performing salvo firing two
to four guided missiles against its hunters. First firing tests of the submarine-launched
version of the Exocet, the SM39, conducted in 1982 and it became operational three years later.
As early as 1979, France started working on the MM40, the advanced model of the Exocet.
That year, the works began on the MM39, as the variant of the MM38
adaptable to smaller platforms. However, after a while, the French
Navy demanded a longer-range version. So, the MM39 Programme underwent a revision
and turned into the MM40 Programme. In the 1990s, France started the
ANF Programme to develop a supersonic anti-ship missile to replace the Exocet.
However, as the First Cold War was over, the need for such a highly capable system was reduced.
Thus, France revised the programme and decided to upgrade its MM40s with a new altimeter and
booster. This model is called the Block 2. The Block 3 model ordered in 2018, is lighter
than its predecessor and had a longer range. In 2010, the first firing of the MM40 Block
3 was conducted from the Horizon-class air defence destroyer, FS Chevalier Paul.
Its GPS navigation system gives this version limited land attack capability.
The MM40 soon became favourite among old MM38 users.
Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Cyprus, Ecuador, Egypt,
France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Peru,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates,
and Uruguay are current users of the land, ship, and submarine-launched versions of the Exocet.
Belgium, Cameroon, Georgia, South Korea, Turkey, and the UK are the former users of the missile.
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, France, Greece, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
and the United Arab Emirates still use the AM39, while Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Libya, and Venezuela retired it. Different models of the missile
have different specification. The MM38 is 5.12 meters, the AM39 4.69 meters,
the SM39 4.68 meters, the Block 1 MM40 5.8 meters, and the Block 3 MM40 5.9 meters are long.
All versions have 350 millimetres in diameter. The wingspan of the MM38 is 1.04 meters.
The wingspan increased to 1.09, 1.1, and 1.13 meters on the AM39, SM39, and MM40, respectively.
The Exocet has a 165-kilogram penetration warhead, regardless of the model. These missiles weigh
735, 670, 655, 870, and 780 kilograms, respectively. The first four variants with
solid rocket engines have a maximum speed of Mach 0.93. The Block 3 MM40 has the TRI-40/263
turbojet propulsion system and can reach a maximum speed of Mach 0.9. Their maximum range is 42, 70,
50, 75 and 200 kilometres, respectively. Of the Exocet models with inertial navigation
and active radar guidance systems, only the Block 3 MM40s have additional GPS.
The MM38 can cruise at Sea State 6 at an altitude of 100 metres while
the MM40 performs sea-skimming at Sea State 7. Thanks to its advanced firing control system,
two MM40 can be fired simultaneously against two separate targets.
The early models of the Exocet can turn by 30 degrees after launch
while the later versions by 90 degrees. The ADAC radar of the Exocet has a range of
24,000 metres. It guides the missile to its target in the last 12,000 to 15,000 metres of the attack.
After detection of the target’s location, the Exocet lowers to an altitude of 8 metres and
performs its final attack. This altitude can decrease to as low as 3 metres on calm waters.
So, the target may not detect the incoming Exocet until it is at only 6,000 metres away.
The Block 2 model has Super ADAC radar, which is more resistant against electronic jamming.
Before firing the AM39 variant, the target has to be within 30 degrees range of the aircraft radar.
After the firing, the missile performs a free fall for about 10 metres. Then AM39 stabilises itself,
lowers to an altitude of 9 to 15 metres, and begins its cruise.
The Exocet activates its self-destruction mechanism if it fails to hit the target
but flies over it. It means the missile could still damage the ship because of the explosion.
Thanks to its delayed-action fuze the Exocet penetrates the hull of the ship first,
and detonate later. At least, in theory… The combat
reports show that this fuze has a serious problem for detonating the warhead. Yet, interestingly,
it has been often seen that the missile destroyed its target by burning it with its remaining fuel.
The most striking example of this was experienced undoubtedly in the 1982 Falkland War.
On May 4, 1982, one of two AM39s fired by an Argentine Super Étendard hit HMS Sheffield,
a Type 42-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. Because its warhead had not exploded,
the missile created a big hole on the starboard side of the hull and travelled into the ship. At
first sight, the destroyer was lucky. But, its remaining propellant caused a catastrophic fire
and HMS Sheffield could not be saved. In this attack, the second
AM39 crashed into the ocean. You can find more detailed information
about this attack in our Type 42 and P-2 videos. On May 25, 1982, SS Atlantic Conveyor
container carrier also fell victim to another air-launched Exocet.
On June 12, 1982, an MM38 Exocet missile hit the HMS Glamorgan, a County-class destroyer of the
Royal Navy. The captain of the ship made a wise decision and turned her stern to the missile.
The MM38 did not strike the destroyer's side and penetrate the hull. After the explosion,
it created two big holes, one in the hangar deck and the other in the galley below.
Also, the missile caused the explosion of the ship fully armed
and fueled Wessex helicopter and severe fire. However, the HMS Glamorgan survived.
There were interesting points in this attack. The MM38 launchers had been disassembled from
an old Argentine destroyer ARA Seguí and transported to the Falklands by a C-130.
This improvised coastal battery did not have a proper search radar and fire control system. For
this reason, the Argentines could hit the HMS Glamorgan by the third time. The first
missile had not left the launcher. The second missile had not been able to find the target.
In fact, this missile’s first combat success was in 1981, before the Falklands War. An AM39
fired by Iraq damaged the Liberian bulk carrier Al Tajdar in the Persian Gulf. During the Tanker War,
part of the Iran-Iraq War, the Exocet damaged about 135 commercial ships.
When oil transport to the West was interrupted because of the war, the US Navy started to
escort oil tanker in the Persian Gulf. In 1987, a modified Falcon 50 business
jet of Iraqi Air Force fired two AM39 to an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate,
USS Stark. The ship command staff misjudged the situation. For them, a business jet was not a
threat, so the countermeasures systems were not activated. USS Stark realised that she was under
attack when the ADAC radar activated itself in the last 10,000 metres. It was too late for
the reaction of the decoy launchers and Mk 15 Phalanx close-in weapon system of the frigate.
Even though USS Stark did not sink, it was heavily damaged and was out of service for a long time.
The Exocet has always been able to update itself according to changing naval combat requirements.
However, the era of fifth-generation stealth anti-ship missiles with more advanced guidance
systems is now beginning in the West. There is talk of a future in which supersonic missiles
that have been in use for a long time in the East will be replaced with hypersonic ones.
The future does not look as bright for the Exocet as the past. But it will continue to shine as the
legend with its role in the transformation of Western navies and with its success in wars.
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