Wire guided missiles

[pilotwolf]

This may be a silly question...

Assuming that a wire guided missile, (thinking of helicopter launched here), is wire guided until it reaches the target...

What happens to the wire?
How long is the wire?
What happens to the missile if it is damaged or broken?

PW

[A/Tpr Cooper]

I can tell you about the AAC TOW missile is wire guided. After firing the wire is left on the ground until the aircrew pick it up at the earliest oppurtunity (normally very early the day after firing).
The length of the wire exceeds the maximum effective range of the missile, after impact the wire is cut from the tube and the aircraft goes on it merry way.
Hope this is of use.
Coop's.

[ORAC]

1. The wire ends up draped across the countryside.

2. That depends on the missile system. Older metal wire systems had lengths of 3-8Kms. Newer systems such as EFOG-M can have ranges of 50Km+. Tenders are being invited for new artillery guided shells with a basic range of 60Km+ with future extensions out to 200Km+. This will give the ability to fire first then accurately target with final video guidance.

3. Depends on the missile system. Some older systems, such as the AGM-65A, continued on their last commanded vector and detonated on impact, making them unsuitable for urban conflict. Some more modern systems abort by going vertical and de-arming the warhead. Others have reversionary modes to alternate guidance modes. Take your pick from those on offer.

You might find this link of interest. EFOG-M and VIGUM (http://www.g2mil.com/efogm.htm)

[pilotwolf]

Thanks thats the sort of info I was after...:O

[rivetjoint]

I think the wire is made of pure copper too, must be worth a few bob at the scrappy's!

[CAC Runaway]

You can always use a Gazelle rotor head to wind up all the wire for you after firing as i saw done in Canada!! :D

[fobotcso]

I seem to remember that if you were further away than 5-6km, the time need to remain steady for the Operator to sight the missile onto the target gave the ZSU 23-4 enough time to acquire the helo and knock it out of the sky.

Bit of a Catch 22 if, to get close enough to avoid this situation, you had to expose yourself in open ground anyway.

[Mzee]

PWolf

I had many happy memories firing the French AS12 wire guided variety.

Range of about 7000yds twin wires came off bobins in the back of missile and draped themselves quietly over the countryside.

No flying the cross hairs and the missile will follow!! this was old technology. They were a solid propellant missile with small directional vanes sticking into the jet efflux. As it flew the missile became nose heavy and you had to pull the control stick further and further back to keep it in the air whilst controlling the sight, to keep the target in view, with the other hand and taking timings from the pilot controlling the a/c in a stable hover for the approx 32secs it took to impact.

A feat that needed practice especially at night but was fun. If the wire broke it was programmed to go down and right, very sporting one day when soon after leaving the launch rail one flew straight into the water off Chesil and we could see it screaming round in a circle under water as we hovered nearby. Problem was it decided to leave the water and get airborne again!! should have seen us go!!

They were old but sound, couldn't be jammed and did the job but exposed the a/c to return fire for too long. Came too close to 30mm and artillery fire whilst trying to plant one on Menedez's desk in Stanley, unfortunately missed by a metre but took out the Police Stn with their Mil Int as a consolation.

Ah the smell of cordite wafting through the cockpit.

[goffered again]

Mzee

Can I have my 1st line test set back please, I am still paying off the C126!::ok: