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Country: France
Type: Strategic ASM
Introduction: 1986 |
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The Air-Sol Moyenne Portee (ASMP) is a French air-launched nuclear missile. Part of the Force de frappe, in French nuclear doctrine it is the last-resort warning shot prior to a full-scale employment of strategic nuclear weapons. Construction of the missile was contracted to Aerospatiale.
ASMP entered service in 1986, replacing the earlier free-fall AN-22 bomb on the French Dassault Mirage IV aircraft and the AN-52 bomb on Dassault Super Etendard. About 84 weapons are stockpiled. Current aircraft capable of carrying the ASMP are the Dassault Mirage 2000N, Rafale, and Super Etendard.
ASMP is 5.38 m long and weighs 860 kg. It is a supersonic stand-off missile powered by a liquid-fuel ramjet. It flies at Mach 2 to Mach 3, with a range between 80 km and 300 km depending on flight profile. The nuclear warhead is a single TN 81 with two yield options, 150kt and 300 kt.
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| General Information |
| Developed by |
France |
| Deployed by |
France |
| Development Year |
1976 |
| Deployment Year |
1986 |
| Platform |
Dassault Mirage IV, Dassault Mirage 2000N, Dassault Rafale, and Dassault Super Étendard |
| Number manufactured |
150(1985-1990) |
| Number deployed |
45(Mirage 2000N/AMSP)A24(Super Etendard/ASMP) |
| Contractor |
Aerospatiale, Tactical Missile Division, Chatillon |
| Dimensions and Performance |
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Length |
5.38m |
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Body Diameter |
38cm |
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Wing/Fin span |
96cm |
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Launch Weight |
860kg |
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Range |
300km(high altitude release),80km(low altitude release) |
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Speed |
Mach 3.0(high),2.0(low) |
| Components |
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Propulsion |
ramjet, solid propellant |
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Engine |
a SNPE Alain integral solid-propellant booster rocket and a ONERA ramjet sustainer |
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Payload |
single warhead 300kg |
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Warhead |
150kT nuclear(TN80) or 300kT(TN81) |
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Guidance |
inertial (Sagem E65) and terrain matching |
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