The Pluton missile was a French
nuclear
Nuclear may refer to:
Physics
Relating to the nucleus of the atom:
*Nuclear engineering
*Nuclear physics
*Nuclear power
*Nuclear reactor
*Nuclear weapon
*Nuclear medicine
*Radiation therapy
*Nuclear warfare
Mathematics
* Nuclear space
*Nuclear ...
-armed
tactical ballistic missile
A tactical ballistic missile (TBM), or battlefield range ballistic missile (BRBM), is a ballistic missile designed for short-range battlefield use. Typically, range (aeronautics), range is less than . Tactical ballistic missiles are usually mo ...
(
short-range ballistic missile
A short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) is a ballistic missile with a range of to . In past and potential regional conflicts, these missiles have been and would be used because of the short distances between some countries and their relative low c ...
, SRBM) system launched from a
transporter erector launcher
A transporter erector launcher (TEL) is a missile vehicle with an integrated tractor unit that can transport, elevate to a firing position and launch one or more rockets or missiles.
History
Such vehicles exist for both surface-to-air missiles ...
(TEL) platform mounted on an
AMX-30
The AMX-30 is a French main battle tank designed by Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX, then Nexter, GIAT) and first delivered to the French Army in August 1966. The first five tanks were issued to the 501st ''Régiment de Chars ...
tank chassis. It was designed to provide the tactical part of
French nuclear deterrence during the
Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
.
Development
The Pluton came in replacement of the U.S.-built
Honest John missile. It had an operating range between , with a
CEP of 150 m. This short range only allowed strikes on targets in
West Germany
West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
or within France itself, which led to the development of the longer ranged
''Hadès'' missile.
The system was relatively light-weight, which allowed its deployment in difficult conditions. A
CT-20 drone
Drone or The Drones may refer to:
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was available to provide last-minute information about the target before launch, making the ''Pluton'' system battle-capable.
A project for an updated version, called ''Super-Pluton'', was dropped in favour of the ''Hadès'' project, and the aging ''Pluton'' was gradually discarded until completely retired in 1993.
Units
The regiments and groups which used the equipment included:
*
1st Army Corps
** 3rd Artillery Regiment (1970–1990)
** 4th Artillery Regiment (1976–1980)
** 15th Artillery Regiment (1974–1990)
*
2nd Army Corps
** 32nd Artillery Regiment (1977–1993)
** 74th Artillery Regiment (1975–1993)
*
3rd Army Corps
** 3rd Artillery Regiment (1990–1993)
** 4th Artillery Regiment (1980–1993)
* included:
** 21st Maintenance Battalion
** 22nd Maintenance Battalion
Operators
;
*
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
See also
*
MGM-52 Lance
The MGM-52 Lance was a mobile field artillery tactical surface-to-surface missile (tactical ballistic missile) system used to provide both W70, nuclear and conventional fire support to the United States Army. The missile's warhead was developed ...
References
*CERMA Hors-série n7 (2013) ''Histoire de l'artillerie nucléaire de Terre française 1959-1996'' ( // ISSN 1950-3547).
External links
''Pluton'' on astronautix.com{{French nuclear missiles
Cold War artillery of France
Nuclear artillery
Ballistic missiles of France
Military equipment introduced in the 1970s