MILAN Totally Explained

Everything about Milan totally explained

MILAN (French: Missile d´infanterie léger antichar; English translation: Anti-Tank Light Infantry Missile) 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 (Semi-Automatic Command to Line-Of-Sight) missile, which means the sight of the launch unit has to be aimed at the target to guide the missile. The MILAN can be equipped with a MIRA thermal sight, to give it night-firing ability.

Warhead variants

MILAN: Single, Shaped Charge (1972)
MILAN 2: Single, Shaped Charge (1984)
MILAN 2T: Tandem, Shaped Charge (1993)
MILAN 3: Tandem, Shaped Charge
MILAN ER: Extended Range

The later MILAN models have tandem HEAT warheads. This was done to keep pace with developments in Soviet armour technology. Soviet tanks began to appear with explosive reactive armour, which could defeat earlier ATGMs. The precursor HEAT warhead penetrates and detonates the ERA tiles, paving the way for the main charge to penetrate the armour behind. The MILAN also has what is termed a "top attack mode". Most conventional anti-tank weapons are designed to fire a projectile straight at the target, from a shoulder-held launcher or mounted at ground level. In response to this, most armoured vehicles have reinforced armour at their front. The MILAN allows a missile to guide itself so it can be launched upwards at a distance resulting in the projectile striking the roof of the target, which is less well protected.

History

MILAN is a French and German missile that has been license-built by the Spanish, British and Indians.

Operators

- Australian Army

Was used by infantry and mounted on vehicles. The Australian Army withdrew the MILAN from service in the early 1990s. The ADF now fields the FGM-148 Javelin system.

- Brazilian Army

- 840 Oruzane Snage BiH

- Belgian Army infantry

- Cypriot National Guard

- Estonian Defence Forces

Mounted on light vehicles. 220 units are used.

- French Army

Infantry and on vehicles

- Bundeswehr: German Army, Luftwaffe, German Navy

Infantry, Marder vehicles since version A2 and TPz Fuchs vehicles.

- Hellenic Army

- Syrian army

About 1000 missiles used in the anti-vehicular division

- Indian Army

Infantry and on vehicles.

- Irish Army

Was used by the infantry but has since been replaced by the FGM-148 Javelin.

- Iranian Army

One reportedly hit a British Challenger 2 MBT during the early stages of Operation Telic along with multiple rocket propelled grenades. The tank survived the attack.

- Italian Army

- Kenyan Army infantry

- Lebanese Army

- Libyan Army

- Mexican Army (Ejército Mexicano)

This antitank missile is used over Panhard VBL Scout Cars

- Royal Moroccan Army

- Pakistani Army

- Portuguese Army and Portuguese Marines

- Republic of China Marine Corps

- Singapore Army

Being phased out in favor of the Israeli Spike

- South African Army

- Spanish Army

Being phased out in favor of the Israeli Spike

- Turkish Army

- Royal Marines and British Army

Infantry and on FV103 Spartan MCT (MILAN Compact Turret) version. Over 50,000 missiles purchased so far, for use in the British Armed Forces. The MILAN was used against Argentine bunkers in the Falklands War with great success.(External Link) It was replaced by the FGM-148 Javelin in mid-2005.

- Uruguayan Army

Gallery

Image:Targetsight.MILAN.jpg|Optical sight anti Tank Weapon MILAN Image:Missile fh000022.jpg Image:Marder1A3.5.jpg|A German Army gunner aboard a Marder IFV from 5./122. Mechanized Infantry fires a MILAN wire-guided anti-tank missile Image:Milan missile.jpg Further Information

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