- Yes
- No
In 1964, France and the United Kingdom agreed to jointly develop a missile program. This is also one of the first examples of joint development between the two nations. It was agreed that Hawker Siddeley in the United Kingdom would develop the TV-guided version and that Matra in France would be responsible for the anti-radar version. The contract between these companies was signed on September 3, 1964.
The specifications specified that the TV version was primarily intended for anti-ship combat, as well as the destruction of heavily protected land-based targets. The anti-radar version was tasked with destroying land-based or ship-based radars using their own emissions.
The rocket began entering service with the French Air Force in 1969 and ended its career in 1997. Since then, the country no longer have a missile with an anti-radar specialty.
The Martel was used by France against Libyan forces during the Epervier military operation(1986-2014) based and supporting Chad. On 7 January 1987 four French Jaguars took off carrying one Martel each. Three of em did not launch their missiles, cause each were programmed to aim at specific radar wavelengths, the one that was launch hit an SA-6 radar, destroying it completely.
On 7 March, following an air raid by Libyan MiG-21s and MiG-23s, another strike was mounted by ten Martel-equipped Jaguars from EC 3/3 “Ardennes” against the radar installations at Ouadi Doum air base.
It is nowaday still in service in Egypt and Indian air forces.
The version that concerns the French technology tree is the AR version whose characteristics are as follows:
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Length 4120mm
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Hull diameter 400mm
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Wingspan 1200mm
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Full weight 535Kg
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Warhead 150Kg RDX blast effect
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Flight Speed 0.9 Mach
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Launch propulsion : Boost rocket motors burns for 2.5 seconds
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Cruise propulsion : Rocket motor burns for 92 seconds
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Range:
- Maximum range at 36,000ft altitude: 370Km
- Maximum range at Sea level: 60km
- Minimum range: 15km
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Seeker:
- Coverage:
- Band 1: E, F Band (2.7 - 3.7 GHz)
- Band 2: C, D Band (0.8 - 1.3 GHz)
- Band 3: I Band (8.4 - 10.0 GHz)
The sensor search coverage was only selectable on the ground, not in flight and so before taking-off it was necessary to know what kind of radar will be targeted.
- Coverage:
MARTEL has two main modes of operation.
Max range is a traditional method of engaging the radar when the missile is launched on a pre-determined target locked before launch and follows the most optimal trajectory. In this case, the carrier aircraft delivers the missile at high altitude. The usual firing range in direct attack mode of a pre-prospected target is about 60 km, but can go up to the maximum range of the missile under the right conditions range increases as launch altitude rises. The missile cruise toward it’s target and just before being vertical to the target, executes a slide, dive and attacks the target from above. If the target stop emitting, the missile stop guiding and is generally lost, unless the radar starts emitting again soon enough.
In the second mode, in order to be detected as late as possible by enemy air defenses, the missile is launched from an aircraft flying at very low altitude, about 60 meters (200 feet), in the approximate direction and distance between 15 and 40 km from the launch point to an enemy radar whose presence has been reported by Allied intelligence, it would seem according to the sources without the requirement of a lock-on before launch, to be confirmed. Once separated from the carrier aircraft, the missile climbs to about 4,500 meters and, while maintaining the lock on the enemy radar source, performs a guided dive towards the target. If the target stops transmitting, the missile stops guiding itself and is generally lost, unless the radar starts transmitting again soon enough.
It is known that one of the ways to counteract antiradar missile attacks is to reduce the time of the radar operation by switching off the emitter station completely or periodically. The duration of a pause in the targeted radar operation is determined by the time of the known (if known) MRS flight time of the final trajectory section. The use of MRS in the second mode, cumulative to the possibility of multiple rocket launches in multiple phases, can make the value of such a pause unacceptably large for the normal operation of the air defense system. In this way, the radar can be disabled, if not by destroying it, by forced shutdown.
For balance purpose in game, it is possible to vary these characteristics significantly, for example by allowing only mode 1 with a degraded maximum range of let say 15 to 30Km, and mode 2 with a 15 to 20 Km effective seeker range from launch point. Even if we have to admit that it would be sad.
Jaguar A
The Jaguar A14 (3-XF) Of 3/3 Ardennes Sqn, is equipped with both rockets and the Martel anti-radar missile on the central carrying spot. Behind it we recognize Belgian Mirage 5s. (photo Alex Staruszkiewicz)
Mirage IIIE
Mirage IIIE of 3/3 at takeoff, with the CME Barax & Barracuda pods under external hardpoints(here see the Barax), 1700L cans under internal hardpoints and AS-37 Martel under central hardpoint
Mirage F1
Standard versions of a load for attacking ground targets consist of one Martel AS-37 or AS-30 guided missile, 14 250 kg bombs, four 450 kg bombs, and four launchers, each with 18 free-flight 68 mm rockets. Other versions of external stores include three auxiliary 1,200 liter fuel tanks; one 2,000 liter tank under the fuselage; a pod with laser rangefinder-target designator, the AS-30L air-to-surface guided missile or a guided aerial bomb with laser homing head; and pods with ECM equipment or reconnaissance gear including aerial cameras and an infrared linescan.
A Mirage F1 in flight with cans and AS-37 Martel.
* ECM Barax and Barracuda Pods: it need another suggestion to add it to the game. These ECM pods jams I and J bands Radars. I would take care of making this suggestion if I had time to do all the necessary research before someone else did it. However, you can go for it!
Media
Spoiler
https://youtu.be/3lvkpR3sp2M?si=LlhovSGZMccPKe-k
Video Footage of a Mirage III firing MARTEL
A Jaguar A of EC 2/11 with an AS 37 Martel anti-radiation missile, on the mid-station, used for the suppression of enemy air defenses. We can also see the Barracuda ECM pod on the external hardpoint here.
Mirage IIIE in flight, with the CME Barax(top) & Barracuda(bottom) pods under external hardpoints, 1700L cans under internal hardpoints and AS-37 Martel under central hardpoint
Sources for info and images:
Spoiler
Spot'aero
AS.37 Martel — Wikipédia
Dassault Mirage IIIE - Escadrilles
Martel AS-37(Armat) antiradar missile | Missilery.info
http://www.deltareflex.com/site/?p=1191
Air International 2005-09
L'Arsenal, AS 37 Martel / LM 746 1/48
Anti-Radiation Missiles - Technical data and discussion (With sub sources included)
British Weapon Systems - Technical data and discussion
Mise en service et prise en compte des CME (Contre Mesure Electronique) de 1976 à 1993 | 11 ème Escadre de chasse
https://www.saairforce.co.za/the-airforce/aircraft/48/mirage-iiicz
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/mirage-f1-variants.htm
http://sistemasdearmas.com.br/ca/martel.html