Swingfire was a British wire-guided anti-tank missile developed in the 1960s and produced from 1966 until 1993. and minor subcontractors. It replaced the Vickers Vigilant missile in British service.

Besides its use on the FV438 Swingfire and the Striker armoured vehicles, Swingfire was developed to be launched from other platforms:

  • FV712, Mk 5 Ferret with 4 missiles in use with the British Army
  • Beeswing – pallet that can be mounted on a Land Rover or similar.
  • Hawkswing – on a Lynx helicopter.

Replacement in British Army

After a lengthy debate, the Swingfire was replaced with the Javelin in mid-2005 to meet new and changing situational requirements. The British Army invested heavily in the Javelin, and it is now the main heavy anti-tank missile system in use by the British Army.

Specification

  • Diameter: 170 mm
  • Wingspan: 0.39 m
  • Length: 1.07 m
  • Weight: 27 kg
  • Warhead: 7 kg HEAT
  • Range: 150 m to 4000 m
  • Velocity: 185 m/s
  • Unit cost: £7,500

Operators

thumb|upright=1.8|Map with Swingfire operators in blue and former operators in red

Current operators

  • : Egyptian Army
  • Swingfire missiles were also produced in Egypt under license by Arab-British Dynamics.
  • : Kenyan Army

Former operators

  • : Belgian Army
  • : Portuguese Army
  • Used on the Chaimite armoured fighting vehicle, now retired.
  • : British Army
  • FV102 Striker – 5 in ready-to-fire bins.
  • FV438 Swingfire – Two firing bins
  • Ferret Mk 5 – Four firing bins

Decommissioning problems

In March 2002 20 warheads, removed for decommissioning, were washed into the Bristol Channel along with 8 anti-tank mines. The warheads, with a total explosive weight equivalent to 64.2 kg of TNT, were never located.

See also

  • CVR(T)

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

  • RAF Museum
  • Global Defence
  • Astronautix
  • Skomer
  • RAF Museum
  • Live firing photo gallery, Strikers on German ranges, 1979
  • Swingfire video