| Matra R.530 | |
|---|---|
 An R530 exhibited at the South African Air Force Museum, Swartkop | |
| Type | Short-range air-to-air missile |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1962 [1] |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Matra |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 192 kg [1] |
| Length | 3.28 m [1] |
| Diameter | 263 mm [1] |
| Wingspan | 1.1 m[2] |
| Warhead weight | 27.2 kg [1] |
| Engine | Two-stage solid rocket,[1] Hotchkiss-Brandt/SNPE Antoinette rocket [2] 83.3 kN for 2.7 s + 6.5 s cruise[2] |
Operational range | 1.5 to 20 km [1] |
| Maximum speed | Mach 2.7 [1] |
Guidance system | Semi active radar homing and infrared homing[3] |
Launch platform | Dassault Mirage F1 Dassault Mirage III[1] F-8 Crusader Atlas Cheetah |
The Matra R.530 is a French medium to short range air-to-air missile. It was available in infrared homing and semi active radar homing as the main armament of the Mirage III which was able to carry a single missile in the centerline, the Mirage F1, which carried up to three, utilizing wing hardpoints, and the F-8 Crusader, also carrying two on the sides of the fuselage in French Navy service.