Crotale (missile)

Crotale
Crotale NG at the Paris Air Show, 2007
Type	Surface-to-air missile system
Place of origin	France
Service history
Used by	See Operators
Wars	Chadian-Libyan conflict South African Border War Russian invasion of Ukraine
Production history
Designed	Late 1960s
Manufacturer	Thales Group Samsung Group
Produced	Early 1970s
No. built	6,600 missiles (R440)
Specifications
Mass	R440: 80 kg VT-1: 76kg[1]
Length	R440: 2.89 m VT-1: 2.35 m[1]
Diameter	R440: 15 cm VT-1: 16.5cm[1]
Wingspan	54 cm
Warhead	forward-directed blast warhead (R.440 and R.460) or blast-fragmentation warhead (VT-1)
Warhead weight	R440: 15kg VT-1: 13kg[1]
Detonation mechanism	infrared fuse, converted to RF fuse in later models.
Engine	Lens 3 solid-fuel boost-glide (R.440)
Operational range	VT-1: 11 km Mk3: 15 km[2]
Flight ceiling	VT-1: 6,000 m Mk3: 9,000 m
Maximum speed	R440: 800 m/s (Mach 2.3) VT-1: 1250 m/s (Mach 3.6)
Guidance system	Automatic command to line of sight[3]
Steering system	Canard and tail axis control
Launch platform	Mobile Launcher, Naval Launch

The Crotale (English: "Pit Viper" or "Rattlesnake") is a French, all-weather, short-range surface-to-air missile system developed to intercept airborne ranged weapons and aircraft, from cruise or anti-ship missiles to helicopters, UAVs or low-flying high-performance fighter aircraft. It was developed by Thomson CSF Matra (now Thales Group) and consists of a mobile land-based variant as well as various naval ones.