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MILAN launch tube markings

RogueAdventurer

RogueAdventurer

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
G'day guys,

I was wondering if anyone had details on MILAN launch tube markings. I have seen tubes marked 'MILAN', 'MILAN F2', 'MILAN F3' etc, but there does not seem to be a correlation between that and the generation of MILAN missile. For example, I have seen there is this picture here: http://www.acig.org/artman/uploads/milan3.jpg which clearly shows a MILAN 3 missile next to a launch tube marked 'MILAN F2', and another here http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/MILAN_P1220770.jpg marked MILAN ER.

Also, a video showing tubes marked 'MILAN-F3' here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGfmw8PLdpY&feature=youtu.be

Any assistance appreciated!
 
I believe I saw some marked F2 or F3 when I was a range AT during training firings in the period 1988 - 1990 or while in the Middle East in 1991. In 1988 - 1990 I saw the older J103 warhead (round nose) give way to the K115 (stand-off probe). Could it be that one of the F numbers relates to one of those? Was there another version after the one with the K115 warhead that would have been marked F3? I don't remember any significance being attached to the F numbers. In the period 1985 - 1988 I was a GM instructor and Milan was one of the missiles I was involved with. If such markings were in use then I was unaware of them or their significance. Might it be worthwhile to ask BAE for the relevance of those markings?
 
AMMOTECHXT said:
I believe I saw some marked F2 or F3 when I was a range AT during training firings in the period 1988 - 1990 or while in the Middle East in 1991. In 1988 - 1990 I saw the older J103 warhead (round nose) give way to the K115 (stand-off probe). Could it be that one of the F numbers relates to one of those? Was there another version after the one with the K115 warhead that would have been marked F3? I don't remember any significance being attached to the F numbers. In the period 1985 - 1988 I was a GM instructor and Milan was one of the missiles I was involved with. If such markings were in use then I was unaware of them or their significance. Might it be worthwhile to ask BAE for the relevance of those markings?
Click to expand...

That's a very interesting thought, I think you might be on to something. I think I have an email for someone at MBDA somewhere; I'll drop them a line and ask.

Cheers!
 
This is the reply I got from MBDA: "What I have been told is that the F writing on the Milan containers might simply mean France (belonging to French Army)"

 
Could be that Britain did a deal with France for some French stocks. Although they were designed as anti-tank missiles I remember seeing news footage describing them as `bunker busters'. With a 2,000 metre maximum range the infantry wouldn't have needed to get as close as with a LAW 80.
 
So far the French "F" designations followed by a number were model designations.
I wonder who had the idea of it being the abbreviation for "France".
 
I'm still unclear on it.

Just spoke to the editor of this report (PDF), who tells me that the section on MILAN missiles, found on page 46, was written by a German scholar with experience in the arms trade.
 
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