View source for ENTAC

{{Short description|French anti-tank missile}}
{{Infobox weapon
|is_missile=yes
|image=ENTAC 56 501607 fh000001.jpg
|image_size=300px
|caption=Cut-away of an early Model 56 ENTAC missile
|name=ENTAC
|type=[[Anti-tank missile]]
|origin=France
|launch_platform=individual
|manufacturer=DTAT & Aerospatiale
|design_date=1950s
|production_date=1957-1974
|service=1957
|used_by=(see below)
|spec_type=
|diameter=152 mm
|wingspan=375 mm
|length= 820 mm
|weight= 12.2 kg
|speed=100 m/s
|vehicle_range= 400 m - 2 km
|ceiling=
|filling= 4 kg [[HEAT|HE]] [[shaped charge]] capable of piercing 650 mm of [[Rolled homogeneous armour|steel armor]]
|detonation=nose fuse
|engine=combination [[solid rocket|solid]] [[booster rocket|booster]] and sustainer
|steering=trailing edge wing spoilers
|guidance=[[MCLOS]] wire
|variants=
|number=140,000
}}
{{externalimage
|topic=DTAT/Aerospatiale ENTAC
|width=
|float=right
|image1=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/MISSILES/French%20-%20Early%20AT%20missiles/FrAtMissiles9.jpg Manufacture's Fact Sheet]
}}

'''ENTAC''' ("Engin Téléguidé Anti-Char") or '''MGM-32A''' was a French [[MCLOS]] [[Wire-guided missile|wire-guided]] [[anti-tank missile]]. Developed in the early 1950s, the weapon entered service with the French Army in 1957. Production ended in 1974 after approximately 140,000 had been built.

==Development==
The missile was developed by the French Government agency - '''DTAT''' (''Direction Technique des Armements Terrestres'') at the same time as the private industry SS.10. Development time for the ENTAC was longer than the SS.10, so it did not enter service until 1957. It proved to be a great improvement over the SS.10, which had entered production five years earlier. Once fully developed and tested, production of the ENTAC was given to the firm of Aerospatiale. The ENTAC was designed to be a man-portable weapon or operated from a small vehicle like the Jeep, replacing the Nord [[SS.10]] in French service.

==Design==
[[File:Jeep Entac.jpg|thumb|left|French [[Hotchkiss M201]] with four ENTAC missiles]]
[[File:ENTAC (1961).jpg|thumb|ENTAC Model 58 missile at the US Redstone testing facility on 29 March 1961]]
The missile is launched from a simple metal box, which is connected to an operator station. An individual operator station can control up to 10 launcher boxes. The operator manually steers the missile by means of a small [[joystick]]. These course corrections are transmitted to the missile via a thin set of wires that trail behind the missile - see [[MCLOS]]. Like many early [[ATGM]]s, the missile had a large minimum range (see [[9M14 Malyutka]]) due to the time it took to get up to flight speed and come under operator control.

==Operational history==
===Australia===
Used from 1964 until 1985.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/news/ontarget/sept05/rw.cfm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208153651/http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/news/ontarget/sept05/rw.cfm|url-status=dead|title=Australian Government site|archive-date=8 February 2010}}</ref>

===France===
The missile first entered service in 1957. The ENTAC may have been used by France in small numbers during the 1960s and 1970s on peacekeeping operations.<ref name="Henson"/>

===India===
ENTAC missiles entered service in 1968 after being ordered a year prior. They were used by 12 GUARDS(IND)most effectively against Pakistani tanks during the 1971 war.<ref>Amin, Agha Humayun, [http://www.defencejournal.com/sept99/chamb.htm "The Battle of Chamb-1971"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090323054617/http://www.defencejournal.com/sept99/chamb.htm |date=23 March 2009 }} "Defence Journal", September 1999. Retrieved: 24 December 2009.</ref>

===Iran===
Ordered in 1966 and delivered from 1966-1969. It remained in service after the 1979 [[Iranian revolution]] and was used against Iraqi tanks during the 1980-88 war.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1986/1986%20-%200328.html] "Flightglobal", 1986. Retrieved: 24 December 2009.</ref>

===Israel===
Entered service in 1963 after being ordered the year before. It is likely that they were used during the 1967 [[Six-Day War]] against Arab tanks.{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}

===Lebanon===
Ordered in 1966 and entered service in 1967. These were deployed during the [[Lebanese Civil War]] and was used in street fighting, particularly during the early 1980s.<ref name="Henson"/>

===South Africa===
French-made missiles were in the inventory, alongside locally manufactured licence-built missiles.<ref name="Moukambi">{{cite thesis |first=Victor |last=Moukambi |date=December 2008 |title=RELATIONS BETWEEN SOUTH AFRICA AND FRANCE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MILITARY MATTERS, 1960-1990 |degree=Doctoral dissertation |publisher=Military Science, Stellenbosch University |location=Stellenbosch   |pages=181–2 |url=http://scholar.sun.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10019.1/1228/moukambi_relations_2008.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y
|access-date=27 April 2017 |quote= manufacturing licences for ENTAC missiles, 400 kg aircraft bombs and [STRIM] anti-tank rifle grenades were also granted to South Africans. Source: DOD, SANDF Documentation Centre, Pretoria. File No. Map 70/15 Vol. 1, Licence agreements, Annexure 2 to MAP/70/15 dated December 1966. Subject: Armament policy}}</ref> Having acquired some 500 examples by 1969,<ref name="SIPRI">[http://armstrade.sipri.org/arms_trade/trade_register.php SIPRI Arms Transfers Database] "Stockholm International Peace Research Institute". Retrieved: 24 December 2009.</ref> expeditionary units of the [[South African Defence Force]] first deployed ENTACs against [[People's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola]] (FAPLA) and [[Cuba]]n military advisers during [[Operation Savannah (Angola)|Operation Savannah]]. The system was often mounted on unarmoured [[Land Rover]]s.<ref name=borderstrike>{{cite book|last1=Steenkamp|first1=Willem|author-link1=Willem Steenkamp|title=Borderstrike! South Africa into Angola. 1975-1980|year=2006|publisher=Just Done Productions Publishing|location=Durban, South Africa|isbn=978-1-920169-00-8|edition=3rd|url=http://www.justdone.co.za/shop/index.php?id_product=5&controller=product|access-date=14 October 2014|publication-date=1 March 2006|orig-year=1985|pages=38–200|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006150953/http://www.justdone.co.za/shop/index.php?id_product=5&controller=product|archive-date=6 October 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> South African servicemen destroyed at least one FAPLA mortar position with their missiles in September 1975.<ref name="borderstrike"/> Two Angolan [[T-54/55]] tanks were also eliminated by ENTAC crews, working in concert with [[Eland Mk7|Eland]] and [[Ratel IFV|Ratel-90]] armoured cars, during [[Operation Askari]], 1984.<ref name="Henson"/>

===United States===
The US army purchased the Model 58 '''ENTAC''' with an improved warhead to replace the Nord [[SS.10]] (or MGM-21A). It was designed to be an interim weapon, used as the [[BGM-71 TOW]] was being developed. The first missiles were deployed in 1963, that year the missile received the US designation '''MGM-32A'''. In US service the missile was based on the M151 Jeep and issued to the Anti-tank Platoon of the Heavy Weapons Company. In Korea (7th ID @ 1st CAV) it replaced the Scorpion tracked AT vehicle, a 90MM SP Gun which could not climb the hilly terrain as easily as the Jeep. Using extended cables missiles could be fired from defilade. The missile was phased out between 1968 and 1969, being replaced with the more advanced BGM-71 TOW.  It was used in the [[Vietnam War]] against fortified infantry positions, but not enemy tanks.  It was fired by the 14th Infantry Regiment, amongst others.<ref name="Henson"/>

==Models==
* '''ENTAC''' / '''MGM-32A'''

==Operators==
[[File:ENTAC operators.png|thumb|400px|Map with former ENTAC operators in red]]

===Former operators===
* {{AUS}} - Around 500 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963-64.<ref name="SIPRI"/> Served from 1964–1982, after which it was replaced by the [[MILAN]].<ref>Cecil, Michael. [http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/news/ontarget/dec07/rw.cfm "REMEMBER WHEN.... WE GOT ATGWS?"] "OnTarget", December 2007. Retrieved: 24 December 2009.</ref>
* {{BEL}} - Around 2,500 ordered in 1961 and delivered from 1961-66 for the AMX-VCI tank destroyer variant.<ref name="SIPRI"/>
* {{CAN}} - Ordered in 1959 and delivered from 1960-1963. Around 2,000 delivered.<ref name="SIPRI"/>
* {{FRA}} - First adopted in 1957.
* {{IND}} - Around 2,000 ordered in 1967 and delivered from 1968-71. Replaced by the MILAN from 1982.<ref name="SIPRI"/>
* {{IRN}} - Around 2,000 ordered in 1966 and delivered from 1966-69.
* {{flagcountry|Indonesia}} - Around 500 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963-64. Now retired.<ref name="SIPRI"/>
* {{flagcountry|Israel}} - Around 1,000 ordered in 1962 and delivered from 1963-64.<ref name="SIPRI"/>
* {{flagcountry|Lebanon}} - Around 200 acquired in 1967 after being ordered in 1966.<ref name="SIPRI"/>
* {{MAR}} - Around 500 ordered in 1972 and delivered from 1973 to 1974.<ref name="SIPRI"/> Supplanted by BGM-71 TOW from around 1977.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1977/1977%20-%203594.html "Missile Forces of the World."] "Flightglobal", 1977. Retrieved: 24 December 2009.</ref>
* {{NOR}} - Around 1,000 ordered in 1965 and acquired from 1966-1968.<ref name="SIPRI"/>
* {{flag|South Africa|1928}} - Around 500 acquired by 1969.<ref name="SIPRI"/> Supplemented by MILAN from 1975 and eventually eased out of service.<ref name="westhorp">Zarzecki, Thomas W., ''Arms diffusion: the spread of military innovations in the international system'', Routledge, c. 2002, {{ISBN|978-0-415-93514-2}}</ref>
* {{USA}} - Acquired as the MGM-32A in 1963. Replaced by the BGM-71 TOW between 1968 and 1969 and transferred to National Guard units before being retired completely by 30 September 1972.<ref name=Henson>Henson, Jason W.[http://www.harpoondatabases.com/Encyclopedia/Entry1978.aspx "MGM-32 Entac ATGM."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002154022/http://www.harpoondatabases.com/Encyclopedia/Entry1978.aspx |date=2 October 2011 }} "Harpoon Head Quarters". Retrieved: 24 December 2009.</ref>
* {{flagicon image|Flag of UNITA.svg}} [[UNITA]] - Presumably acquired from South African stockpiles.<ref>{{cite book|last=Nortje|first=Piet|title=32 Battalion |publisher=Zebra Press|year=2003|isbn=978-1-86872-914-2|page=98}}<!--|access-date=2008-10-23--></ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|3}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050419161458/http://astronautix.com/lvs/entac.htm astronautix.com]
* [http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/systems/Entac.htm redstone.army.mil]{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

{{US missiles}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Entac}}
[[Category:Anti-tank guided missiles of France]]
[[Category:Cold War weapons of the United States]]
[[Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1950s]]
[[Category:Wire-guided missiles]]