Malafon
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Malafon (MArine LAtécoère FONds) was a French ship-launched anti-submarine missile system. Developed in the 1950s and 1960s, the weapon was intended to take advantage of the greater detection ranges possible with towed sonar arrays. The missile entered service in 1966 and was manufactured by Groupe Latécoère
The weapon is essentially a glider-delivered version of the L4 torpedo. The launcher is a circular mount, which allows the weapon to be rotated to the correct bearing, then fired at a fixed elevation of +15°. Two solid booster rockets accelerate it to Script error: No such module "convert". within 4 seconds before falling away. The unpowered glider continues at an altitude of Script error: No such module "convert"., altering course in mid-flight under radio control of the launch platform. Effective range was Script error: No such module "convert".. As it reaches the target, the glider drops the torpedo, which splashes into the sea and commences a circular search pattern. The range of the Malafon meant that it was expected to hit the water within Script error: No such module "convert". of the submarine's location. The L4 torpedo had a speed of Script error: No such module "convert". over a range of Script error: No such module "convert"..
The Malafon was a large weapon, with each missile weighing Script error: No such module "convert".. As a result, it was only employed on larger vessels. It was typically used for medium- and long-range submarine targets, though it could have been used against surface ships.
The system was never used at war. It was declared obsolete in 1997. It was replaced by Westland Lynx helicopters using Mark 46 torpedoes.
Ships
The Malafon system was fitted to the following ship classes
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- T56 (La Galissonnière)
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Specifications
| Missile | Torpedo | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Script error: No such module "convert". with booster | Script error: No such module "convert". |
| Speed | Script error: No such module "convert". | Script error: No such module "convert". |
| Range | Script error: No such module "convert". | Script error: No such module "convert". |
| Length | Script error: No such module "convert". | Script error: No such module "convert". |
The missile had a Script error: No such module "convert". wingspan, with the main body having a Script error: No such module "convert". diameter. The torpedo had a Script error: No such module "convert". diameter and could dive to Script error: No such module "convert". depth.