Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T07:07:53.671Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Development of Guided, Tactical Missiles in France

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

Emile Stauff*
Affiliation:
Research and Development—Missiles, Nord-Aviation

Extract

Before I attempt to describe the various missiles which we have developed, I feel it useful to give a brief review of the evolution with time of our technical group, of the position of this group in France and finally of the criteria which guided its choice of a working programme.

Our technical team was formed in 1946 at the Arsenal de 1'Aéronautique, a government establishment. Its staff, at that time, comprised some ten engineers and specialists. In 1953, the Arsenal de 1'Aéronautique was turned into a company, the SFECMAS, which eventually merged with Nord-Aviation in 1955. The growth in manpower and facilities of the Nord missile group went on steadily during that entire period. The present staff amounts to some 900 engineers and specialists, who are employed only in laboratories, design, research and test facilities. This does not include the production side, which is dispersed among four plants outside the Paris Area.

Type
Astronautics and Guided Flight Section
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1963

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Note on page 481 The 51st lecture to be given before the Astronautics and Guided Flight Section of the Society–on 12th March 1963. During the lecture excellent films were shown of the missiles, including the 55.11, and the AS.30.