MBDA Exocet SM39 missile

MBDA Exocet SM39 missile

The MBDA Exocet SM39 missile is an air- or submarine-launched anti-ship missile designed by the French aerospace company Aerospatiale (whose missile business is now part of European consortium MBDA). The Exocet is capable of hitting targets 50 kilometers away and travels at 1,210 kilometers per hour. The missile carries a 165 kg HE charge with both delayed impact and proximity fuses.

The Exocet consists of a steel-cased Tristan solid propellant motor and a Narval booster motor placed within a launch capsule.

The SM39 is used by France, Pakistan, and probably Spain. It was used by Argentinian forces during the Falklands War in 1982 with some success (see HMS Sheffield).