View source for Swingfire

{{Infobox Weapon
|is_missile=yes
|is_UK=yes
|image=
|caption=
|name=Swingfire
|type=[[Anti-tank missile]]
|origin=[[United Kingdom]]
|era=Cold War
|launch_platform=Vehicle 
|target=Vehicle
|manufacturer=
|design_date=
|production_date=1966-1993
|service=
|used_by= See text
|wars=
|spec_type=
|diameter=0.17 m
|wingspan=0.39 m
|length=1.07 m
|weight= 27 kg
|speed= 185 m/s
|vehicle_range=150 - 4,000 m
|ceiling= n/a
|filling= 7 kg [[HEAT]]
|engine=Solid rocket motor
|steering=Thrust Vector Control
|guidance=Wire, MCLOS/SACLOS
|variants=
|number=46,650 <ref name="FORE">[http://www.forecastinternational.com/archive/mm/mm0860.htm Swingfire - Forecast International]</ref>
|detonation=Impact
}}

'''Swingfire''' was a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[wire-guided missile|wire-guided]] [[anti-tank guided missile|anti-tank missile]] developed in the 1960s and produced from 1966 until 1993.<ref name="FORE"/>  

==Development==
Swingfire was developed by [[Fairey Engineering Ltd]] and the [[British Aircraft Corporation]]. It replaced the [[Vickers Vigilant]] missile in British service. It was a product of both its predecessor the Vigilant and the experimental [[List of Rainbow Codes|Orange William]] missile.

The name comes from the ability of the missile to make a rapid turn of up to ninety degrees after firing to bring it onto the line of the sighting mechanism. This means that the launcher vehicle can be concealed and the operator, using a portable sight, placed at a distance in a more advantageous firing position.

Besides its use on the [[FV438 Swingfire]] and the [[FV102 Striker|Striker]] armoured vehicles, Swingfire was developed to be launched from other platforms:
* ''Beeswing'' - on a Land Rover
* ''Hawkswing'' - on a Lynx helicopter <ref name="FORE"/>
* ''Golfswing'' - on a small trolley or Argocat vehicle.

==Combat history==
Swingfire has seen combat use in the [[Gulf War]] <ref name="BSW">[http://www.britains-smallwars.com/gulf/gulfunits.htm Britain's Small Wars - Gulf Units]</ref> and the [[Iraq War]].

==Replacement in British Army==
After a lengthy debate, the Swingfire was replaced with the [[FGM-148 Javelin|Javelin]] in mid-2005 to meet new and changing situational requirements. The British Army invested heavily in the Javelin, and it is now the main heavy anti-tank missile system in use by the British Army.<ref>[http://www.gnn.gov.uk/content/detail.asp?NewsAreaID=2&ReleaseID=165224 MOD press release]</ref><ref>[http://www.army-technology.com/projects/javelin/ Javelin - Army Technology]</ref>

==Specification==
* Diameter: 170&nbsp;mm
* Wingspan: 0.39 m
* Length: 1.07 m
* Weight: 27&nbsp;kg
* Warhead: 7&nbsp;kg [[HEAT]]
* Range: 150 m to 4000 m
* Velocity: 185 m/s  <ref name="FORE"/>
* Guidance: Wire-guided, originally [[MCLOS]], later upgraded to [[SACLOS]], in which form the system is known as '''SWIG''' (Swingfire With Improved Guidance).<ref name="FORE"/>
* Steering: [[thrust vectoring|Thrust Vectored]] Control (TVC)
* Penetration: 800&nbsp;mm [[RHA (armour)|RHA]]<ref>Stephen Bull, ''Encyclopedia of military technology and innovation'', 2004, Westport: Greenwood Press, p. 257. Other sources have noted the penetration as "up to 2ft thick" (~610-mm).</ref>
* Unit cost: £7,500 <ref name="EVER">[http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1452289 everything2.com]</ref>

==Operators==
{{externalimage
|topic=SWINGFIRE
|width=
|align=right
|image1=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/MISSILES/SWINGFIRE/SWINGFIRESTRIKER.jpg ''STRIKER firing Swingfire]
|image2=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/MISSILES/SWINGFIRE/BEESWINGfiringSWINGFIRE.jpg ''BEESWING'' firing Swingfire - missile making turn that gave it its name]
|image3=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/MISSILES/SWINGFIRE/SWINGFIREGOLFSWINGdismountedfiring.jpg ''GOLFSWING'' dismounted firing Swingfire]
|image4=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/MISSILES/SWINGFIRE/SWINGFIREDismountedfiringunit.jpg STRIKER crew with dismounted firing post in hiding]
|image5=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/MISSILES/SWINGFIRE/SWINGFIRECut-awayillustration.jpg ''Swingfire'' cut-away illustration]
}}
;{{BEL}}: [[Belgian Army]] <ref name="FORE"/>
*[[FV102 Striker]]
;{{EGY}}: [[Egyptian Army]] <ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/egypt/army.htm Global Security]</ref>
* Swingfire missiles were also produced in Egypt under license by Arab-British Dynamics.<ref name="">[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/egypt/abd.htm ABD - Global Security]</ref>
;{{IRQ}}:<ref name="NTI">[http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/Egypt/Missile/2783_2799.html NTI: Country Overviews: Egypt]</ref>
;{{KEN}}:<ref name="FORE"/>
;{{Flag|Nigeria}}: [[Nigerian Army]]<ref>http://www.armyrecognition.com/nigeria/nigeria_armee_nigeriane_forces_terrestres_equipements_vehicules_blindes_militaires_information_descr.html</ref>
;{{POR}}: [[Portuguese Army]]
* Used on the [[Chaimite]] armoured fighting vehicle, now retired.
;{{QAT}}:<ref name="FORE"/> 
;{{SAU}}:<ref name="FORE"/> 
[[Image:Ferret Mk5 1 Bovington.jpg|right|thumb|Ferret Mk 5 at the [[Bovington Tank Museum]]]]
;{{SUD}}: [[Military of Sudan|SPAF]] <ref name="NTI" /><ref>[http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/printer_180.shtml Sudan, Civil War since 1955]</ref>
;{{GBR}}: [[British Army]]
* FV102 Striker - 5 in ready-to-fire bins.
* [[FV438 Swingfire]] - Two firing bins
* [[Ferret armoured car|Ferret Mk 5]] - Four firing bins.

==Decommissioning problems==
Swingfire inadvertently became the subject of questions in the [[Palace of Westminster|Houses of Parliament]] in [[March 2002]] when 20 warheads, removed for decommissioning, were washed into the [[Bristol Channel]] along with 8 [[anti-tank mine]]s.<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/cgi-bin/newhtml_hl?DB=semukparl&URL=/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/vo040331/text/40331w20.htm#40331w20.html_spnew10 Hansard]</ref> The [[warhead]]s, with a total explosive weight equivalent to 64.2&nbsp;kg of [[Trinitrotoluene|TNT]],<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/cgi-bin/newhtml_hl?DB=semukparl&URL=/pa/cm200203/cmhansrd/vo021127/text/21127w17.htm#21127w17.html_spnew0 Hansard]</ref> were never located.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,11816,888630,00.html MoD gives up on lost warheads]</ref>

==See also==
{{Commonscat-inline|Swingfire missiles}}
*[[CVR(T)]]

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/collections/missiles/missile_info.cfm?missile_id=32 RAF Museum]
* [http://www.global-defence.com/2002/weap-antitank.html Global Defence]
* [http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/swigfire.htm Astronautix]
* [http://www.skomer.u-net.com/projects/swingfire.htm Skomer]
* [http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/collections/missiles/missile_info.cfm?missile_id=32 RAF Museum]
* [http://picasaweb.google.com/excbty/SwingfireLiveFiring# Live firing photo gallery, Strikers on German ranges, 1979]

{{UKmissiles}}

[[Category:Anti-tank missiles of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Cold War anti-tank missiles]]
[[Category:Vehicle weapons]]


[[Category:2Fix]]