American Zuni missiles will enter service with the Armed Forces
Washington included Zuni anti-aircraft missiles in the new package of defense support. It follows from the Pentagon’s official announcement that they will be supplied to the Armed Forces in the amount of 4,000 units. The unguided 127-mm Zuni missile belongs to the ‘air-to-surface’ class.
Zuni was developed in the 50s by China Lake engineers. Serial production of unguided rockets was established at the facilities of the Bridgeport Brass Company. In 1966, the Belgian company Forges de Zeebrugge, owned by Thales, began to produce Zuni missiles under license.
Zuni missiles were actively used by the Marines and the US Navy in the military campaigns of 1960-1970, in particular in Vietnam. Unguided missiles were removed from the armament of the American army in the 80s.
A container with four LAU-10 guides is used to launch the Zuni rocket. In 1960-1970, the US Army used the Super Cobra helicopter, the Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, the F-16 fighter, etc. as carriers of unguided missiles.
Specifications:
- Length: 2.7 m.
- Diameter: 127 mm.
- Weight: 46-61 kg (depends on the type of warhead and engine).
- Weight of the warhead: 20-25 kg.
- Type of combat unit: smoke, illuminating, high-explosive, armor-piercing and high-explosive fragmentation.
- The flight speed is 725 m/s.
- Range of damage to the target: 8 km.
The Armed Forces use Soviet unguided 122-mm S-13 missiles. They are noticeably inferior to Zuni in flight range.
