Exocets have kill switches …

[VCheng]

Every western system has a “kill switch” built in.

Every current system, regardless of origin, you mean?

 

[PanzerKiel]

Quite interesting. Argies got 4 missile hits.

HMS Sheffield - warhead failed to explode. But the rocket motor ignited the missile magazine. Destroyer was sunk.

HMS Glamorgan was hit on the last day by a make shift truck launched Exocet. Again the warhead failed to explode and the destroyer survived.

Transport Atlantic Conveyor was mistaken for either HMS Hermes or Illustrious and got hit by 2 missiles. There are conflicting reports whether the warheads exploded or the missiles caused fire that ignited fuel bunkers. Ship sank.

So potentially none of the warheads exploded.

Iraqis fired to Exocets at USS Stark, one of them failed to detonate as well.

So 5 Exocets fired in anger with only one detonating.

I remember my dad was invited to a live fire exercise by Pak Navy during one of the Sea Spark Ex. An Exocet was launched by an Atlantique and the warhead failed to explode. One of the old gearing class destroyer moved in the finish the target off with its 5 inch guns. Navy folks were quite embarrassed

But it also shows that despite of warheads failing to explode, they do have tremendous kinetic energy enough to sink a medium weight frigate or destroyer.

Quite interesting. Argies got 4 missile hits.

HMS Sheffield - warhead failed to explode. But the rocket motor ignited the missile magazine. Destroyer was sunk.

HMS Glamorgan was hit on the last day by a make shift truck launched Exocet. Again the warhead failed to explode and the destroyer survived.

Transport Atlantic Conveyor was mistaken for either HMS Hermes or Illustrious and got hit by 2 missiles. There are conflicting reports whether the warheads exploded or the missiles caused fire that ignited fuel bunkers. Ship sank.

So potentially none of the warheads exploded.

Iraqis fired to Exocets at USS Stark, one of them failed to detonate as well.

So 5 Exocets fired in anger with only one detonating.

I remember my dad was invited to a live fire exercise by Pak Navy during one of the Sea Spark Ex. An Exocet was launched by an Atlantique and the warhead failed to explode. One of the old gearing class destroyer moved in the finish the target off with its 5 inch guns. Navy folks were quite embarrassed

An officer on the Sheffield attested that he is sure that the warhead exploded.

 

[PakFactor]

But it also shows that despite of warheads failing to explode, they do have tremendous kinetic energy enough to sink a medium weight frigate or destroyer.


An officer on the Sheffield attested that he is sure that the warhead exploded.

You do bring up an interesting point regarding kinetic energy alone but would it be enough on modern day warships? Possibly not depending on if you were able to score a hit on the ships magazine or ammunition storage or fuel, however, below link is interesting read by a retired US Navy Commander between the tradeoff over weight and range - weight reduction of warhead. I do like his point though.

Antiship Missile Lessons from Sinking of the Moskva

The missile attack that sank the Russian Navy’s Slava-class cruiser reveals that missiles with more precision, longer range, and smaller warheads cause far more damage than most models estimated.

www.usni.org

 

[Flight of falcon]

Not every missile is like Indian gold made winning Brahaman missile ….. it doesn’t even need a launch switch …. It’s like a suicide missile and will explode aimlessly at will.

By the way we still use more advanced version of Exocet on our submarines ….SM39 Exocet.

 

[PanzerKiel]

You do bring up an interesting point regarding kinetic energy alone but would it be enough on modern day warships? Possibly not, however, below link is interesting read by a retired US Navy Commander between the tradeoff over weight and range - weight reduction of warhead.

Antiship Missile Lessons from Sinking of the Moskva

The missile attack that sank the Russian Navy’s Slava-class cruiser reveals that missiles with more precision, longer range, and smaller warheads cause far more damage than most models estimated.

www.usni.org

Punching a simple hole into any warship normally is enough to force it to stop combat operations and extricate to safely.
Moreover, doctrine calls for a atleast two, possibly a Salvo to be fired at a single target, to cater for its size, CIWS etc.

 

[Foinikas]

But only 1 didn't explode. The rest were fine. And we have to take into account all the Exocets fired by the Iraqis against Iranian and other ships during the Iran-Iraq War.

 

[PanzerKiel]

Even two months after the attack, the board of inquiry was uncertain whether the Exocet’s warhead had detonated. Although crew members were convinced it had detonated, the board’s five members eventually concluded that it had not, and reported that the fire had been caused by the missile’s propellant, only 40% of which had been used during its flight. A fresh MoD reassessment made public in 2015 concluded that the warhead had exploded.

Revealed: catalogue of failings that sank Falklands warship HMS Sheffield

Declassified report into disaster reveals officers ‘mesmerised’ by sight of incoming missiles failed to raise alarm

www.theguardian.com

 

[Gripen9]

Punching a simple hole into any warship normally is enough to force it to stop combat operations and extricate to safely.
Moreover, doctrine calls for a atleast two, possibly a Salvo to be fired at a single target, to cater for its size, CIWS etc.

Yes. Our new doctrine is to salvo 2x C802 at a single target from a single JF17. The missiles are programmed to attack the target simultaneously fro 2 different directions.

But only 1 didn't explode. The rest were fine. And we have to take into account all the Exocets fired by the Iraqis against Iranian and other ships during the Iran-Iraq War.

Yes!
I forgot about those used in the “Tanker Wars”.

 

[arslank03]

Every western system has a “kill switch” built in.

By “kill switch” I mean any of :

- pure kill switch : press a red button to send a signal and kaboom

- system not able to properly lock on specific targets like Turkish F16 never been able to lock on Israeli jets.

- even if properly locked on target, and launched, will miss target with higher rate for specific target so will not have real impact on the issue of war.

- a mix of all the points cited and maybe many more.

"- pure kill switch : press a red button to send a signal and kaboom"

Lol, how does the system get the signal for this?

"- system not able to properly lock on specific targets like Turkish F16 never been able to lock on Israeli jets."

A silly rumor based on hearsay. The Turks are being deliberately misleading, IFF has no say on whether an aircraft can be locked on to or not. There is literally ZERO correlation. You can even get a firing solution off on a 'friendly' aircraft.

"- even if properly locked on target, and launched, will miss target with higher rate for specific target so will not have real impact on the issue of war."

No idea what this even means, it either attacks or doesn't attack, the missile doesn't roll dice to determine whether it should or shouldn't.

 

[Tipu7]

There are similar concerns with Harpoon missile.

 

[Destranator]

Brahmos does not have a kill switch. It just flies off at free will like a spoilt brat.

 

[Vortex]

Every current system, regardless of origin, you mean?

Yes but we are talking about Exocet which is french system and by extension is a western system.

 

[VCheng]

Yes but we are talking about Exocet which is french system and by extension is a western system.

Agreed, but rest assured all modern weapons systems, regardless of origin, have similar "features".

 

[Vortex]

"- pure kill switch : press a red button to send a signal and kaboom"

Lol, how does the system get the signal for this?

"- system not able to properly lock on specific targets like Turkish F16 never been able to lock on Israeli jets."

A silly rumor based on hearsay. The Turks are being deliberately misleading, IFF has no say on whether an aircraft can be locked on to or not. There is literally ZERO correlation. You can even get a firing solution off on a 'friendly' aircraft.

"- even if properly locked on target, and launched, will miss target with higher rate for specific target so will not have real impact on the issue of war."

No idea what this even means, it either attacks or doesn't attack, the missile doesn't roll dice to determine whether it should or shouldn't.

1) i suppose your smartphone needs a very big dish to get GPS, GLONASS, BEIDO or GALILEO satellites’ signals.

2) if your IFF doesn’t show Indian SU30 as an enemy, will your missile lock on it if programmed to not lock on Friend ? It’s not hard to implement such “safety” in any system sold to client you don’t consider trustworthy.

3) it’s a trick to not let guess your client that you fooled him with the system you sold him.

It just requires you program and maintain a database of codes for each missiles. Few will work properly as expected, but not all. Kills but no impact on the issue of the war.

Agreed, but rest assured all modern weapons systems, regardless of origin, have similar "features".

Agreed.

 

[White privilege]

There are similar concerns with Harpoon missile.

But they do go  boom in test firing, right??