Canberra and the AS.30 ASM

[uk 75]

Rather than start a new thread could I ask some questions?
Which RAF Canberra squadrons had the AS30 ASM and when?
Did they ever use them?
Did they pass them on to Phantom or Jaguar units? (Drawings showed TSR2 and RAF Jags carrying them)

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Moved to new topic. Don't mix operational topics with project topics.

Also start with the information from the pictures you posted and their sources

THE ROYAL AIR FORCE, 1950-1969

A crewmember of English Electric Canberra B.15 WH959 of No 73 Squadron, part of the Near East Air Force Strike Wing based at Akrotiri, checks one of his aircraft's wing-mounted Nord AS30 air-to-ground missiles, prior to exercises at El Adem, c.1967.

www.iwm.org.uk

A crewmember of English Electric Canberra B.15 WH959 of No 73 Squadron, part of the Near East Air Force Strike Wing based at Akrotiri, checks one of his aircraft's wing-mounted Nord AS30 air-to-ground missiles, prior to exercises at El Adem, c.1967.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

The AS.30

In 1965, it was decided to equip two of the ASW's unit, No.32 and 73 squadrons, with French air-to-surface (ASM) missiles, the AS.30, designed and produced by Nord Aviation, until the formation of the Society Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale.

Weighing 1,146lb (520kg), the 12 1/4 ft (3.88m) long missile was powered by a dual-thrust solid-propellent rocket motor and had a 510lb (232kg) warhead, which could have a delay or non-delay fuse. It had an accuracy of 30ft (9.14m) at a range of 7 miles (llkm). Trials had been conducted on the Sud-Aviation SO-4050 Vautour and it was operational on the G.A.M. Dassault Etendard IVM.

Over 1,000 AS.30s were purchased by the RAF and, in the spring of 1965, several B.15s were modified at Samlesbury to carry the missile on an adapted underwing pylon. WH966 of No.32 Squadron was used as the AS.30 trials installation and crew familiarization aircraft at Samlesbury, while WH967 was used by Boulton Paul for trials, with a ventral camera housing under the forward section of the bombbay.

The range at El Adam saw the majority of test firings, first by aircraft with one missile and, by the end of 1966, the Canberra Tactical Evaluation Flight (CAN TAC) had cleared the installation for service, with both squadrons' aircraft carrying one under each wing, on the outboard pylons. No.103 MU Akrotiri took responsibility for local modifications and maintenance of AS.30 installations.

Although the missile's manufacturer introduced modifications to increase the weapon's potential, the Canberra's variant remained unchanged, as it proved entirely satisfactory for the operational requirement of the two squadron. No further unit in the ASW were so equipped and, when the two squadrons were disbanded in 1969 - No.32 squadron in February and No.73 squadron in March - that was the finale of the AS.30's service in the Middle
East. However, the missile was also used in the Far East Air Force, where No.45 Squadron was adapted to carry it (see Chapter 10)

Aircraft confirmed as having operated with No.32 Squadron, with aircraft modified to carry AS.30 missiles in italics:
WH947, WH955, WH957, WH960, WH966, WH970, WH971, WH972, WH984, WJ774, WJ776, WJ777, WJ778, WJ787, WJ782, WJ783, WT303, WT369, WT373, XH570

Aircraft confirmed as having operated with No.73 Squadron, With aircraft modified to carry AS.30 missiles in italics:
WH954, WH956, WH961, WH964, WH968, WH973, WH974, WH977, WH981, WH983, WJ760, WJ762

Withdrawal from the Far East

In 1965, the Nord AS.30 air-to-ground guided missile had been introduced to the Akrotiri Strike Wing. In the FEAF, No.45 Squadron had been actively engaged on LABS training during the early part of the same year. Later in the year, representatives from the Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale went to Tengah, to have preliminary discussions about equipping squadron aircraft with the AS.30. It was August 1966 before the first aircraft was fitted out, and the end of the year before a further two were finished, but the absence of a suitable simulator precluded any live firings.

The AS.30 association with No.45 Squadron became bogged down, and it was the autumn of 1967 before Exercise Hotshot was set up. Five B.15 · operated from Labuan for the exercise and twenty AS.30s were fired, with very good results. Throughout 1968 and into 1969, various ranges were employed for subsequent Hotshot exercises, the farthest being the Australian Weapons Research Establishment range at Woomera.

By the end of 1969, the RAPs withdrawal from the Far East was agreed. Large stocks of armaments - including the AS.30s - had been accumulated through the frugal allocations made to the squadrons over the years, and restrictions on their use were lifted. No.45 Squadron flew many happy hours of missile firing before it was disbanded at Tengah on 18 February 1970. No.81 Squadron had disbanded at Tengah on 16 January 1970, and No.20squadron, with its Hunter FGA.9s and Scottish Aviation Pioneer CC1s followed suit on 18 February.

Boulton Paul used B.15, WH967, for the installation trials of the Nord AS.30 ASM, for which a cine camera was fitted in the forward portion of the bomb-bay. Author's collection

From the Crowood English Electric Canberra by Barry Jones.

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

Was the Canberra still able to carry other munitions in this configuration?

 

[uk 75]

Apologies on all counts. I was trying to avoid starting a separate thread. Also I do all this on a smallish rather basic phone with limited internet time as I can no longer do serious stuff in my local library. My landline is so c##p that I cannot hitch my ageing laptop up to the Net.
Turning to my questions:
So only the squadrons mentioned in NEAF and FEAF used the AS30. Makes sense as RAFG's were nuclear.
They entered service after the confrontation with Indonesia and were not used in action elsewhere.
The AS30s were not passed on to any other aircraft.

 

[yellowaster]

Was the Canberra still able to carry other munitions in this configuration?

Yes. The AS.30 pylons were outboard of the original wing stores pylons. I know it was cleared for carriage of rocket pods and AS.30