MATRA R520
- Thread starter JYR
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What makes you think it existed?
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Could this be confusion with the experimental Matra R052 AAM? If so, perhaps some discussion of the Matra designation system (begun by directeur technique Roger Robert) is useful?
When Matra first started designing missiles, M Robert, assigned the 'R0' sequence of designations for all experimental types. AFAIK, the first built system was the R05 variants - with, IIUC, that '5' referring to a missile air-air type (rather than to a fifth design type).
The R051 and R052 were related aerodynamic testbeds - the R051 having a canard and delta layout while the R052 was cruciform-tailled. As it happened, development of the R051 continued but the R052 was dropped. The thing is, once any Matra missile design became operational, that 'zero' was dropped from its designation. As a result, had the R052 been pursued further, any operational variant would have become an 'R520'. [1]
Within the Matra designation system, the operational version of the R051 became the R510. When a major revision emerged (with an enlarged airframe to suit its SARH guidance) this new R510 derivative became, in typical French designation fashion, the R511 (not the 'R520'). An entirely different, medium-ranged R530 series followed.
Still, if these Matra 'R5' designations were strictly for operational AAMs, it does beg the question of what did happened to the '520' and '540' numbers? My guess on the 'R520" (with no backing evidence!) is that Matra jumped the gun and assumed that both R051 and R052 experimental types would be fully evolved into operational types. When the STAè ended R052 development, any hoped for 'R520' would have died with it.
There is a single reference to an 'R 540' in Études: Les industries aéronautiques et spatiales de la Communauté, comparées à celles de la Grande-Bretagne et des Etats-Unis for the Commission des Communautés européennes (1971, pg 120). This 'R 540' is mentioned alongside the 'R 550' as an on-going AAM R&D project circa 1968. (For completeness, there is no mention of any '520' type in this document).
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[1] All operation missiles air-air received 'R5' designations. SAMs (sol-air received, 'R4' designations - eg: the R422 SALP (sol-air longue portée). Does anyone know of other Matra 'R' prefix numbers and their significance?
When Matra first started designing missiles, M Robert, assigned the 'R0' sequence of designations for all experimental types. AFAIK, the first built system was the R05 variants - with, IIUC, that '5' referring to a missile air-air type (rather than to a fifth design type).
The R051 and R052 were related aerodynamic testbeds - the R051 having a canard and delta layout while the R052 was cruciform-tailled. As it happened, development of the R051 continued but the R052 was dropped. The thing is, once any Matra missile design became operational, that 'zero' was dropped from its designation. As a result, had the R052 been pursued further, any operational variant would have become an 'R520'. [1]
Within the Matra designation system, the operational version of the R051 became the R510. When a major revision emerged (with an enlarged airframe to suit its SARH guidance) this new R510 derivative became, in typical French designation fashion, the R511 (not the 'R520'). An entirely different, medium-ranged R530 series followed.
Still, if these Matra 'R5' designations were strictly for operational AAMs, it does beg the question of what did happened to the '520' and '540' numbers? My guess on the 'R520" (with no backing evidence!) is that Matra jumped the gun and assumed that both R051 and R052 experimental types would be fully evolved into operational types. When the STAè ended R052 development, any hoped for 'R520' would have died with it.
There is a single reference to an 'R 540' in Études: Les industries aéronautiques et spatiales de la Communauté, comparées à celles de la Grande-Bretagne et des Etats-Unis for the Commission des Communautés européennes (1971, pg 120). This 'R 540' is mentioned alongside the 'R 550' as an on-going AAM R&D project circa 1968. (For completeness, there is no mention of any '520' type in this document).
____________________________________________________
[1] All operation missiles air-air received 'R5' designations. SAMs (sol-air received, 'R4' designations - eg: the R422 SALP (sol-air longue portée). Does anyone know of other Matra 'R' prefix numbers and their significance?
For what it's worth, and I so say for what it's worth, a search on Gallica using the keywords Matra and 510, 511, 530, 536 or 550 in close proximity does yield results. Nothing comes up when the number 520 is used, or the number 512 for that matter.
Maybe there was a design, but it was never brought to fruition. It would be interesting to know what it was. I'm not aware of anything ever being published about it. Perhaps our French colleagues know a little more.
The numbers in "R6" were to designate the air-to-ground missiles. The R062 was only fired in a few examples, and still as unguided models. As for the R630 project, it became the Martel when it was produced in a Franco-British cooperation.
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