Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2009
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So, how in the hell did it happen to end up there and when?
MacDill EODs remove French air-to-air missile from Florida airport
17 Aug 2020
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/...ench-air-to-air-missile-from-florida-airport/
It’s not every day that the bomb disposal team from MacDill Air Force Base gets called out to deal with a French air-to-air missile. But last Friday was no ordinary day.
Members of the 6th EOD team were called out to Lakeland Linder International Airport Friday after it was shut down in the wake of the discovery of the missile, which had been delivered to Draken International. Based at the airport, Draken has a fleet of about 150 former military aircraft it contracts out to help train current military pilots.
Draken officials tell Military Times that “in the process of evaluating shipments to Draken International’s Lakeland facility” its team “discovered an object with questionable markings indicating it may be explosive.” [Um, yeah, that yellow band and its very expensive olive drab cylindrical shipping container might be a clue... - W]
“Our EOD team went out and secured the missile,” Air Force 1st Lt. Brandon Hanner, a spokesman for the 6th Air Refueling Wing, told Military Times. “It was live, but unarmed.”
Hanner said he was told the missile was “like having a gun with bullet in chamber, but on safety. Someone would have to arm the missile to fire it.”
Hanner described the missile as a French-made S-530 air-to-air missile.
After receiving a call from officials in Lakeland, the 6th Air Refueling Wing’s logistics readiness squadron sent a flatbed truck to pick up the missile, which was in a container. The MacDill crews. working with ATF and the Lakeland Fire Department, secured the missile and brought it back to the base, where it is currently being stored until it can be disposed. [Disposed? Has anyone called France?
- W]
“That is likely not going to be here” Hanner said. “It is too big for our range. It will have to be taken off site to dispose it.”
Though the airport was shut down and businesses evacuated, the timing worked out for Draken’s next door neighbor — the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center.
Home to the two WP-3 Orion hurricane hunters named Kermit and Miss Piggy, and a G-IV jet named Gonzo, the NOAA AOC had already completed its missions for the week by the time the alert went out.
Matra Super 530
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_530
The Matra Super 530 is a French short to medium-range air-to-air missile. The Super 530 series is an improved type of the R.530 missile.
Super 530F is carried on the Dassault Mirage F1. It was introduced in 1979.
Super 530D is carried on the Dassault-Breguet Mirage 2000. It was introduced in 1988.
The Super 530F and Super 530D share the same general aerodynamic features and internal layout with cruciform low aspect ratio wings, cruciform aft controls, and 30 kg high explosive fragmentation warhead. However the 530D has a lengthened stainless steel body. This allows it to accommodate a more powerful dual-thrust solid propellant motor and a new seeker assembly. The new seeker includes doppler filtering for improved low altitude performance and digital micro-processing to enable the seeker to be reprogrammed against new threats.
The 530D has a claimed maximum interception altitude of 24,400 m (80,100 ft), with a snap-up capability of 12,200 m (40,000 ft), and a snap-down capability to targets at 60 m (200 ft). The missile has a range of 40 km and a maximum speed of less than Mach 5.
The Super 530 is being replaced by the MICA missile.
MacDill EODs remove French air-to-air missile from Florida airport
17 Aug 2020
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/...ench-air-to-air-missile-from-florida-airport/
It’s not every day that the bomb disposal team from MacDill Air Force Base gets called out to deal with a French air-to-air missile. But last Friday was no ordinary day.
Members of the 6th EOD team were called out to Lakeland Linder International Airport Friday after it was shut down in the wake of the discovery of the missile, which had been delivered to Draken International. Based at the airport, Draken has a fleet of about 150 former military aircraft it contracts out to help train current military pilots.
Draken officials tell Military Times that “in the process of evaluating shipments to Draken International’s Lakeland facility” its team “discovered an object with questionable markings indicating it may be explosive.” [Um, yeah, that yellow band and its very expensive olive drab cylindrical shipping container might be a clue... - W]
“Our EOD team went out and secured the missile,” Air Force 1st Lt. Brandon Hanner, a spokesman for the 6th Air Refueling Wing, told Military Times. “It was live, but unarmed.”
Hanner said he was told the missile was “like having a gun with bullet in chamber, but on safety. Someone would have to arm the missile to fire it.”
Hanner described the missile as a French-made S-530 air-to-air missile.
After receiving a call from officials in Lakeland, the 6th Air Refueling Wing’s logistics readiness squadron sent a flatbed truck to pick up the missile, which was in a container. The MacDill crews. working with ATF and the Lakeland Fire Department, secured the missile and brought it back to the base, where it is currently being stored until it can be disposed. [Disposed? Has anyone called France?
- W]“That is likely not going to be here” Hanner said. “It is too big for our range. It will have to be taken off site to dispose it.”
Though the airport was shut down and businesses evacuated, the timing worked out for Draken’s next door neighbor — the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center.
Home to the two WP-3 Orion hurricane hunters named Kermit and Miss Piggy, and a G-IV jet named Gonzo, the NOAA AOC had already completed its missions for the week by the time the alert went out.
Matra Super 530
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_530
The Matra Super 530 is a French short to medium-range air-to-air missile. The Super 530 series is an improved type of the R.530 missile.
Super 530F is carried on the Dassault Mirage F1. It was introduced in 1979.
Super 530D is carried on the Dassault-Breguet Mirage 2000. It was introduced in 1988.
The Super 530F and Super 530D share the same general aerodynamic features and internal layout with cruciform low aspect ratio wings, cruciform aft controls, and 30 kg high explosive fragmentation warhead. However the 530D has a lengthened stainless steel body. This allows it to accommodate a more powerful dual-thrust solid propellant motor and a new seeker assembly. The new seeker includes doppler filtering for improved low altitude performance and digital micro-processing to enable the seeker to be reprogrammed against new threats.
The 530D has a claimed maximum interception altitude of 24,400 m (80,100 ft), with a snap-up capability of 12,200 m (40,000 ft), and a snap-down capability to targets at 60 m (200 ft). The missile has a range of 40 km and a maximum speed of less than Mach 5.
The Super 530 is being replaced by the MICA missile.
