Military Vehicles

The Pluton is a short-range tactical nuclear weapons in catogery military vehicles, system developed by France in the late 1960s.

During this period, defence disagreements with the United States and other NATO nations led France to concentrate on producing its own nuclear weaponry.

The Pluton was a replacement for the US Honest John battlefield missile, an entered service in 1974.

It was a7.6m (24.9ft) long, 2400kg (5300lb) missile in a power-operated launcher box mounted on an AMX-30 main battle tank chassis.

An accompanying Berliet 6×6 truck provided the fire-control centre. The missile had a range of up to 150km (90 miles) and was powered by a single-propellant rocket. Pluton system were dismantled during the 1990s.

Country of Origin :France
Crew :4
Weight :36,000kg (79,400lb)
Dimensions :Length (with rocket): 7.76m (25.46ft); width: 3.1m (10.17ft); height: 3.64:m (11.94ft)
Range :600km (370miles)
Armour :80mm (3.14in) max
Armament :1 x short-range nuclear missile
Powerplant :1 x Renault-saviem HS110 12-cylinder diesel, developing 691hp (515kW)
Performance :Maximum road speed: 65km/h (40mph); fording: 2m (6.5ft) gradient: 60 percent; vertical obstacle: 0.93m (3.05ft)

The F3 was a 155mm (6.1in) in type of military vehicles self- propelled howitzer developed by France in the early 1960s.

Like most self-propelled weapons, it used the hull and chassis of a conventional tank- in this case the AMX-13.

A space at the rear of the hull was used to mount a 155mm (6.1in) gun manufactured by Atelier de Construction de Tarbes.

Depending on ammunition type, this weapon has a maximum rate of fire of three rounds per minute. Folding spades at the hull rear were set in to the earth prior to firing.

No ammunition was carried on board, so the F3 was accompanied by AMX-VCI support vehicle.

Country of Origin :France
Crew                     :2
Weight                  :17,400kg (38,400lb)
Dimension Length :6.22m(20.4ft); width: 2.72m(8.92ft); height 2.08m(6.82ft)
Range                   :400km (250miles)
Armour (Steel)      :20mm (0.78in) maximum
Armament            :1 x 155mm(6.1in) Howitzer
Powerplant           :1 x SOFAM 8Gxb 8-cylinder petrol, developing 250hp (186kW)
Performance :Maximum road speed 60km/h (37mph); fording o.65m (2.13ft);gradient: 50 percent; vertical obstacle; o.6m (2ft); trench: 1.5m (4.9ft)