SNEB

Quality 0.50 · 1 view · Updated 2 months ago

Air-to-ground military rocket system

title: "SNEB" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["air-to-ground-rockets", "cold-war-weapons-of-france", "matra"] description: "Air-to-ground military rocket system" topic_path: "geography/france" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNEB" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Air-to-ground military rocket system ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox weapon"]

FieldValue
nameSNEB
imageMATRA TYPE155RL W 68MM RP.JPG
image_size300
captionA Matra Type 155 SNEB rocket launcher pod with two red-tipped 68 mm dummy rockets.
originFrance
typeRocket
is_ranged
is_explosiveyes
is_missileyes
service
used_byFrance, United Kingdom, United States, Lebanon
wars
manufacturerThomson-Brandt, Matra
variants
weight
length
diameter68 mm (unfired)
range
max_range
yield
speed
guidancenone, or laser
launch_platformAttack aircraft, helicopters
::

| name = SNEB | image = MATRA TYPE155RL W 68MM RP.JPG | image_size = 300 | caption = A Matra Type 155 SNEB rocket launcher pod with two red-tipped 68 mm dummy rockets. | origin = France | type = Rocket | is_ranged = yes | is_explosive = yes | is_missile = yes | service = | used_by = France, United Kingdom, United States, Lebanon | wars = | designer = | design_date = | manufacturer = Thomson-Brandt, Matra | unit_cost = | production_date = | number = | variants = | spec_label = | weight = | length = | width = | height = | diameter = 68 mm (unfired) | velocity = | range = | max_range = | filling = | filling_weight = | detonation = | yield = | engine = | engine_power = | speed = | guidance = none, or laser | wingspan = | propellant = | ceiling = | altitude = | depth = | boost = | accuracy = | launch_platform = Attack aircraft, helicopters | transport =

The SNEB rocket (Societe Nouvelle des Etablissements Edgar Brandt ) is an unguided air-to-surface 68 mm rocket projectile manufactured by the French company TDA Armements, designed for launch by attack aircraft and helicopters. It is also known as the SNEB rocket pod, and sometimes as the Matra rocket, due to it commonly being carried in pod-like launchers built by Matra.

Two other rockets were developed in the 37 mm and 100 mm caliber. The 37mm caliber was one of the earliest folding fin free flight rockets developed after World War II; it was developed mainly for air-to-air engagements and is no longer in service. The 100mm caliber variant is in service with the French Air Force and a few other air forces. Besides France, several other nations produce the SNEB 68 mm rocket under license. In France today, SNEB has been reorganized into the firm of Thomson-Brandt.

Warheads

|align= right |width= 150 |image2= Matra Type155 w 68mm SNEB RP.jpg |width2= |caption2= Two Matra Type 155 rocket launchers with 36 SNEB 68mm rockets

The SNEB rockets can be armed with these warheads:

Laser guidance development

The Systeme de Roquette A Corrections de Trajectoire (SYROCOT) is a program where a laser-guided seeker is incorporated into the design. It is compatible with the existing SNEB system. It is comparable to the US Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System project.

Rocket launchers, pods

The French armament company of Matra produced three types of rocket launcher for use with the SNEB 68 mm rockets:

  • Matra Type 116M rocket launcher – This is lightly constructed and used as an expendable rocket launcher pod with a frangible nose cone, loaded with 19 SNEB 68mm rockets which are fired in one rippled 0.5 second salvo with a time interval of 33 milliseconds between each rocket firing. The pod automatically jettisons after all rockets are gone.
  • Matra Type 155 rocket launcher – Widely produced, this is a reusable device made fully of metal with a fluted nose cone through which the rockets fire. Loaded with 18 SNEB 68mm rockets, it can be preprogrammed on the ground to fire individually or in one ripple salvo as the Type 116M.
  • Matra JL-100 drop tank, rocket pack — This unique arrangement combines a 66 gal drop tank with a rocket launcher containing 19 SNEB 68 mm rockets in front to form an aerodynamically shaped pod which can be mounted on over-wing or under-wing hardpoints. One notable aircraft equipped with this was the English Electric Lightning F.53 of Royal Saudi Air Force.

TDA Armements SAS (a subsidiary of Thales Group) also manufactures pods for the 68mm SNEB rocket. Variants produced are the 12 tube Telson 12 JF for fighter aircraft, the 12 tube Telson 12 and the 22 tube Telson 22 used by the Eurocopter Tiger, the 8 tube Telson 8 designed for light helicopters and the 2 tube Telson 2 suitable for unmanned aerial vehicles and light counter-insurgency aircraft.

The British firm Thomas French & Sons also produced a series of launchers for the SNEB, which were licensed versions of the Matra Type 155. These were later adapted for the Royal Navy's own post-war 2-inch RP rockets which replaced the SNEB due to concerns over the electrical firing system being set off by ship radars.

Used by

Helicopters

|topic=SNEB 68 mm rockets Helicopter |float=right |width= |image1=22 round 68mm helicopter pod by Brandt |image2=Fact Sheet 68mm Multi-Dart Rocket

Fixed-wing aircraft

|topic=SNEB 68 mm rockets Fixed Wing Aircraft |width= |float=right |image1=Harrier GR.3 firing entire salvo of 4 rocket pods |image2=Harrier GR.7 in flight with 2 SNEB rocket pods |image3=1962 Manufacture's ad for various Matra/SNEB rocket pods |image4=French Navy Super Etendard fitted with Type 155 SNEB rocket pods to outer pylons

References

References

  1. "SNEB rocket launcher pods". [[Flight Global]] Archive.
  2. "Multi-mission Lightning". [[Flight Global]] Archive.
  3. https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/global/activities/defence/air-forces/weapon-systems-munitions#rocketsystems. 19Dec2018
  4. http://www.tda-armements.com/content/digital-rocket-launchers-telson. 19Dec2018
  5. "Airborne rocket launchers".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

air-to-ground-rocketscold-war-weapons-of-francematra