M201 SS 10

The first French Army jeeps to be fitted with an anti-tank system were modified to carry either a recoilless anti-tank rifle or the wire guided Aérospatiale SS 10 surface to surface missile, both of which had been developed in the early 1950s.

Initially the SS 10 missile launcher was fitted to the Delahaye VLR (opposite) and a some ITM jeeps but when production of the VLR ceased in 1955, it became Hotchkiss M201 jeeps with a specially strengthened chassis that were sent to ERGM at La Maltournée for conversion to carry the missile launcher. Both the SS 10 launcher and recoilless rifle modifciations required most of the back body panel to be cut away from a brand new 'factory fresh' jeep.

  

The SS 10 missile was superseded by the Aérospatiale SS 11 which had a larger rocket motor and warhead. Its increased weight limited its use to launching from vehicles, ships and later helicopters. Some M201s like the one pictured above were modified to lauch the  SS 11 (photo above) but the system was replaced by jeeps carrying the ENTAC missile system from 1963. The ENTAC launcher did not require a jeep with the back panel removed and so as the SS 10 versions of the M201 were withdrawn from service they were mainly converted to carry the 106mm recoilless rifle.

I am grateful to J-L Martin for providing this official data sheets on this page.