# AS-20

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This article is about the French missile. For the modern Russian 'Kayak' missile, see [Kh-35](/source/Kh-35).

Air-to-surface missile

AS-20 Italian Fiat G.91 on display with an AS-20 missile model Type air-to-surface missile Place of origin France Service history In service 1961-1970s Used by France, Germany, Italy, South Africa Specifications Mass 143 kg (315 lb) Length 260 cm (8 ft 6 in) Diameter 25 cm (9.8 in) Wingspan 80 cm (2 ft 7 in) Warhead weight 33 kg (73 lb) Operational range 10 km (5.4 nmi) Maximum speed Mach 1.7 Guidance system MCLOS via radio link

The **AS-20** (**Type 5110**) was a French [air-to-surface missile](/source/Air-to-surface_missile) developed during the late 1950s. It was similar to the U.S. [AGM-12 Bullpup](/source/AGM-12_Bullpup) missile.

## Development

The AS-20 was based on an earlier [Nord Aviation](/source/Nord_Aviation) [air-to-air missile](/source/Air-to-air_missile) the [AA.20](/source/AA.20) (designated Type 5103). Only minor changes were required to make it an air-to-surface missile, the size of the [warhead](/source/Warhead) was increased as a result of replacing the large [proximity fuze](/source/Proximity_fuze) with a simple impact fuze.

## Design

The AS-20 had four steeply swept-back fins, cruciform in [cross-section](/source/Geometry) around the midsection of its body. It used a [dual-thrust](/source/Dual-thrust) [solid rocket motor](/source/Solid_rocket_motor), which [exhausted](/source/Exhaust_system) through two large [nozzles](/source/Nozzles) during the boost stage, and a single center line nozzle during the sustain stage. The AS-20 uses a simple [MCLOS](/source/MCLOS) guidance with the pilot aligning the flares on the missile's rear with the target and controlling the missile in flight after launch with a small [joystick](/source/Joystick) sending steering commands to the missile via a radio link. The steering commands steer the missile back to the line-of-sight by [thrust vectoring](/source/Thrust_vectoring) by the movement of one of four metal vanes around the center sustainer nozzle. The missile's internal gyro gives the missile command unit, the correct position of the missile in flight, and to which of the four thrust vanes to actuate at the correct time.

## Operational history

Approximately 8,000 of the missiles were built, with the missile entering service in 1961. The AS-20 was one of the primary weapons of the [Fiat G.91](/source/Fiat_G.91) of the West [German Air Force](/source/German_Air_Force) and [Italian Air Force](/source/Italian_Air_Force) during the 1960s and 1970s. It was phased out of service in most countries in the 1970s, being replaced in France by the larger [AS-30](/source/AS-30L).

## Operators

Map with AS-20 operators in blue

### Former operators

**[France](/source/France)**
**[Germany](/source/Germany)**
**[Italy](/source/Italy)**
**[South Africa](/source/South_Africa)**

## References

- [https://web.archive.org/web/20111211034704/http://www.vectorsite.net/twbomb_08.html#m2](https://web.archive.org/web/20111211034704/http://www.vectorsite.net/twbomb_08.html#m2)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [AS-20](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AS-20) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AS-20?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.