MBB COBRA
| MBB COBRA | |
|---|---|
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| General Information | |
| Type | Anti-tank guided missile |
| Local name | BO 810 COBRA |
| NATO designation | COBRA |
| Country of origin |
 Germany & Switzerland
|
| Manufacturer | MBB & Oerlikon-Bührle |
| development | 1954 |
| Commissioning | 1963 |
| Working time | 1963-1980s |
| Technical specifications | |
| length | 0.953 m |
| diameter | 100 mm |
| Combat weight | 10.3 kg |
| span | 480 mm |
| drive | Solid rocket engine |
| speed | 83 m / s (299 km / h) |
| Range | 1,600 m |
| Furnishing | |
| steering | gyroscope |
| Target location | MCLOS via wire steering |
| Warhead | 2.7 kg shaped charge |
| Detonator | Impact fuse |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Bolkow BO 810 COBRA was the first guided anti-tank missile of the Bundeswehr . Development began in 1954 after funding was secured. The term "COBRA" stands for C ontraves, O erlikon, B ölkow and RA kete. After the trials were successful in early 1956, a purchase agreement was negotiated with the federal government for an initial 2000 units at the end of the year, which was signed in January 1957. The COBRA was manufactured in large numbers and also exported.
history
Trials during the Second World War had shown the possibilities of guided missiles for anti-tank defense, also as a direct further development and range increase of the concept of the bazooka .
After the war, the development was promoted by the German government, MBB and Swiss companies (since the development of warheads was not allowed in Germany, Oerlikon-Bührle was involved), at the same time as similar projects by French, British, US and Soviet forces . The project was led by the engineers Werner Schindler and Joachim Hermann, who were also responsible for weapon systems such as MILAN , MAMBA, Roland and HOT .
The guided missile (LFK) 810 COBRA, developed in Germany and introduced into the Bundeswehr, was - alongside the M 41 - until it was replaced by the anti-tank guided missile MILAN, the infantry anti-tank solution for medium distances. A successor model followed with the name "COBRA2000".
A direct further development called MAMBA was no longer used.
commitment
The missile had a number of practical, nowadays seeming, peculiarities in construction and use:
steering
- The missile was steered directly and manually using the joystick and steering wire, while the LFK and the target were observed through normal binoculars placed on the control unit.
- The steering wire was anchored in the ground by a tent peg during takeoff and flight.
- The missile gyro was accelerated by a cable pull (Hering) during take-off and intervened in the position stabilization via contacts.
- There was a special screen display device with transistor control for practicing steering. Analogous to a simple (and difficult) early video game, one screen icon had to be routed over another.
- The next missile could be launched by replacing the steering wire on the control unit.
Missile
- The missile had four aerodynamically acting interference combs instead of the (jet) rudder used today. The mode of action thus corresponded to the Fritz X missile .
- The missile had a handle which, together with the externally attached battery and the also external launch engine, remained on the LFK during the flight.
- The rocket was launched from the ground lying flat; the LFK stood here on two of the four wings, aligned horizontally in the target direction. A launch device as with other guided missiles was therefore not necessary.
- The missile took off at an angle upwards (vertical takeoff). After the launch engine burned out, the cruise engine accelerated the rocket further horizontally. A start behind cover was thus possible.