Missile MIM-72 Chaparral

Development of the Chaparral system began in 1965 as an interim solution following the cancellation of the MIM-46 Mauler program. The Mauler had encountered technical difficulties with its fire control and guidance systems, leading to a requirement for a ground-to-air adaptation of the Navy’s AIM-9D Sidewinder. The resulting MIM-72 missile entered service with the United States Army in 1969.

The M48 Chaparral system consists of an M730 self-propelled tracked carrier, derived from the M113 chassis, equipped with an M54 launching station. The launcher provides 360-degree traverse and carries four missiles on external rails, with additional rounds stored internally. Early variants utilized the MIM-72A missile, which featured a passive infrared seeker limited to tail-chase engagements and a continuous-rod warhead. Technical updates led to the MIM-72C, which introduced an all-aspect seeker, a directional doppler radar fuze, and a blast-fragmentation warhead. Subsequent improvements included the M121 smokeless motor to reduce the launch signature and the integration of a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor in 1984 for night and all-weather operations. The final major upgrade, the MIM-72G, incorporated a rosette scan seeker for enhanced resistance to infrared countermeasures.

The system was widely deployed by the United States Army and the National Guard until its retirement in the late 1990s. It remains in service with several international operators, including Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. Taiwan utilizes the land-based version as well as a naval variant, the RIM-72C Sea Chaparral, which is installed on several classes of frigates and support ships. Former operators include Chile, Ecuador, Israel, and Portugal. The system saw combat use with the Israeli Defense Forces, which recorded the destruction of a Syrian MiG-17 over the Golan Heights in 1974. Israel also deployed the system during the 1982 Lebanon War. The United States deployed the Chaparral during Operation Desert Storm. Training variants, designated M30 and M33, were produced as inert rounds for loading and tracking practice.