# Has Eryx been used on Ops yet?



## daftandbarmy (24 May 2009)

Just curious. A couple of folks I know that have recently returned from AFG were not 100% sure themselves.


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## kkwd (24 May 2009)

You will find some info on the subject during one deployment at  The Army Lessons Learned Centre - The Bulletin

This entry was about all I could find in the document. Seems they didn't have much use for it.



> Although normally stored with the Company
> Quartermaster Sergeant (CQMS), the company also kept
> available the Eryx short-range guided missile system.
> With a range of only 600 m (insufficient by most opinions),
> ...


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## Fusaki (24 May 2009)

I'm pretty sure B-Coy, 1RCR fired one or two off during Op Medusa.

If I remember correctly, the guys decided that they were too big to carry around in the back of the LAV and the capability wasn't really required.

Sure, the Eryx will punch through grapehuts, but if you know the badguys are there it's because you can see them. And if you can see the badguys you can hit them with 25mm anyways. For the odd occasion when bunker busting was required, our FACs were pretty good, as were the Apache pilots.

I never felt undergunned without having an Eryx around, or 105 for that matter...


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## daftandbarmy (24 May 2009)

kkwd said:
			
		

> You will find some info on the subject during one deployment at  The Army Lessons Learned Centre - The Bulletin
> 
> This entry was about all I could find in the document. Seems they didn't have much use for it.



Good article. In particular I liked the comments on the 60mm, which apparently 'they' don't think 'we' need anymore... sheesh...

For longer-range fire, each platoon
possessed the venerable 60 mm mortar. Old, heavy, and
rudimentary, no other weapon system in the platoon could
saturate an enemy position with fragmentation bombs at
2,000 m more than the dependable 60 mm mortar.
Although the bipod mount, which allows for sustained and
accurate fire, is old and growing increasingly unstable, the
60 mm mortar is still a critical weapon system in the
platoon’s arsenal (especially given the fact it can also fire
smoke and illumination rounds).
http://armyapp.forces.gc.ca/allc-clra/Downloads/bulletin/TheBulletinVol12No3eng.pdf


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## McG (30 May 2009)

daftandbarmy said:
			
		

> Just curious. A couple of folks I know that have recently returned from AFG were not 100% sure themselves.


I have not found anyone from either of the English speaking regiments that saw fit to let the Eryx see much daylight.  At the same time, I've heard from credible sources that on at least one tour the R22eR employed it frequently.


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## AmmoTech90 (30 May 2009)

They were deployed in Eritrea, but not used.  They are difficult to store in the LAV where they are supposed to go, which leads to damage.


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## harv1rcr (6 Dec 2010)

I was with B-coy 5pl 1RCR on Op Medusa in 2006. At one point we were tasked to clear a building with some yanks and an ANA platoon and one of our sections used the Eryx to pop a hole in a wall for the ANA to enter through. Made a big a** hole in the concrete, was pretty impressive. After that we ditched it back at KAF and never brought it out again.


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## daftandbarmy (6 Dec 2010)

harv1rcr said:
			
		

> I was with B-coy 5pl 1RCR on Op Medusa in 2006. At one point we were tasked to clear a building with some yanks and an ANA platoon and one of our sections used the Eryx to pop a hole in a wall for the ANA to enter through. Made a big a** hole in the concrete, was pretty impressive. After that we ditched it back at KAF and never brought it out again.



That's great information: punches big (infantry-sized) holes in concrete. I'd have thought it would have been a smaller hole, in line with the type of warhead.

Cool.


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## PanaEng (6 Dec 2010)

daftandbarmy said:
			
		

> That's great information: punches big (infantry-sized) holes in concrete. I'd have thought it would have been a smaller hole, in line with the type of warhead.
> 
> Cool.


all depends on how well the concrete is built and what reinforcement is has...
standard NA concrete such as a foundation or free standing wall - the hole would be smallish...
(not fired one but knows what shaped charges do)
Nevertheless, 2 or 3 shots should get you past many regular walls.


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