The Exocet (French pronunciation: [ɛɡzɔsɛ]) is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

[9] The relatively compact missile is designed for attacking small- to medium-size warships (e.g., frigates, corvettes, and destroyers), although multiple hits are effective against larger vessels, such as aircraft carriers.

Due to the effect of the radar horizon, this means that the target may not detect an incoming attack until the missile is only 6,000 metres (3.7 mi) from impact.

[citation needed] Its solid propellant rocket motor gives the Exocet a maximum range of 70 kilometres (43 mi; 38 nmi).

The Exocet has been manufactured in versions including: In February 2004, the Direction Générale pour l'Armement (DGA) notified MBDA of a contract for the design and production of a new missile, the MM40 Block 3.

It has an improved range, in excess of 180 kilometres (97 nautical miles) – through the use of a Microturbo TRI-40 turbojet engine, and includes four air intakes to provide continuous airflow to the power plant during high-G manoeuvres.

An MM40 Block 3 last qualification firing took place on the Île du Levant test range on 25 April 2007 and series manufacturing began in October 2008.

[citation needed] Besides the French, the Block 3 has been ordered by several other navies including that of Greece, the UAE, Chile,[16] Peru,[17] Qatar, Oman, Indonesia and Morocco.

[18] The chief competitors to the Exocet are the US-made Harpoon, the Turkish Atmaca, the Italian Otomat, Israel Gabriel-V, the Swedish RBS 15 and the Chinese Yingji series.

[citation needed] The “Block 3c” variant integrates a digital Radio Frequency (RF) seeker to the missile that has been developed by Thales.

On 4 May 1982, Sheffield was at defence watches (second-degree readiness) the southernmost of three Type 42 destroyers when she was hit by one of two AM39 air-launched Exocet missiles fired by Argentine Super Étendard strike fighters.

There was no evidence of an explosion, although burning propellant from the rocket motor caused fires which could not be checked as firefighting equipment had been put out of action.

On 30 May, two Super Étendards, one carrying Argentina's last remaining air-launched Exocet, escorted by four Douglas A-4C Skyhawks, each with two 500 lb bombs, took off to attack the carrier HMS Invincible.

[29] However, the British had a standing order that all aircraft conduct a low level transit when leaving or returning to the ship to disguise her position.

A scenario was envisioned in which one or both of the force's two aircraft carriers (Invincible and Hermes) were destroyed or incapacitated by Exocet attacks, which would make recapturing the Falklands much more difficult.

British intelligence had detected the guarantee was a deposit of two hundred million dollars from the Andean Lima Bank, an owned subsidiary of the Italian Banco Ambrosiano.

[39][40] During the Iran–Iraq War, on 17 May 1987, an Iraqi aircraft identified as a Mirage F1[41] (but was in fact a modified Dassault Falcon 50) fired two Exocet missiles at the American frigate USS Stark.