Cold War Military Technology US Army Antitank Guided Missile Manuals SS 10 ENTAC and M47 Dragon Systems 1961 to 1979

Simulation Systems

First Edition

United States Army. Antitank guided missile manuals archive. 1961–1979. This archive documents the development and training of antitank guided missile systems in the U.S. Army during the Cold War, recording how infantry units were instructed to deploy, maintain, and operate increasingly complex weapons designed to counter armored vehicles. The manuals provide primary evidence of evolving military doctrine, from early adoption of wire-guided European systems to later domestically developed infrared-guided weapons, and establish the integration of simulation training, targeting accuracy, and battlefield positioning within infantry operations.

Archive of three printed field and instructional manuals, illustrated throughout with diagrams, schematics, and photographs.
[1] Department of the Army. Antitank Guided Missiles SS-10. Fort Benning: United States Army Infantry School, 1961. First edition. Describes a wire-guided missile system adopted from French design, including launch configurations, operator controls, and training devices such as film-based simulators representing missile trajectory. Illustrations show the missile mounted for launch and vehicle-based deployment systems.
[2] Department of the Army. Antitank Guided Missile (ENTAC). Washington: Department of the Army, May 1964. First edition. Details a wire-guided system intended for use against tanks and fortified positions, with diagrams identifying internal components such as booster motors, gyroscopes, and warhead assemblies, along with tactical instructions for crew positioning and coordinated fields of fire.
[3] Department of the Army. Operator and Organizational Maintenance Manual for Guided Missile System M47 Dragon and Associated Equipment. Washington: Department of the Army, September 1979. First edition with revisions. Provides extensive instruction on operation, maintenance, and training systems for a shoulder-launched, infrared-guided missile, including safety warnings, diagnostic procedures, and simulator equipment such as infrared transmitting sets and monitoring devices used to track operator accuracy.

Produced during a period of sustained technological competition between NATO and Warsaw Pact forces, these manuals show how the U.S. Army standardized the use of guided missile systems through detailed technical instruction and training infrastructure. The transition from wire-guided to infrared-guided systems reflects broader developments in electronics and targeting technology, while the emphasis on simulation and maintenance underscores the complexity of modern infantry weaponry. Minor oxidation to staple bindings and light creasing to covers; contents clean and complete; overall very good. A focused instructional archive documenting the evolution of antitank missile systems and training practices in the Cold War U.S. Army.

Item #22419

Price: $550.00