MILAN

MILAN missile systems were among the numerous weapons sent to the Mujahideen in Afghanistan in the 1980s by the United States to combat Soviet troops.[9] The MILAN had a devastating effect on Soviet armor, having a similar effect on tanks and armored personnel carriers as Stinger missiles had had on Soviet helicopters.[10] In 2010, French troops killed four Afghan civilians in Kapisa Province using a MILAN system during a firefight.[11]

MILAN missiles provided by the French government saw common usage during the war between Chad and Libya where they were used by Chadian forces. Often mounted on Toyota pickup trucks, the missiles successfully engaged Libyan armor in the Aouzou Strip including T-55 tanks on many occasions.[12]

In 1977, Syria ordered about 200 launchers and 4,000 missiles, which were delivered in 1978-1979. They were used by the Syrians during the Lebanese Civil War.[13] The missiles were in service during the Syrian Civil War, being for instance fielded by the Republican Guard.[14] The Syrian rebels captured some in depots, as did ISIL. The Kurdish YPG also fired Milans supplied by the international coalition.[13]

MILAN was used by both coalition and Iraqi forces during the Persian Gulf War, with one MILAN launcher operated by French forces having destroyed seven T-55 tanks.[15]

Iraq operated MILAN missiles supplied by the French government during the 1980s. Those missiles were used by Iraqi forces during both Gulf Wars.

In 2015, Germany supplied the Peshmerga with 30 MILAN launchers and over 500 missiles.[16][17] Those missiles were mostly used against ISIS forces, but on 20 October during the 2017 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict, Kurdish forces destroyed an Iraqi M1 Abrams tank and several Humvees using the MILANs.[18]

In 1982 the military junta ruling Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, a UK overseas territory, leading to the Falklands War. The British forces tasked to retake the islands used MILAN as part of their land forces missile systems, along with the HEAT L1A1 and Carl Gustaf 8.4cm recoilless rifle. Armoured warfare was largely absent from that conflict, but such systems proved useful in their secondary 'bunker buster' role to attack strongpoints in the largely open territory which characterised the campaign. The MILAN saw invaluable use for example in the battles for Goose Green, Mount Longdon, Two Sisters and Wireless Ridge.[19]

•  Afghanistan – Afghan National Army and Talibans[20]
•  Armenia – Armed Forces of Armenia[21]
•  Belgium – Belgian Army: Infantry weapon; replaced by Spike-LR in 2014[22]
•  Botswana[23] - Botswana Defence Force[24]
•  Brazil – Brazilian Army[23]
•  Burundi (reported)[23]
•  Cambodia - 25 systems[23]
•  Chad – Chadian Ground Forces: used on light vehicles[25][26]
•  Croatia (reported)[23]
•  Cyprus – Cypriot National Guard[23] 45 launchers
•  Estonia – Estonian Defence Forces[23] Will be replaced by Spike-LR II in 2021.
•  Egypt[23] – Egyptian Army: Mounted on light vehicles. 220 units are used.
•  France – French Army: Infantry and vehicle-mounted weapon. Will be replaced by Missile Moyenne Portée (MMP) from 2017.[27]
•  Gabon - 4 systems[23]
•  Germany – Bundeswehr: Mounted primarily on Marder and TPz Fuchs fighting vehicles; to be replaced by EUROSPIKE.
•  Greece – Hellenic Army[23] 400 Launchers
•  India – Indian Army: Infantry and vehicle-mounted weapon. Around 30,000 built under license by Bharat Dynamics. The Indian Army has also spent close to US$120 million on 4,100 new MILAN-2T ATGMs.[28]
•  Indonesia[23]
•  Iraq – Iraqi Army: One reportedly hit a British Challenger 2 MBT during the early stages of Operation Telic along with multiple rocket-propelled grenades. The tank survived the attack.
  •  Kurdistan – Peshmerga: 30 launchers and 500 missiles, delivery in two portions was announced on August 31, 2014 by German Bundeswehr. These are 1980s Milan 2 replaced by later models but still in storage.[29][30] Used by the Kurds to stop ISIL vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs).[31]
•  Italy – Italian Army: Infantry weapon. Built under license by Oto Melara; Total of 714 launchers with 17,163 missile delivered in 1990. 807 MILAN 2T ordered in 2004 and delivered in 2005 (SIPRI).[32]
•  Jordan - used on YPR 765 vehicles[23]
•  Kenya[23] – Kenyan Army: Infantry weapon.
•  Lebanon – Lebanese Army[23]
•  Libya – Libyan National Army : 1,000 MILAN-3 exported between 2008 and 2011,[33] 400 systems in 2011.
•  North Macedonia – Army of the Republic of Macedonia[23]
•  Mauritania – Mauritanian Army[23]
•  Mexico[23] – Mexican Army (Ejército Mexicano): Mounted primarily on Panhard VBL scout cars; at least 16 launchers and several hundred missiles are available.
•  Morocco – Royal Moroccan Army
•  Oman[23]
•  Portugal[23] – Portuguese Army; Portuguese Marines
• PKK : As per the Der Spiegel, PKK acquired the MILAN anti tank missiles[34]
•  South Africa – South African Army: 375 missiles.[35][36][37][38][39]
•  Qatar[23]
•  Senegal - 4 systems[23]
•  Spain[23] – Spanish Army: Upgraded to MILAN 2/2T.
•  Singapore: 30 systems[23]
•  Syria[23] – Syrian Army
  • Free Syrian Army: Some captured.[40]
  • YPG[13]
  •  Islamic State[13]
•  Tunisia – Tunisian Armed Forces: 120 missiles.[35]
•  Turkey – Turkish Army[23]
•  United Arab Emirates[23]
•  Uruguay – Uruguayan Army[23]
•  Yemen – Yemeni security forces

•  Australia – Australian Army: Was used by infantry and mounted on vehicles. The Australian Army withdrew the MILAN from service in the early 1990s. The ADF now fields the FGM-148 Javelin system.
•  Ireland – Irish Army: Infantry weapon; replaced by the FGM-148 Javelin.
•  Singapore – Singapore Army: Replaced by the Israeli Spike.
•  Somalia - imported in 1978-1979[41]
• UNITA: 150 missiles.[35]
•  United Kingdom – British Army; Royal Marines – While primarily an infantry weapon, it was also used in the FV120 Spartan MCT turret. Over 50,000 missiles were purchased for use in the British Armed Forces. The MILAN was deployed against Argentine bunkers in the Falklands conflict[42] and later against T-55s during the Persian Gulf War.[43] It was replaced by the FGM-148 Javelin in mid-2005. Previously made under licence by British Aerospace Dynamics.[44]