HOT was a Franco-German long-range ATGM for helicopters and armored vehicles.
HOT was developed by the Euromissile consortium for French and German forces as a second-generation long-range anti-tank guided missile. It was intended for helicopters, armored vehicles, and fixed launchers that needed greater reach than infantry weapons. The programme became one of the most important European ATGM families of the late Cold War.
HOT combined long-range optical guidance with vehicle and helicopter launch flexibility.
HOT is a tube-launched, optically tracked, command-guided missile with variants adapted over time for improved armor penetration. Its use from helicopters such as the Gazelle and Tiger-related planning gave European armies a powerful anti-tank reach. Later HOT-3 improvements responded to explosive reactive armor with tandem-warhead concepts.
HOT's long service made it a core European anti-tank missile family.
HOT served with many European and export users on helicopters, tank destroyers, and reconnaissance vehicles. It remained relevant for decades because launch platforms could be upgraded even as the missile aged. Its gradual replacement by newer systems highlights the shift toward fire-and-forget and longer-range precision anti-armor weapons.
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