Initial development of the AMX-13 began after WW2 ended. In 1946, the French army needed a new fighting vehicle to support paratrooper units. This new vehicle needed to be fast and lightweight with a maximum weight of 13 tons.The contract was awarded to the state-owned Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX) company, which was located close to Paris. AMX was able to quickly design the new vehicle and build the first prototypes in just 3 years.After successfully blazing through initial trials, AMX started producing the AMX-13 in the early 1950s. Production continued well into the 1980s as the aging AMX-13 was continually modernized, modified, and upgraded.The AMX-13 SS.11 is a modernized version of the AMX-13 developed during the Cold War. By 1962, the AMX-13’s standard 75mm cannon had become less effective against the armour of contemporary tanks, some of which had begun using composite armour.

In 1962, the French military high command approved modernization work for the AMX-13 to upgrade and increase the AMX-13’s firepower. However, while increasing firepower was the primary goal, the French high command didn’t want to exceed the AMX-13’s weight. This limited options and ruled out major upgrades, so the engineers decided to mount four SS.11 first generation ATGM launchers to the front of the turret.The changes were incremental but achieved the desired effect. Thanks to the ATGMs, the AMX-13 could now effectively engage targets up to 3km away and penetrate up to 600mm of steel armour—something previously impossible for the 75mm cannon alone.The AMX-13 SS.11 joined the ranks of the French army in the 1960s and continued to serve for well over two decades.