Wiktionary
n. (context musical instrument usually plural English) A percussion instrument of archaic origin, resembling a metal castanet or cymbal.
Wikipedia
The Crotale EDIR (Ecartométrie Différentielle InfraRouge, "InfraRed Differential Ecartometry") is an all-weather short-range anti-air missile, which can be used to intercept low-flight anti-ship missiles and aircraft. It has been developed by Thomson CSF Matra and exists in two versions, a mobile land-based version and a ship-launched one.
Usage examples of "crotale".
The first French-made Crotale surface-to-air missile launch was followed by two more, but the other two were unnecessary.
Her close-in defenses were layered and effective, consisting of both short range Crotale missiles and eight thirty-seven millimeter close in weapon systems (CIWS).
He knew that China's Luhu-class ships were new, fast, and armed with Crotale anti-aircraft missiles, among other treats.
The radar was attached to a Crotale 2000 surface-to-air missile system, a relatively short-range mobile SAM intended primarily for point defense of airfields and other strategic targets.
Besides, the SAMs were ID’d as early-model Crotales, which had a maximum effective altitude about twenty thousand feet below where he was flying.
On the roof were French Crotale antiaircraft missiles, and his fighters ranged the skies above the mountains.
There turned out to be a goodly collection of low-altitude missile vehicles, French Crotales and old Russian SA-6 Gainfuls, just behind the lead echelons.
The SAM launchers were all French Crotales, and those little fuckers were scary, MASCOT-THREE knew.
One of the launcher trucks rotated its four-tube mount and fired, but the Crotale lost lock when the Hellfire angled down and went harmlessly ballistic.