To cover the 2 x 30mm automatic cannon requirement, engineers selected the DEFA 552 cannon series which would be installed in a removable ventral "pack", fixed to fire forwards for devastating strafing runs. The pack could be replaced with a camera-equipped pack for reconnaissance sorties.
For ordnance/munitions-carrying, the SE 116 was to feature three total weapons hardpoints under each wing (for a total of six stations). The ASM of choice was the SS11/SS12 wire-guided Ant-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) series for precision strikes against armor at-range. Coupled with other weapon types such as bombs and rockets and the SE 116 would be quite capable at engaging any ground-based target from the air.
A first-flight was recorded on June 5th, 1958 through prototype SE 116-01. The Bastan-equipped prototype appeared in the skies that December 15th but this aircraft's flying career came to an abrupt end when it fell apart in-flight during testing on January 9th, 1959 - killing its three test pilots in the process (excessive tail flutter due to high speed was found to be the cause). This event proved disastrous on many levels, least of all it painted a cloud over the whole program, leading to its eventual cancellation. The setback was notable for France was embroiled in its years-long war in Algeria (the Algerian War of Independence, 1954-1962).
With the end of the SE 116 project, and other CAS/COIN proposals that arrived before and after it, the French Air Force simply continued its post-war tradition of purchasing stocks of surplus American warplanes to quickly field in response to deteriorating situations overseas - the Douglas 'Skyraider' became a French fixture during this time.
The proposed SNCASE SE 117, which was something of a slight evolution of the abandoned SE 117, flew for the first time on January 21st, 1960 and intended for attack, training, and liaison roles but it - too - was cancelled, this in the latter half of 1960. The revised design was to have all-new wing mainplane members as well as a light transport capability to satisfy changing French Air Force needs.
The SE 118 "Diplomate" was a proposed fast-transport that never materialized.
As flown, the prototype SE 116 had a wingspan of 59 feet with a length of 40 feet. Gross weight was 12,540lb. The installed 2 x Bastan engines offered 650 horsepower and propelled the aircraft to speeds of 277 miles-per-hour.
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