The HOT is a second-generation long-range anti-tank missile system. It was originally developed to replace the older SS.11 wire guided missile in French and West German service. The design was a collaboration between the German firm Bölkow and the French firm Nord. Bölkow and Nord later merged into MBB and Aérospatiale respectively, both of which then formed Euromissile to design and produce the MILAN, Roland and HOT. This ultimately became part of MBDA.

The SS.11 is a French manual command to line of sight wire-guided anti-tank missile manufactured by Nord Aviation. It is also available in the air-to-ground version, AS.11, which featured a stabilized sighting system. The AS.11 was also known as the AGM-22 in American service. It is among the earliest guided anti-tank missiles, entering service with the French Army in 1956 and remaining in service into the 1980s. It also formed the basis for the larger and longer-ranged SS.12/AS.12 series.