Rafael, based in Haifa, Israel,
manufactures the Spike family of anti-armour weapons. The weapons are
lightweight fire-and-forget anti-tank missiles and use electro-optical and
fibre-optic technologies. The systems are used by infantry soldiers, special rapid
reaction forces, ground forces and helicopter aircrew.
Spike anti-tank missile family
The Spike family includes: Spike-SR
with a range of 800m, Spike-MR (Gill) with range of 2,500m, Spike-LR with
4,000m range and Spike-ER (formerly known as NTD Dandy) with a range of 8,000m.
Spike-LR and Spike-ER can also be fitted on light combat vehicles and a package
for mounting Spike-ER on helicopters is also available. The Spike missile
system is currently in production and in service with the Israeli, Dutch,
Chilean, Colombian, Finnish, German, Polish, Italian, Peruvian, Spanish and
Singaporean armed forces.
Spike anti-tank missile orders and
deliveries
In October 2003, the IDF awarded a
production contract for Spike C4I, the Spike-ER system fitted with networking
capability. The Spike launcher will be fitted with a variant of the Azimuth
Comet global positioning system (GPS), laptop computer and VHF datalink.
In June 2004, a joint venture
company, Eurospike, was formed by Rafael with Rheinmetall Defence Electronics
(formerly STN Atlas Elektronik) and Diehl Munitionssysteme (DMS). This followed
a cooperation agreement signed by the three companies in November 1998.
Eurospike GmbH is the prime contractor for the Spike family of missiles in
Europe.
In May 2000, the Finnish Army
selected the Spike-MR system to meet its requirement for a medium-range anti-tank
missile system. Rheinmetall DeTec will produce the launchers, Diehl the
munition and Rheinmetall the warhead.
In August 2001, the Dutch Ministry of
Defence ordered the Spike-MR (Gill) missile system to replace the Dragon
missile of the Royal Netherlands Army and Marine Corps. Rafael is the prime
contractor, with Rheinmetall, Diehl and Thales Nederland (formerly Signaal) the
major subcontractors.
In January 2004, Poland signed a
contract with ZM Mesko for the purchase of the Spike-LR missile system. ZM
Mesko manufactured elements of the missiles and began final assembly in 2006.
The requirement is for 264 tripod launchers and 2,675 missiles. Deliveries
began in November 2004 and conclude in 2013. Poland also requires 160 systems
to be integrated on the Oto Melara HITFIST 30 turret mounted on Patria armoured
modular vehicles. The system is also being trialled by the Romanian Army.
In December 2006, the government of
Spain placed an order for 260 launchers and 2,600 Spike-LR missiles, to replace
Milan and Dragon missiles. General Dynamics Santa Barbara has signed a contract
with Rafael for local production of the missiles. Deliveries began in 2009 and
scheduled to conclude in 2014.
In January 2008, Spain placed an
order for Spike-ER missiles to equip the 24 Tiger HAD attack helicopters on
order from Eurocopter.
In December 2008, PSM and the German
Ministry of Defence signed a contract to integrate the Spike missile system on
the Puma armoured
infantry fighting vehicle being developed for the German Army.
Spike anti-tank missile system
The Spike-MR and Spike-LR have the
same firing post. The firing post consists of the command launch Unit (CLU),
the thermal imaging sight and a tripod.
The system is made ready to fire in
less than 30 seconds. The soldier acquires the target and lays the crosshairs
of the sight on the aim point on the target using either the day sight with a
10× magnification and 5° field of view or the clip-on thermal imaging night
sight with wide and narrow fields of view.
In fire-and-forget mode, the soldier
activates the missile, locking the tracker on the target and pushes the fire
button to launch. The missile automatically propels itself towards the target
without any additional interaction and this fire-and-forget capability allows
the soldier the option of relocating to a new firing position or to reload
immediately for the next engagement. Reloading takes less than 15 seconds.
After launch the missile follows a
lofted trajectory and as it approaches the target it dives down to impact the
target. The lofted trajectory and the tandem high explosive warhead enables the
missile to penetrate tanks equipped with explosive reactive armour (ERA).
Anti-armour missile
The missile has four rectangular fins
for aerodynamic control at the rear, and four wings at just over halfway from
nose to tail on the length of the body. They unfold as the missile leaves the
launch canister.
The guidance system in the nose of
the Spike missile comprises a charge-coupled device (CCD) and imaging infrared
(IIR) seeker. The imaging infrared provides higher sensitivity and improved
thermal background rejection characteristics for all weather day and night
operation.
Spike-SR short-range anti armour missle
The Spike-SR is a low cost, man portable, short range, fire
and forget missile designed to counter armored vehicles as well as bunkers and
fortifications. This missile system can be fired from confined spaces and
features a tandem warhead to defeat Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) and Active
Protection System (APS) equipped targets. In addition, the missile features
ease of operation with maintenace free and an uncooled Infrared (IR) sensor.
Spike-SR has been designed for dismounted/light infantry and urban warfare scenarios. It is currently in service in the Israel Armed Forces.
Spike-SR has been designed for dismounted/light infantry and urban warfare scenarios. It is currently in service in the Israel Armed Forces.
Spike-MR (Gill) medium-range anti-armour missile
The Spike-MR, also known as Gill, is a medium
range, man-portable, fire and forget anti-tank missile. The Gill missile can be
also fired using an optional fire, observe and update mode. The guidance system
consists of a set of Infrared and CCD-TV sensors. The firing post with tripod
(command launch unit) weighs about 13 kg and the missile in canister 13 kg. The
Gill missile features a tandem warhead with a top-attack profile.
In June 2004, EuroSpike GmbH, a joint venture between Diehl (40%), Rheinmetall (40%), and Rafael (20%), was created to support Spike family of anti-armor missiles sales to European customers.
The Spike-MR anti-tank weapon system can operated by a crew of two man.
In June 2004, EuroSpike GmbH, a joint venture between Diehl (40%), Rheinmetall (40%), and Rafael (20%), was created to support Spike family of anti-armor missiles sales to European customers.
The Spike-MR anti-tank weapon system can operated by a crew of two man.
Spike-LR long-range anti-armour missile
The Spike-LR is a portable
anti-armour weapon system with a range of up to 4km, which can be operated in
fire-and-forget mode and in fire, observe and update mode using the fibre-optic
data link.
The Spike-LR is equipped with a
fibre-optic data link guidance system, which sends commands to the missile from
the launch system and receives, into the gunner's field of view, images from
the seeker. The gunner can update his aim point while the missile is in flight
using the fibre-optic link. As well as update target information, the datalink
allows the gunner to switch targets and also receive real-time intelligence and
perform battle damage assessment. The Spike system can work in non
line-of-sight (NLOS) mode allowing the gunner to operate from a covered
position.
Spike-LR, which can also be installed
on light combat vehicles, can be used to engage tanks, armoured vehicles,
hardened shelters and low flying slow targets such as helicopters.
Spike-ER extended-range anti-armour
missile
The Spike-ER, formerly known as the NTD, is a multi-platform
anti-tank missile with an extended range over previous Spike missiles. It has
been designed to be mounted on ground vehicles, helicopters, and naval vessels.
It seeker combines electro-optical sensors (IR/CCD-TV) and a fiber optic data
link to achieve fire and forget and directed launch modes. Using the fiber
optic data link the Spike-ER missile is able to perform battle damage
assessment, in-flight retargeting, identification friend or foe, attacks
without collateral damage and pinpoint accuracy strikes.
In June 2004, EuroSpike GmbH, a joint venture between Diehl (40%), Rheinmetall (40%), and Rafael (20%), was created to support Spike family of anti-armor missiles sales to European customers.
The Spike-ER missile operates day/night, in all weather conditions. Its tandem warhead ensures neutralization of ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) protected targets. A single missile launcher weighs about 58 kg, and the 4-missile launcher for helicopters weighs 187 kg. A wooden round Spike-ER missile weighs 33 kg.
The Spike-ER long range anti-tank missile is currently deployed in Israel Armed Forces. The Spike-ER is the Israeli counterpart to proven Hellfire long range anti-tank missile.
In June 2004, EuroSpike GmbH, a joint venture between Diehl (40%), Rheinmetall (40%), and Rafael (20%), was created to support Spike family of anti-armor missiles sales to European customers.
The Spike-ER missile operates day/night, in all weather conditions. Its tandem warhead ensures neutralization of ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) protected targets. A single missile launcher weighs about 58 kg, and the 4-missile launcher for helicopters weighs 187 kg. A wooden round Spike-ER missile weighs 33 kg.
The Spike-ER long range anti-tank missile is currently deployed in Israel Armed Forces. The Spike-ER is the Israeli counterpart to proven Hellfire long range anti-tank missile.
Rafael has developed a version of
Spike-ER with a penetration, blast and fragmentation (PBF) warhead which only
explodes after penetration of the target (e.g. a wall), minimising collateral
damage.
A Spike-ER launcher has been
developed for helicopters. The four-round launcher requires no modifications to
the helicopter, other than software integration. It can be fitted to a variety
of helicopters, including AH-64 Apache (which can carry 16 missiles), AH-1S
Cobra, A-129, MD-500, Mi-24 and others.
Spike NLOS non-line of sight
missile
The
Spike NLOS is an electro-optically guided non-line of sight (NLOS) missile
designed to destroy targets at ranges of up to 25 kilometers with pinpoint
accuracy and midcourse navigation. The new weapon system can be integrated on
land, airborne and sea-based platforms. The Spike NLOS is equipped with a
variety of warheads, radio-frequency communication and two-way data link which
allows flex targeting in offensive and defensive scenarios. The new member of the
Spike missile family is optimized for network centric warfare (NCW) receiving
target location from external sensors such as those installed on Unmanned
Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Rafael unveiled the Spike NLOS weapon system in late 2009.
Equipped with a range of warheads and
RF communication, Spike NLOS can be deployed in offensive and defensive
scenarios.
Mini Spike Anti-Personnel Guided Weapon
On
2 September 2009, at an IDF exhibition held at the 3rd Latrun annual
land warfare conference, the Israeli Defense Force unveiled a new member of the
Spike family of missiles – the Mini Spike Anti-personnel guided weapon (APGW). Rafael claims that this latest member
of the Spike family of missile costs and weighs only a third of the Spike-LR,
while offering a longer engagement range of 1.3 km (0.81 mi) when
compared to the Spike-SR.
Mantis fast attack vehicle mounted
Spike-LR
A prototype of the Spike-LR missile
mounted on a Marvin ITV-1 4×4 all-terrain vehicle has been built by Rafael. The
system is called Mantis and consists of six Spike-LR missiles with the Rafael
Spike C3I system and reconnaissance sensors, including CCD day camera, thermal
imager, laser rangefinder and GPS.