Israeli weapons specialist Rafael will help Singapore build a missile assembly plant as part of a deal to sell the country its Spike and NT-Danti-tank missiles.
The Singapore army has selected the Spike while the air force is evaluating both missiles for use with its combat helicopters, including recently ordered Boeing AH-64 Apaches (Flight International, 28 July-3 August).
Singapore's ministry of defence has stipulated that the missiles be assembled locally and that know-how be transferred to enable future upgrades.
The Singaporean armed forces recently carried out their first live firings of the Spike. The missile, with a range of 4km (2.5 miles), weighs 13kg (29lb), allowing a helicopter to carry 16 of them. The NT-D is an enlarged Spike, with a range of 6km and weighing 30kg.
The two missiles are designed for lofted attack and are equipped with tandem warheads. They combine an imaging infrared seeker with a fibre-optic link to the command launch unit, allowing operator control if, for example, a change of target is required.
Source: Flight International
