The Rafael Armament Development Authority's Spike-ER anti-tank missile has been improved and is now a fully operational fourth-generation weapon, the company says.
Formerly referred to as the NT-D Dandy, the Spike-ER is a multipurpose, electro-optic-guided missile suitable for deployment from a variety of combat helicopters. Boeing's AH-64 Apache can carry 16 Spikes, which have a maximum range of 8km (4.3nm).
The Spike-ER can be launched in different modes. The most basic is a fire-and-forget, which has operational limitations. A second, fire, observe and update mode allows the helicopter's gunner to lock onto a target, launch and then update the aimpoint using information fed from the missile seeker to the cockpit via a fibreoptic datalink. The third, fire and steer mode allows the gunner to launch before locking on to a target.
Moshe Cohen, Rafael's helicopter system consultant, says the Spike-ER's lofted trajectory enables its charge-coupled device/imaging infrared sensor to relay an image of the target area before impact. "The gunner can use this optical data to change targets, according to the evolving situation," he says. The missile seeker allows the gunner to conduct real-time battle damage assessment of a target.
Rafael has tested its improved missile in urban, anti-terror scenarios using targets hidden between buildings, and has demonstrated its ability to hit "very difficult" targets with minimum collateral damage. The Spike-ER has a high hit probability, says Rafael.
The 1.67m (5.4ft)-long missile, which has a launch weight of 33kg (73lb), is available with a variety of warheads. The Israeli air force is yet to buy the missile due to funding problems, but it has been exported to unnamed clients, says Rafael.
Source: Flight International
