Man portable anti-tank guided missile | |
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MPATGM tested on 11 January 2022
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Type | Anti-tank guided missile |
Place of origin | India |
Production history | |
Designer | Defence Research and Development Organisation VEM Technologies |
Designed | 2015 |
Manufacturer | Bharat Dynamics Limited |
Specifications | |
Mass | Missile: 14.50 kg (32.0 lb) CLU: 14.25 kg (31.4 lb)[1] |
Length | 1,300 mm (4 ft 3 in)[1] |
Diameter | 120 mm (4.7 in)[1] |
Crew | 2 |
Effective firing range | 200 m (0.20 km) - 4,000 m (4.0 km)[2] |
Sights | Digital sight with laser designator |
Warhead | Tandem-charge HEAT |
Blast yield | Penetration: 660 mm of RHA + ERA 710 mm of RHA[3] |
Engine | Dual-thrust rocket with blast tube ejection motor[4] |
Propellant | Solid fuel |
Guidance | Mid-wave infrared direct drive[5] |
Launch | Launch tube, tripod-mount |
The MPATGMorman portable anti-tank guided missile,[6] is an Indian third generation fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) derived from India's Nag ATGM. As of 2022[update], it is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in partnership with Indian defence contractor VEM Technologies Private Limited.[1][7][8]
The MPATGM is a low weight, long cylindrical missile with two groups of four radial fins, larger ones at the middle, and smaller ones at the tail.[8] It is fitted with one high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) shaped charge warhead.[7] The missile has a length of about 130 cm and a diameter of about 12 cm with a collapsible tripod, and launch tube of aluminum and carbon fiber to reduce weight.[1][9] It has a weight of 14.5 kg, with its command launch unit (CLU) weighing 14.25 kg which combines a laser designator with digital all-weather sight.[1] Minimum range is 200 to 300 m; maximum range is 4 km.[10]
The MPATGM is equipped with an advanced imaging infrared homing (IIR) sensor and integrated avionics.[11] The missile has top attack ability.[12] It reportedly shares many similarities with ATGMs such as America's FGM-148 Javelin[13] and Israel's Spike.[14]
DRDO started work on a man-portable version of the Nag missile in 2015.[15] Ministry of Defence (MoD) sanctioned the official development of the MPATGM on 27 January 2015 with probable completion date around 26 July 2018 at a cost of ₹73.46 crore.[16]
On 20 December 2017, India cancelled a major deal for acquiring the Israeli Spike (ATGM) in favour of the DRDO MPATGM, after deciding that no technology transfer was needed to develop the MPATGM.[13] However, India reauthorized the deal in January 2018 during a visit of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to India.[17] This deal was cancelled again in June 2019 after DRDO promised to deliver the MPATGM by 2021.[18] However, the Indian Army bought a limited number of Spike (ATGM) to cater for their immediate needs until the MPATGM is ready for induction.[14] MPATGM user trials were planned to be complete by 2020 but postponed due COVID-19 pandemic.[19] On induction, the MPATGM will replace second generation MILAN and 9M113 Konkurs ATGMs with the infantry, parachute, and special forces.
Indian defense startup company Tonbo Imaging with Bharat Dynamics is developing a light weight imaging infrared seeker without cryogenic compressor for MPATGM that uses real-time computing and artificial intelligence based image processing to help the missile orient itself toward the most vulnerable part of a target tank.[20]
The MPATGM will be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited at a facility located in Bhanoor, Telangana. This facility was inaugurated on 29 September 2018.[7][21]
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Aeronautics |
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Armaments |
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Armoured fighting vehicles |
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Electronics, computer science |
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Missile systems |
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Bombs |
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People |
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Engines |
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