Spike Israels ATGW family of missiles.

Spike

Spike is a fourth generation anti-tank guided missile developed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems

Several versions are currently in use by 16 countries worldwide.
10.000 missiles have been sold and 2.000 have been reported used in training or combat.

SPIKE MR (formerly Gill) and LR (Medium Range) - (Long Range)

These missiles use the same firing post.
This firing post consists of a CLU (command launch unit) a thermal imaging sight and a tripod.
The system is ready to use in 30 seconds.
A gunner aquires a target and puts the crosshairs on the aim point.
After launch the missile follows a lofted path and when it approaches the target it dives down to impact.
The tandem shaped warhead enables the missile to penetrate tanks equipped with ERA.
In addition the lofted trajectory is very important when the target is located in a build up environment and there is a requirement for the smallest possible collateral damage.
SPIKE-LR, mountable on tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, can be used to engage tanks and AFVs as well as bunkers, hardened shelters and even low flying helicopters and aircraft.
Rafael states that the effectiveness and accuracy of the SPIKE is very high.
It is possible to hit the commanders copula on a tank.
An other feature is the new advanced fibre optics, they also provide battlefield damage assessement.

SPIKE -ER (formerly NT-D) (extended range or extra long range version)

This is a multi purpose (electro-optical) guided missile system that can be carried by most helicopters.
The missile has a range of 8 km and can be launched in different modes.
1/When using the standard basic fibre optics the rockets path can't be corrected when launched.
The only advantage of the fibre optics is the possibility to immediately break off engagements after launch.
2/The alternative fire-observe- and update modus allows the gunner to lock on a target, launch his missile and update the target data based on the images relayed to the cockpit by the missiles seeker through the optics data link.
3/ The third mode is fire and steer. This allows the gunner to launch the missile to a target that was selected prior or after launch according to real time data.

According to Rafeal the relatively low speed of the missile, dual EO seeker, the fibre optics data link, allows pinpoint accuracy day and night and in any weathercondition.

SPIKE NLOS (ultra long range version)

This is the new version of the missile.
Its name highlights its long range capabilities.
It should be appreciated that thanks to the Fibre optics "man in the loop "feature even existing Spikes can be used in a NLOS mode.
Its intended to be used in combat helicopters, ships and landsystems.
It uses the same optics and it can carry every warhead intended for the SPIKE class including shaped charge and penetration blast fragmentation.
The missile is twice as heavy as a standard SPIke weighing at 70 kg against 34 for the standard version.
But it offers triple the range of a standard missile of 25 km.
The missile is reported to be in use with the IDF but only the ground launched version.

Users:
Finland: Spike MR
Netherlands: SPIKE MR ( Gill)
US marines: SPIKE MR to replace the Dragon ATGW
Poland: SPIKE LR
Spain: SPIKE LR to replace MILAN and DRAGON
Germany: SPIKE MR (PUMA)
Tsjech republic: SPIKE MR

Talks are underway with several NATO countries to equippe their combat-helicopterfleet with SPIKE ER instead of the Hellfire missile.