Rafael demonstrates anti-tank missile for Army

By Ethan Sterenfeld / January 28, 2021 at 11:13 AM

Rafael held a live-fire demonstration of its shoulder-fired Spike Short Range anti-tank missile this month at the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment, the company announced Jan. 28.

This was the first live-fire demonstration of the missile in the United States, according to Rafael. The company said officials from Army Futures Command and the Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence attended.

"AEWE assessed SPIKE SR as a precision munition system for infantry squads, for which portability and simplicity of operation is essential," Rafael's announcement stated. "AEWE also assessed the system for its ability to allow close-combat formations to dominate the operational environment and handle new threats in a near-peer conflict."

The demonstration showcased the missile's ability to hit both static and moving targets in different conditions, according to the company.

The Spike Short Range missile weighs 10 kilograms and has an "enhanced range" of two kilometers, according to Rafael.

The Army has been approved to field a long-range version of the Spike missile on attack helicopters, an official told reporters last January. It is planned for temporary use, while the Army develops a new long-range missile for its helicopters.

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