During the two-year-long military battle with China in eastern Ladakh, the Army and IAF have begun to deploy modern Israeli anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) with longer ranges and greater armour penetrating capabilities. The Israeli ‘tank killers’ were acquired under emergency procurement last year in response to the prolonged troop stalemate with China, which shows no signs of abating. During the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, such weapons have proven their incredible efficiency.
Since the war began on February 24, Ukrainian soldiers armed with US-made Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and western next-generation light anti-tank light missiles (NLAWs) have destroyed hundreds of Russian tanks and other armoured vehicles. The Israeli Spike ATGM family is similarly devastating and adaptable. The Army is integrating Spike LR-2 launchers and missiles, which have a ground strike range of 5.5km, while the IAF is combining Spike NLOS (non-line of sight) missiles, which can destroy ground targets up to 30km away.
‘Both fifth-generation ATGMs are being introduced in limited quantities as part of an emergency acquisition to fill operational shortfalls. The far bigger need for ATGMs would be satisfied through ‘Make in India’ programmes’, according to a top defence source on Sunday. ‘The pilot-controlled NLOS missiles, which may be loaded with various types of warheads, are principally intended for specialised ‘behind the hill’ missions by IAF helicopters,’ he explained.
In addition, the IAF possesses 22 Apache attack helicopters armed with Stinger air-to-air missiles, Hellfire Longbow air-to-ground missiles, guns, and rockets, which were integrated in September 2015 as part of a Rs 13,952-crore agreement with the US. In turn, the Army would receive six Apache helicopters in February 2020 as part of a Rs 5,691-crore contract. The Spike LR-2 missiles can be equipped with a tandem HEAT (high explosive anti-tank) warhead, which provides 30% higher armour penetration, or a smart multi-purpose warhead.
The Army had already integrated a limited quantity of Spike tank-killers with a strike range of 4km to address urgent operational requirements until the indigenous man-portable ATGMs being developed by DRDO were ready. With a significant shortage of various types of shoulder, vehicle, and helicopter-launched ATGMs, the Army has been requesting third and fourth-generation ATGMs for well over a decade.
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