Anti-tank guided missiles have been in widespread use since the 1960s and have undergone multiple modifications to improve their range and hit probability. However, the most recent developments in guidance systems have the possibility of vastly improving the hit probability of the missile with consequent implication for the survivability of armour on the battlefield, writes SANJAY BADRI-MAHARAJ
At the outset, the argument that Anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) could replace the tank or substitute for the same is a nonsensical one. ATGMs are primarily defensive weapons and while they can be aggressively deployed – as done by the Egyptians during the 1973 war and by Syrian Special Forces during operations against the Israelis in 1982, their defensive nature remains. Furthermore, despite specialised platforms, air, vehicle and ground launched modes, ATGMs remain less mobile and flexible than tanks as weapon systems. The two must perforce be seen as complimentary to each other rather than being mutually exclusive or in some way one being preferable to the other.
First Generation ATGMs
The first generation of widely deployed ATGMs used what is known as manual control to line of sight (MACLOS) and had a typical range of 1.5-3 km suffered from the following disadvantages:
(a) The difficulties faced by the operator in simultaneously tracking the target as well as the missile and then transferring commands through the guidance wires through a joystick. The kill probability of the missile system depended on the operator's skill and training and his capability to perform in an actual battlefield scenario.
(b) The speed of the missile was limited to a modest 100-180 m/s owing to the guidance wire being dispensed from the missile and the operator's response time for guiding the missile limited the missile speed to 100-180 m/s.
(c) The slow speed led to the target being able to take remedial action against such a missile with a consequent reduction in kill probability. Furthermore, a long flight time to target made the operator vulnerable from retaliatory fire.
This story is from the June 2018 edition of Geopolitics.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2018 edition of Geopolitics.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
India's space economy set to soar
India's burgeoning space economy could see a substantial increase in its global share by 2040. At present, India's space sector contributes a modest $8 billion to the overall cake. However, the government has set its sights on an ambitious target, aiming for a five-fold surge in India's share of the global space economy.
CRITICAL NEED TO BOOST CONVENTIONAL SUBMARINE FLEET
VENUGOPAL MENON explains why India cannot afford to view the critical deficiency in Submarine force levels lightly
BEEFING UP OUR SUBMARINE FLEET
In the last week of March, the Indian Navy displayed its submarine prowess. Eight of its submarines operated together in the Western Indian Ocean Region, a first in three decades, and one of its Scorpene submarines sailed to the Andaman Nicobar Islands, overlooking the Malacca Strait, a critical choke point for China. But how is the comparison with China? RITU SHARMA reports
ENHANCING CRUISE MISSILE CAPABILITY
India’s cruise missile capability has largely evolved as a credible conventional level deterrence since the turn of the new millennium. But much more needs to be done, writes AMARTYA SINHA
BOOSTING DEFENCE EXPORTS
Earlier, India was known to be an arms importer. But today, the country has come out of its comfort zone and found a place in the list of top-25 arms exporter nations argues AMARTYA SINHA
ENHANCING INDIA'S AIRBORNE SURVEILLANCE CAPABILITIES
Project NETRA represents a proactive initiative by ISRO to safeguard India's interests in space by mitigating the risks posed by space debris and other hazards, says GIRISH LINGANNA
THE HIMALAYAN TRIANGLE: WHY INDIA KEEPS BHUTAN SAFE FROM CHINA
India, given its special relationship with Bhutan, has been very wary about the possibility of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the signing of a boundary agreement between Bhutan and China, writes SIMRAN SODHI
TROOST, DESAI AND SANCTIONS
The Western sanctions against companies and individuals doing business with Russia have produced a complex set of reactions with lobbyists and shell companies working overtime to beat the rap. A GEOPOLITICS Bureau report
THE KOREA-GATE
India attaches great importance to “three principles of inclusiveness, trust and reciprocity’” for creating the basis for working more closely with like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific such as the Republic of Korea (ROK), better known as South Korea for “a free, peaceful and prosperous region”. Prakash Nanda dissects the relationship and the way ahead
Pushpak RLV-TD successfully lands autonomously
ISRO achieved another significant milestone in reusable launch vehicle (RLV) technology with the successful landing of Pushpak (RLV-TD), the winged vehicle, autonomously on the runway.