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AT-1K Raybolt

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AT-1K Raybolt
AT-1K Raybolt launcher mounted on K153C1 light tactical vehicle
TypeAnti-tank guided missile
Place of originSouth Korea
Service history
Used bySee Operators
WarsYemeni Civil War[1]
Second Nagorno-Karabakh War[2]
Production history
DesignerAgency for Defense Development
Hanwha Defense (launcher)
LIG Nex1 (missile)
Designed2007–2015[3]
ManufacturerHanwha Vision (launcher)
LIG Nex1 (missile)
Produced2017–present
Specifications
MassInclude launcher: 20 kg (44 lb)
Missile: 13 kg (29 lb)
Crew
  • 2 (on foot)
  • 1 (vehicle-mounted)
Maximum firing range2,500 m (1.6 mi) – 3,000 m (1.9 mi) (observed)
SightsThermal weapon sight
WarheadHEAT
Detonation
mechanism
Contact fuze
Blast yield900 mm (35 in) RHA behind ERA
Maximum speed Mach 1.7 (578 m/s; 2,080 km/h)[4]
Guidance
system
fire-and-forget-aided Infrared guidance
Launch
platform
Man-portable launcher
Transport

The AT-1K Raybolt (Korean: 현궁 "Hyeon-gung",[5] Hanja: 晛弓) is a South Korean man-portable third-generation anti-tank guided missile built by LIG Nex1. It has fire-and-forget capability using an infrared imaging seeker and has a tandem-warhead to defeat explosive reactive armor. The Raybolt has a top attack and direct attack modes.[6][7] It is the first ATGM to be built by South Korea and entered mass production in June 2017.

The Raybolt is positioned by its manufacturer as a competitor and peer with the American FGM-148 Javelin and Israeli Spike-MR ATGMs.[8]

The Raybolt was first shown publicly at the Indodefence 2014 exhibition.[9]

Development

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Defense quality certification testing of AT-1K Raybolt in May 2017

Development began in 2007 and began in earnest in 2010, as South Korea's existing anti-tank guided missiles were reaching the end of their 25-year service life.[10] LIG Nex1's priorities during development were world-class performance, weight, export competitiveness through localization of core components, cost-efficiency, and reliability. The development was not completely smooth, and for the first five years there were several failures with "Captive Flight Tests". In a retrospective on the development of the Raybolt, one engineer assessed the greatest challenge as quality assurance.[11] On May 30, 2017, successfully completed the quality certification test of Raybolt organized by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).[12]

The Raybolt was developed to replace obsolete anti-tank weapons, such as recoilless rifles and TOW missiles.[13] South Korea's 1970s-vintage TOW missiles lacked tandem-warheads and would not be able to destroy modern North Korean tanks equipped with explosive reactive armor (ERA).[13]

The Raybolt is produced by LIG Nex1 in cooperation with South Korea's Agency for Defense Development (ADD), under the auspices of the DAPA.[11] About 95% of the Raybolt is made in South Korea.[14]

The Raybolt underwent successful test evaluations in Saudi Arabia in December 2013 and January 2014.[11] The Raybolt contract is expected to be worth 1 trillion won through till 2023.[14]

Components

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A field testing (FT) of AT-1K Raybolt

The Raybolt's most notable feature is an imaging infrared seeker providing fire-and-forget capability. It also has a tandem-warhead and both direct attack and top attack modes. The Raybolt uses a smokeless propellant and can be fired from within a building. The Raybolt missile and Observation and Launch Unit (OLU) can either be vehicle-mounted or carried as a manpack by two men. There are also discussions to mount the Raybolt on helicopters. The OLU has day/night capability via a thermal sight.[6][7][11] The missile uses a soft launch to escape the barrel before activating the main flight motor.[10] It is scheduled to be acquired over the 2018-2022 timeframe.[13]

The Raybolt system weight about 20 kg (44 lb),[13] which its manufacturer describes as lighter than peers.[8] The Raybolt's range is 2.5[15] or 3 km.[14] The Raybolt's HEAT tandem warhead can penetrate 900 mm of RHA beyond defeating ERA,[16] which is described as "excellent performance" by DAPA.[13]

AT-1K missile

The Raybolt has been marketed to India.[17] Park Tae-sik, senior manager at LIG Nex1, also reports interest from South America.[10]

The missile can be carried by a two-man crew or fitted to fire from vehicles. The South Korean Army uses an anti-tank version of the Kia Motors 4×4 Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) called the K-153C; the roof is equipped with a launcher turret with two missiles ready to fire and four additional missiles carried inside the vehicle.[15]

Launch platforms

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Combat history

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The Raybolt was delivered to the Republic of Korea Armed Forces in 2017.[13] It will be used by the Korean Army and the ROK Marine Corps.[11]

In 2018, the Raybolt was used in the Yemeni Civil War by Saudi-backed forces against the Houthis.[1][18]

Operators

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AT-1K Raybolt operators

Future

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Jeremy Binnie (26 June 2018). "South Korean Raybolt spotted in Yemen". Janes Information Services. Archived from the original on 2018-07-02.
  2. ^ a b Pavel Felgenhauer (1 October 2020). "Armenia in Dire Straits as Karabakh Conflict Reignites". Jamestown Foundation. Archived from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  3. ^ "현궁". Agency for Defense Development. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  4. ^ Park Won-ki (1 June 2017). "휴대용 대전차 미사일 '현궁' 사격 시험 성공". KBS. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Raybolt / Hyeongung ATGM".
  6. ^ a b "Mid-Range Infantry Missile (Raybolt)". LIG Nex1. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b "RAYBOLT" (PDF). LIG Nex1. 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  8. ^ a b "S Korea's Raybolt ATGM Set To Compete Against Israeli Spike, US Javelin". www.defenseworld.net. 2 June 2017.
  9. ^ "LIG Nex 1 showcases Chiron portable SAM and Raybolt 3rd anti-tank guided missile | IndoDefence 2014 Official Show Daily News Coverage | Defence and security military army exhibition 2014". 6 November 2014.
  10. ^ a b c Lee Seok-jong (22 October 2014). "빛과 같은 화살로 날아가 '꽝'대전차 임무 지형도가 바뀐다". kookbang.dema.mil.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  11. ^ a b c d e "LIG Nex1 MAGAZINE VOL.60 - MEDIUM RANGE INFANTRY MISSILE RAYBOLT". LIG Nex1. January 2014. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  12. ^ "적 최신 전차 잡는 '현궁' 품질인증 사격 시험 성공! 올해부터 본격 양산 돌입!". Defense Acquisition Program Administration. 1 June 2017. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Dagyum Ji (1 June 2017). "Seoul to mass-produce indigenous anti-tank guided missile: DAPA". NK News.
  14. ^ a b c Gordon Arthur (7 December 2016). "Korea ignites Raybolt missile". Shephard. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  15. ^ a b South Korean Raybolt ATGM missile in service with Saudi Arabia army. Army Recognition. 1 October 2018.
  16. ^ Kelvin Wong (12 September 2018). "DX Korea 2018: RoKA unveils 4×4 K-153C ATGM carrier - Jane's 360". Jane's International Defence Review. Archived from the original on 2018-09-12.
  17. ^ "DEFEXPO INDIA 2016". LIG Nex1. 28 March 2016. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  18. ^ Frank Smith (20 April 2021). "South Korea muscles in on global arms trade". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  19. ^ "South Korea to Start Mass Producing Raybolt Missile System | Israel Defense". 6 May 2017.
  20. ^ "Opinion: South Korea – the next big defence exporter?". www.shephardmedia.com. 19 September 2018.
  21. ^ Hyo-jin, Lee (2023-10-17). "LIG Nex1 signs partnership agreement with Indonesia's Republikorp". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
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