ATGM generally has better range (of up to 2 miles instead of just 500 yards, usually less) and better penetrating power compared to other anti-armor weapon. And being a guided missile, ATGM has higher success at hitting target and possibly destroying them.
Currently Malaysian Army has 2 type of ATGM, the Baktar Shikan(Pakistan) and Metis-M(Russia). Both are wire-guided, SACLOS (Semi-Automatic Close Lock-On System) missile, bought as part of Malaysian Army modernization programme in early 2000
Baktar Shikan
Baktar Shikan is a Pakistani-made ATGM, which is derived from Chinese HJ-8 ATGM missile (which in turn, is derived largely from American-made TOW system). It is an optically-tracked, wire-guided, direct firing, 2nd generation anti-tank missile with the range of more than 3km and has the penetration capability of up to 850mm RHA.
The Chinese version of this system has been successfully used by the Bosnian during Bosnian-Serb conflict, and some reported that the system has also saw action in 2006 Israel-Lebanon war. The system has seen upgrade in term of guidance system as well as penetration power. Currently Baktar Shikan is in service to Pakistan Army, Bangladesh Army, Sri Lanka Army,while several other countries operated the original Chinese HJ-8 version)
The system is very versatile, and can be launched from tactical vehicles (from Toyota technical truck to AIFV) to helicopters (from Chinese-made Z-9 to Amercian-made AH-1). Baktar Shikan in Malaysian Army usually being installed in a Land-Rover, G-wagon as well as the ACV-300
Metis-M
9K115-2 Metis-M (NATO codename: AT-13 Saxtorn-2) is a lightweight ATGM system (which is also a wire guided missile) used as a man-portable platoon anti-tank missile (weighing at half of the Pakistani Baktar Shikan). Deemed the most advanced system in its class, the missile has high resistance to soft-kill countermeasures and it also has high penetration power, as well as good range. The system has saw success in destroying several Israeli-made Merkava MBTs, one of the most heavily protected MBT in the world, during Israel occupation in Lebanon in 2006
Other system?
Malaysian Army has wide range of anti-armor system, from the basic (yet battle proven) RPG-7V, C-80 LAW, Carl Gustav M2 RCL, M106 RCL (RCL=recoilless rifle) to the AT4/AT4CS and obviously, the ATGMs mentioned earlier.
However there is one class of anti-tank weapon that is absent in Malaysian Army arsenal; the 3rd generation, Fire-and Forget ATGM
This 3rd generation system has several advantages over SACLOS weapon:
-These are shoulder launched weapon. and Metis-M(and Baktar Shikan,up to a certain degree) is a portable weapons but it requires the operator to lie down on their belly. Thus it takes precious time to aim fire and run out of enemy retaliation (while these shoulder-launched ATGMs can be fired from standing position).
-Fire and Forget capability means that the operator doesn’t have to guide the missile and can move to other location at the time the missile leave the tube, which also to prevents countermeasures from the enemy.
-IR-seeking missile is a passive way of targeting the enemy(that is by detecting the IR signature of the tank, usually the engine and the exhaust), instead of flashing IR laser that would trigger the MBT counter ATGM capability(thus the thick diesel smoke) and will leave the operator exposed to enemy retaliation.
-the nature of SACLOS ATGM (which is either wire-guided, or laser-guided) means it can only be fired at the line of sight, thus requires no obstacle between the system and the target .SACLOS ATGM also has relatively flat trajectory; hence it would give away the operator’s location. 3rd generation ATGM (especially Javelin) can be fired even when the target is behind obstacles(trees, houses, hill, etc.) since the IR-seeking sensors will guide the missile on its own towards the target. Such capability is called NLOS (Non line of sight) capability.
-NLOS capability have also give birth to one very effective way of destroying the target (usually MBTs); the top-attack capability. Contemporary tanks have their armor at the thickest in the front and sides, while top of turret has the least. Top-attack capability ensures that the tank could be destroyed (total kill) with just one missile.
-These system can also engage low flying aircraft (helos, CAS aircraft, transport aircraft, etc). And the heavy warhead (used to target heavy armor) can easily blows them aircrafts to pieces.
Currently there are 4 countries that have successfully developed their version of 3rd generation ATGM, the Javelin(USA) the J-Javelin(Japan), spike(Israel) and K-ATGM( South Korea).European countries are also developing their own version; Pars-3(Germany) and Turkey, both are still in development.
Considering few other factors though (the Javelin is fucking expensive, the Japs would never sell their weapon to anyone, and Malaysia doesn’t have any diplomatic relationship whatsoever with Israel, thus rules out the possibility of spike),the author have choose K-ATGM(which the author will explain in the future) as the most plausible option for Malaysian Army, since South Korea has previous military sale success in Malaysia(the K200A1 KIFV, and recently, the MPSS projects has been given to South Korean firm).K-ATGM has 2 version, the platoon anti tank weapon and heavier system to be installed in their new AIFV(which is still under development).
Given the Malaysian Army acquiring such system, it would definitely boost our anti-armor capability to another level (given our wide array of anti armor weapon system to begin with) and thus would give significant edge to Malaysian Armed Force’s dissimilar warfare capability.
South Korea's K-ATGM
