Singapore Army unveils Rafael Spike SR missiles

Lethal weapon: A RAFAEL Spike-SR missile, mounted on a tripod and connected to a simulator, was unveiled for the first time at the Singapore Army Open House 2017, which was organised by Headquarters 6th Combined Arms Division.

The Singapore Army has introduced the Rafael Spike-SR (short-range) as the new generation anti-tank guided missile for its infantry battalions.

The Spike-SR made its public debut at the Singapore Infantry's display at the just-concluded Army Open House 2017 (27-29 May 2017).

Issued at Company level, the Spike-SR has replaced the long-serving (and lethal) Carl Gustav 84mm recoilless rifle (RR) as a Company support weapon.

In a Singapore Army infantry battalion, the Spike-SR complements the MATADOR (Manportable Anti-Tank Anti-DOoR). The single-shot, 90mm MATADOR is issued at a scale of two tubes per seven person section.

Designed with a launch-and-leave capability, the Spike-SR is said to give anti-tank gunners the ability to reach out and touch something up to 1km away. However, the quoted maximum effective range for the weapon, according to open source reports, is said to be 1,500m. Minimum engagement range is said to be 50m - the length of an Olympic-length pool.

Training of Spike-SR operators is augmented by a desktop simulator. This presents the image seen by gunners in the weapon's thermal sight (white/black hot options) and can be programmed with tactical scenarios that call for operators to work as an integrated fire team by recognising a threat vector and commanding the appropriate response/firing solution.

At the Spike-SR display, Senang Diri experienced a mock engagement of an MBT using this weapon. Digits on the left hand controlled the zoom function for the thermal sight. The right hand was used to initiate lock-on while the thumb was used to depress the firing button. Guided by an instructor, the simulated tank target several hundred metres away was destroyed at the first attempt.

According to some reports, the missile is able to engage static or moving targets. A variety of warhead types can be used to optimise the blast effect on targets.


Weighing just 200 grams shy of 10kg, the Spike-SR is not a handy weapon. The Carl Gustav 84mm RR is heavier, weighing in at around 15kgs unloaded lighter at about 8.5 kgs empty [Note: The 8.5kg weight refers to the M3 model of the 84. The one used by the SAF weighed around 15kg. The sentence has been amended accordingly.]. Each "84" launcher must be served by two operators - firer and loader - whereas the Spike-SR is essentially a single operator weapon. This crew size does not include the detachment commander, who would usually perform range finding and IFF functions to avoid blue-on-blue encounters.

In addition to the launcher's weight, fire teams must also carry 84mm rounds, each of which weighs upwards of 3kgs per round.

The Spike-SR accords a precision fire capability to AT teams to an Infantry COY.

However, the merits of a precise, single-shot weapon (Spike-SR) versus a less-accurate weapon (84mm RR) that nonetheless packs a lethal punch where the rounds land (not to mention the versatility of the RR with the wide range of munitions available) is likely to provide fodder for spirited debates among military buffs.

Spike-SR is one of a number of Spike missile variants fielded by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).