AT-1K Raybolt
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. It is the first ATGM to be built by South Korea and entered mass production in June 2017.
AT-1K Raybolt | |
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![]() AT-1K Raybolt launcher mounted on K153C1 Raycolt light tactical vehicle | |
Type | Anti-tank guided missile |
Place of origin | South Korea |
Service history | |
Used by | See Operators |
Wars | Yemeni Civil War[1] Second Nagorno-Karabakh War[2] |
Production history | |
Designer | Agency for Defense Development Hanwha Defense (launcher) LIG Nex1 (missile) |
Designed | 2007–2015[3] |
Manufacturer | Hanwha Vision (launcher) LIG Nex1 (missile) |
Produced | June 2017 – present |
Specifications | |
Mass | 20 kg (44 lb) (include launcher) 13 kg (29 lb) (missile) |
Crew |
|
Maximum firing range | 2,500 m (1.6 mi) 3,000 m (1.9 mi) (observed) |
Sights | Thermal weapon sight |
Warhead | HEAT |
Detonation mechanism | Contact fuze |
Blast yield | 900 mm (35 in) RHA behind ERA |
Maximum speed | 2,082 km (Mach 1.7)[4] |
Guidance system | fire-and-forget-aided Infrared guidance |
Launch platform | Man-portable launcher |
Transport |
The Raybolt is positioned by its manufacturer as a competitor and peer with the American FGM-148 Javelin and Israeli Spike-MR ATGMs.[6]
The Raybolt was first shown publicly at the Indodefence 2014 exhibition[7] and at the IDEX 2015 exhibition.[8]
Development
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.[9] LIG Nex1's priorities during development were world-class performance, weight, export competitiveness through localization of core components, cost-efficiency, and reliability.[10] The development was not completely smooth, and for the first five years there were several failures with "Captive Flight Tests".[10] In a retrospective on the development of the Raybolt, one engineer assessed the greatest challenge as quality assurance.[10] On May 30, 2017, successfully completed the quality certification test of Raybolt organized by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).[11]
The Raybolt was developed to replace obsolete anti-tank weapons, such as recoilless rifles and TOW missiles.[12] 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).[12]
The Raybolt is produced by LIG Nex1 in cooperation with South Korea's Agency for Defense Development, under the auspices of the DAPA.[13] 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.[10] The Raybolt contract is expected to be worth 1 trillion won through till 2023.[14]
Components
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.[13] The Raybolt uses a smokeless propellant and can be fired from within a building.[13] The Raybolt missile and Observation and Launch Unit (OLU) can either be vehicle-mounted or carried as a manpack by two men.[13] There are also discussions to mount the Raybolt on helicopters.[10] The OLU has day/night capability via a thermal sight.[13] The missile uses a soft launch to escape the barrel before activating the main flight motor.[9] It is scheduled to be acquired over the 2018-2022 timeframe.[12]
The Raybolt system weight about 20 kg (44 lb),[12] which its manufacturer describes as lighter than peers.[6] 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.[12]
![](../I/AT-1K_Raybolt_at_IDEX_2023.jpg.webp)
The Raybolt has been marketed to India.[17] Park Tae-sik, senior manager at LIG Nex1, also reports interest from South America.[9]
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
- Man-portable launcher
- 4×4 K153C1 ATGM Carrier
- Rotem KW2 Scorpion Anti-Tank Vehicle
Combat history
The Raybolt was delivered to the Republic of Korea Armed Forces in 2017.[12] It will be used by the Korean Army and the ROK Marine Corps.[10]
In 2018, the Raybolt was used in the Yemeni Civil War by Saudi-backed forces against the Houthis.[1][18]
Operators
![](../I/AT-1K_Raybolt_operators.svg.png.webp)
See also
References
- Jeremy Binnie (26 June 2018). "South Korean Raybolt spotted in Yemen". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 2018-07-02.
- 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.
- "현궁". Agency for Defense Development. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
- 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.
- "Raybolt / Hyeongung ATGM".
- "S Korea's Raybolt ATGM Set To Compete Against Israeli Spike, US Javelin". www.defenseworld.net. 2 June 2017.
- "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".
- "Internal Server Error" (PDF).
- 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.
- "Medium Range Infantry Missile Raybolt" (PDF). LIG Nex1 Magazine (in Korean). January–February 2014. pp. 6–15.
- "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.
- Dagyum Ji (1 June 2017). "Seoul to mass-produce indigenous anti-tank guided missile: DAPA". NK News.
- "Medium Range Infantry Missile Raybolt" (PDF). www.lignex1.com. 26 September 2016.
- Arthur, Gordon (7 December 2016). "Korea ignites Raybolt missile". www.shephardmedia.com. Hong Kong.
- South Korean Raybolt ATGM missile in service with Saudi Arabia army. Army Recognition. 1 October 2018.
- 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.
- "DEFEXPO INDIA 2016". LIG Nex1. 28 March 2016. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- 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.
- "Opinion: South Korea – the next big defence exporter?". www.shephardmedia.com. 19 September 2018.
- Hyo-jin, Lee (2023-10-17). "LIG Nex1 signs partnership agreement with Indonesia's Republikorp". koreatimes. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
External links
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