The MAPATS (Man Portable Anti-Tank System, also a Hebrew word for explosion) is a

laser guided Laser guidance directs a robotics system to a target position by means of a laser beam. The laser guidance of a robot is accomplished by projecting a laser light, image processing and communication to improve the accuracy of guidance. The key ide ...

, beam riding

anti-tank guided missile An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily armored military vehicles. ATGMs range in size from shoulder ...

(ATGM) developed by Israel Military Industries as a possible successor to United States'

wire-guided missile A wire-guided missile is a missile that is guided by signals sent to it via thin wires connected between the missile and its guidance mechanism, which is located somewhere near the launch site. As the missile flies, the wires are reeled out behi ...

BGM-71 TOW The BGM-71 TOW ("Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided") is an American anti-tank missile. TOW replaced much smaller missiles like the SS.10 and ENTAC, offering roughly twice the effective range, a more powerful warhead, and a greatly ...

. MAPATS is sometimes nicknamed ''Hutra'' (in

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

: חוטרא) – an

Aramaic The Aramaic languages, short Aramaic ( syc, ܐܪܡܝܐ, Arāmāyā; oar, 𐤀𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤀; arc, 𐡀𐡓𐡌𐡉𐡀; tmr, אֲרָמִית), are a language family containing many varieties (languages and dialects) that originated in ...

word for "stick". MAPATS can operate day or night, while the gunner must direct a

laser designator A laser designator is a laser light source which is used to designate a target. Laser designators provide targeting for laser-guided bombs, missiles, or precision artillery munitions, such as the Paveway series of bombs, AGM-114 Hellfire, o ...

on the target until missile impact. First revealed in 1984, it has no trailing wire, so it can be fired over water at naval targets or from sea to land, unlike wire-guided ATGMs. The launcher has an elevation ability up to +30°. Externally, MAPATS is very similar in appearance to the TOW 2.

Versions

The newer version of MAPATS, developed in the early 1990s, has a new solid-propellant rocket and better laser guidance. Some new warheads were developed by

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. ( he, רפאל - מערכות לחימה מתקדמות בע"מ, formerly Rafael Armament Development Authority), ("Rafael" from Hebrew acronym of "Authority for the Development of Armaments" - ) is an Israel ...

, including a

tandem-charge A tandem-charge or dual-charge weapon is an explosive device or projectile that has two or more stages of detonation, assisting it to penetrate either reactive armour on an armoured vehicle or strong structures. Anti-tank Tandem charges are ef ...

high-explosive anti-tank High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity ...

(HEAT), and a

high explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An ...

(HE)

bunker buster A bunker buster is a type of munition that is designed to penetrate hardened targets or targets buried deep underground, such as military bunkers. Armor piercing shells Germany Röchling shells were bunker-busting artillery shells, developed ...

Operators

* * * No longer in service. * No longer in service. *

Characteristics

*Effective range: 5,000 meters *Length: 145 cm *Caliber: 156 mm *Weight **Missile itself: 18 kg **Missile in canister: 29.5 kg **Launcher: 66 kg *Propulsion: 2 stage solid-propellant rocket *Penetration: 800 mm (original); 1200 mm (

) *Guidance: laser- beam riding *Warhead:

(HEAT),

(HE)

Comparable systems

* HJ-9 *

ZT3 Ingwe The ZT3 Ingwe (Leopard) is a modern South African multi-role laser beam riding anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) manufactured by Denel Dynamics (formerly Kentron). Design and development The ZT3 and its launch system were developed under the co ...

References

{{IMI IWI smallarms Anti-tank guided missiles Anti-tank guided missiles of Israel Military equipment introduced in the 1980s