Firing took place in Slovenia at the 16th annual SPIKE Missile Users Club conference (SUCM).
By ANNA AHRONHEIMSpike weapon system from an Oshkosh-supplied 4×4 Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) (photo credit: RAFAEL ADVANCED DEFENSE SYSTEMS)
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has successfully demonstrated a live-fire targeted launch of their SPIKE weapon system from an Oshkosh-supplied 4×4 Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV).The firing, which marked the first time that the Spike was fired from a JLTV platform, took place in Slovenia as part 16th annual SPIKE Missile Users Club conference (SUCM) which is jointly organized by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency and a different host user country.SPIKE, a fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile and anti-personnel missile with a tandem-charge HEAT warhead currently in its fourth-generation, was developed and designed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.This year in Slovenia, the SUCM included dozens of SPIKE User delegations as well as observer nations that participated for internal study purposes.“The SPIKE missile Users Club Meeting (SUCM) was founded by the SPIKE user nations in June 2003, and has become a unique platform for the nations to share their knowledge and experience in using the SPIKE missiles, discuss lessons learned in maintenance and live-firings in training, as well as tactical lessons in combat,” Rafael said in a statement.According to Rafael, the Slovenian Army launched two Spike missiles both from a portable launcher as well as from an OSHKOSH JLTV vehicle, which was integrated with RAFAEL’s Mini MLS Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS), which includes a SPIKE vehicle-mounted missile launcher.The two SPIKE missiles both hit their target, a static battle-tank at a range of 2.3km., in infrared and day mode.The Spike Firefly miniature close combat loitering munition was also demonstrated at SUCM, extracted from a canister by the maneuvering infantry, in vertical takeoff, and engaging targets beyond-line-of-sight.The FireFly was designed for the dismounted soldier who is fighting within the urban arena where despite precision being critical, the enemy is behind cover and the soldier’s situational awareness is limited.Slovenian National Armament director, Željko Kralj, who was quoted as saying that he’d never seen a SPIKE LR firing before, said that Slovenia will be establishing a medium-sized infantry battalion group which will include an anti-armor platoon equipped with 4x4 JLTVs with an integrated RCWS.“SPIKE LR is one of the key weapon systems operated by the Slovenian Armed Forces and certainly the most precise against long range armored and other targets,” he said. “After I have seen SPIKE in action today. I am very pleased with the efficiency and efficacy of the system itself, and how it has functioned when mounted on the JLTV.”Developed and produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the SPIKE is a precise electro-optical missile used by 31 countries around the world, 18 of which are European Union and NATO members.More than 5,500 SPIKE missiles have been fired around the world, both in training and in combat.The SPIKE missile, capable of penetrating one meter of armor can be operated in either “direct attack or mid-course navigation based on target coordinates only. These modes enable defeat of long-range hidden targets, with pinpoint precision, damage assessment and the obtaining of real-time intelligence,” according to Rafael.The missile, which can be fired from vehicles, helicopters, ships and ground launchers, has advanced electro-optic seekers which includes capabilities of a smart target tracker with artificial intelligence features.State-owned Rafael has three missiles in the SPIKE family: Spike NLOS; Spike ER; Spike MR/LR and Spike SR. The company has supplied more than 27,000 SPIKE missiles and systems to some 26 countries, including the Philippines, Lithuania, Australia and India, where they are used by armies on various naval and land system platforms.
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