SHAH ALAM: In early June, Malaysian Defence reported that five bidders have been shortlisted for the tender of 18 Anti-Tank Guided Weapon Medium Range (ATGW-MR) which was published on April 18. It was supposed to close on May 18 but the deadline was extended to June 1.
From the story: The lowest bidder is RM42.075 million; followed by RM42.322 million; RM44.550 million; RM44.736 million and highest RM46.673.
Malaysian Defence can reveal today that the winner of the tender is the Roketsan Karaok. Roketsan said the
Man Portable Short-Range Fire-and-Forget Anti- Tank Guided Missile KARAOK is a system that is effective at both day and night due to its Imaging Infrared Seeker.
From the specifications above one will know that the Karaok is the shortest range ATGW-MR selected out of the other four bidders. The specifications of the tender (edited for brevity):
There is a requirement for the Anti-Tank Platoon of Infantry Battalion to be equipped with Anti-Tank Guided Weapon Medium Range (ATGW-MR) which is capable to engage and destroy enemy armour and heavily fortified bunker at a distance between 2000 m to 4000 m.
Penetration Capability. It shall be able to defeat ERA and subsequently main armour plate at least 900 mm RHA with BAE to inflict casualty to crew and vehicle.
Attack Capability. It shall have Top Attack Mode and Direct Attack Mode.
Effective Range. It shall be between 2000 m to 4000 m.
Guidance System. It shall be Imaging Infrared (IIR) homing guidance with cooled or uncooled system to provide better imagery.
Warhead. It shall be tandem shaped charge.
Quantity of Missile. At least one (1) missile foe each launcher.
Weight of Complete System. It shall be not more than 25 kg.
Guidance System. It shall have Automatic Command Line of Sight (ACLOS) fire and forget guidance system.
Reliability. It shall be highly reliable when used in any environment.
Observation and Launching Unit (OLU). Minimum 15 years.
Missile. Minimum 10 years.
The 18 Roketsan Karaok ATGW-MR system purchased will come with six missiles for each launcher. The package should also include one indoor simulator; three outdoor simulators; three cut-open missile that expose its components and test equipment. The only other known user of the Karaok is the Turkish Army.
Once in service, the Karaok would replace the Metis-M ATGW-MR system currently fitted on G-Wagen 4X4 vehicles. The new ATGW-MR will be deployed on the Cendana Auto Weapons vehicles.
It is unclear whether the LOI has been issued to the local company offering the Karaok despite the selection as the Defence Ministry secretary general has yet to be appointed. The acting KSU can sign off the LOI, according to one of my sources.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (51)
So in a nutshell this karaok atgw not really fulfill the requirement for medium range atgw right? Maybe another separate tender for that? This will replace the bahktar shikan right?
It does
Well, another tender completed.
In all this is worth just around USD10 million, which makes it a relatively small contract.
For that amount, the army will have 108 top attack ATGM.
Unlike the SOF vehicle marhalim posted, this will probably be installed on one of the 49 ARTAC Armed Tactical Ground Vehicles already ordered.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Cendana_Auto_4x4_vehicle.jpg
That is a great vehicle design, but unfortunately is a soft skinned vehicle just like a normal hilux.
For the context, this ATGM buy is a recapitalization project of the ATGM platoon of support companies in the 7th Brigade infantry battalions (of which there is 3). The 7th Infantry Brigade is tasked to defend the southern malayan peninsular. This is the only infantry brigade with its own ATGM missiles (other than 10 PARA with NLAW and 4 MEK with Baktar Shikan).
To have the rest of the infantry battalions (other than 10 PARA and 4 MEK) the same type of ATGM and the same numbers as this buy for 7th Infantry Brigade, we will probably need 72 more launchers, which will cost USD 40 million. But that will give us just 432 more missiles (at 6 missiles per launcher). USD 40 million is nothing, and we should have more ATGM anyway.
I believe a minimum number of ATGM missile allocation that we should have is 3-4x of that per launcher.
A combination of ATGM, and recoiless such as the latest Carl Gustaf, would be ideal to increase the direct fire lethality of our infantry formations.
https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/005/598/484/large/elias-almen-carlgustaffinal72.jpg
So the requirement only for 18 launchers or there will be another purchase to replace bakthar shikan also?
Not at the moment as the BS is only with 12th Mek and possibly 7 RRD.
@ firdaus
The Karaok will replace the Metis-M, in service with the 7th Infantry Brigade.
Baktar Shikan, is in service with the 4th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. We bought 450 missiles with unknown total number of launchers.
@ marhalim
Yes, Baktar Shikan is in service with 12 RAMD and 7 RRD, which is a part of the 4th Mechanized Infantry Brigade.
I have seen Baktar Shikan Adnans with 12 RAMD and 7 RRD tactical markings.
Hulubalang says: "For that amount, the army will have 108 top attack ATGM".
Would appreciate if you can elaborate and also, how your alternative recommended model is better in term of quality (not qty).
TQ
@ steelshot
elaborate on how did i get the 108 missile number?
From the article:
"The 18 Roketsan Karaok ATGW-MR system purchased will come with six missiles for each launcher"
18 launchers x 6 missiles each = 108 missiles in total.
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.
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How my alternative is better?
It is not about better, it is about what minimum capability do we need to have.
We have to defend not just the south of malaysian peninsular (where the units that is allocated all those Karaok ATGM is assigned to), but central and northern peninsular too. Then we also need to defend sabah and sarawak.
now we have bought 18 Karaok ATGM launchers for 7th infantry brigade (which is a part of the 3rd Division, together with 4th mech brigade with Baktar shikan and Ingwe). Currently only 3 Division, 10 PARA & GGK have ATGMs at their disposal.
If we want the same numbers of Karaok for
1) north peninsular (2 Division)
2) central peninsular (4 Division)
3) sarawak (1 Division)
4) sabah (5 Division)
If each is to have the same numbers (18 Karaok ATGM launchers), then we need a total of 72 more launchers (18 x 4).
If each launcher only have 6 missiles allocated, if there is an all out hostility, we would probably use up all the available missiles in just 1 day.
So how deep is our ammo stock that we need to have? Is keeping 1 weeks worth of missiles too much or too little?
So now we have the Roketsan Karaok.
Maybe we could have Cakir (for TLDM) and SOM (for TUDM) next.
PS. I still hope that we could have the Raybolt, at least for the baktar shikan replacement in the future.
Hulubalang,
No, I disagree. I think the better replacement for the Adnan mounted BS will be the OMTAS. No point getting the Raybolt, it’s just the same as the Karaok. The OMTAS can be fired from inside the Adnan without the operator being exposed.
Nice but i still take omtas as bakhtar replacement though as this karaok already selected.From the same manufacturer..Raybolt is good to but akeron and omtas are new gen atgw ( correct me if im wrong )