MATADOR (weapon)
| MATADOR (Man-portable Anti-Tank Anti-DOoR) | |
|---|---|
The MATADOR (Man-portable Anti-Tank, Anti-DOoR) Short Range Anti-Armour Weapon.
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| Type | Anti-armor |
| Place of origin | Israel / Germany / Singapore |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2000–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | Gaza War |
| Production history | |
| Designer |
Singapore Armed Forces, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Defence Science and Technology Agency |
| Designed | 1999 |
| Manufacturer | Dynamit Nobel Defence |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 8.9 kg (19 lb 10 oz) |
| Length | 1 m (3 ft 3 in) |
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| Caliber | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Muzzle velocity | 250 m/s (820 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 500 m (1,600 ft) |
| Feed system | Disposable |
| Sights |
Integral optical sights |
Integral optical sights
The MATADOR (Man-portable Anti-Tank, Anti-DOoR) is a 90-millimetre (3.5 in) man-portable, disposable anti-armor weapon system developed in collaboration between Israel and Singapore. It is an updated version of the German Armbrust design, and operates on the same principles. The development of this weapon began in 2000 and the MATADOR will eventually replace the German-Singaporean Armbrust Light Anti-tank Weapon, which has been in service since the 1980s.
The MATADOR was developed jointly by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), in collaboration with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Dynamit Nobel Defence (DND) joint team.
The MATADOR is among the lightest in its class. The warhead is effective against both vehicle armour and brick walls. The weapon has little backblast, making it safe for operation in confined spaces.
The MATADOR is supposed to be capable of defeating the armour of most known armoured personnel carriers and light tanks in the world. The dual-capability warhead, when acting in the delay mode, creates an opening greater than 450 mm (18 in) in diameter in a double brick wall, and acts as an anti-personnel weapon against those behind the wall, offering an unconventional means of entry when fighting in built-up areas.
The MATADOR's projectile is claimed to be insensitive to wind due to its propulsion system, which results in a highly accurate weapon system.
The warhead can be used in both High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) and High Explosive Squash Head (HESH) modes against armor and walls or other fortifications respectively. Selection is done by extending a "probe" (most likely a fuse extender) for HEAT mode and leaving the "probe" retracted for HESH mode.
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Wikipedia