MAPATS

Notes: This Israeli laser-guided ADATS missile was developed in the early-1990s from the TOW series. A new engine, tandem warhead, and laser guidance replaced those components in the TOW II, and an HE-warhead bunker buster was developed as well. The MAPATS has thermal sights for night use. The MAPATS is a fire-and-forget weapon.

Notes: This is a large laser-guided missile that can be fired from towed launchers, vehicle launchers, or helicopters. The Israelis use vehicle launchers based on the Land Rover (known as a Hobbit in that configuration), or sometimes an Abir light vehicle. The trailer-mounted version is quite rare, as it was only an experiment. The primary helicopter launch platform for the Nimrod was modified CH-53 helicopters; this was not only due to the large size of the Nimrod missile (100 kilograms, and over 2.5 meters long), but because the CH-53 was a common delivery vehicle for Israeli special operations teams. Some limited aircraft launching was also carried out. Two versions of Nimrod exist: the standard ground-launched version, and the lighter and shorter-ranged version meant primarily for helicopter and light aircraft launches. The warhead is designed to be useful against armored vehicles, bunkers, ships, and personnel. The launching vehicle or aircraft may fire up to 4 Nimrods at once; the coding instructions for the corresponding laser designators are put into the missiles with the push of a button, and the missiles then seek their targets. If launched from the air, the missile will automatically dive beneath any obscuring cloud layer and then look for the laser designating beam. Twilight/Merc 2000 Story: As Notes.

Notes: This weapon is meant to replace the Dragon and TOW in some applications in Israeli service, but as it entered full-scale production in 1997, it is relatively rare. It may be shoulder-fired or tripod-fired as tactical requirements dictate. The firing post includes a thermal imager, and the Gill/Spike has a top-attack capability. The Gill is the shorter-range system, with a fire-and-forget capability, while the Spike uses a longer-range fiber-optic guidance system, which must be guided for its entire flight. The missile has a tandem warhead for defeating ERA.