Aries
Notes: This was Spain’s first candidate to replace its aging MAWs with a light ATGM. The Aries was to be a light system to be fired from a small tripod similar to the later Israeli Gill/Spike System. The Missile was to be self-contained in a throwaway container, and have a tandem warhead with a fragmentation jacket for antipersonnel effect. The launcher includes an image intensifier. Further development led to the MACAM-3, which was much lighter and more advanced in design, and the Aries was passed by the wayside for later technology.
Twilight 2000 Story: The Aries was fielded in early 1993 and became one of the mainstays of Spanish and Portuguese light antitank forces.
Weapon |
Weights |
Missile Caliber |
Guidance |
Missile Speed |
Prices |
Aries |
(Launcher) 11.4 kg; (Missile) 15.9 kg |
148.6mm |
Wire SACLOS |
1175 |
(Launcher) $2752; (Missile) $1205 |
Weapon |
Reload |
Round |
Min Range |
Max Range |
Damage |
Pen |
Difficulty |
Aries |
5 |
HEAT-T-FRAG |
65 |
2000 |
C22 B69 |
137C/171C |
AVG |
MACAM-3
Notes: This weapon is the new Spanish light ATGM, produced by Gyconsa. It is a rather new weapon, and is rather rare. The launcher unit clips on to the missile tube, which comes pre-packed from the factory. The firing unit is powered by a small battery that lasts for four hours in the "on" position. The missile is guided by fiberoptic strands that reel out from the missile, similar to a wire-guided missile, but more reliable and responsive. The firing unit incorporates a passive IR unit for night use. In an emergency, the MACAM-3 missile tube can be placed on a TOW missile launcher and launched and guided that way. The warhead is of the tandem HEAT variety, and is a top-attack missile. Once fired, the operator can then drop the missile and firing unit, and the missile will guide on a fire-and forget basis. Locking on in this manner requires 3 phases (15 seconds) of aiming. The missile may also be guided in a conventional manner (i.e. throughout its entire flight); this requires only one phase of aiming. Pintle mounts for this weapon exist.
Weights |
Missile Caliber |
Guidance |
Missile Speed |
Prices |
|
MACAM-3 |
(Guidance Unit) 9 kg; (Missile) 13.8 kg |
147mm |
FOG or IR Fire and Forget |
1000 |
(Launcher) $5490; (Missile) $5925 |
Weapon |
Reload |
Round |
Min Range |
Max Range |
Damage |
Pen |
Difficulty |
MACAM-3 (FOG-Guided) |
1 |
HEAT-T-TA |
50 |
5000 |
C29 B55 |
136C/170C |
ESY |
MACAM-3 (Fire & Forget) |
1 |
HEAT-T-TA |
50 |
2500 |
C29 B55 |
136C/170C |
AVG |