This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2014) |
Mokopa | |
---|---|
Type | Air-to-surface |
Place of origin | South Africa |
Production history | |
Manufacturer | Denel Dynamics |
Produced | 1996–present |
No. built | 74 (2009)[1] |
Specifications | |
Mass | 49.8 kg (110 lb)[2] |
Length | 1.995 m (6.55 ft) |
Diameter | 17.8 cm (7.0 in) |
Warhead | Tandem-charge high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) able to penetrate > 1000+ mm RHA; Blast Fragmentation |
Engine | Solid-fuel rocket |
Operational range | 10,000 m (6.2 mi) |
Maximum speed | 530 m/s (1,200 mph) |
Guidance system | Semi-active laser homing millimetre wave radar seeker |
Launch platform | Fixed wing aircraft, helicopter, ground vehicles, boats, ships |
The ZT-6 Mokopa is a South African air-to-ground anti-tank guided missile.[1] As of 2005[update], it is in its final stages of development, and is being integrated onto the South African Air Force's Rooivalk attack helicopters. The missile is produced by Denel Dynamics, formerly Kentron. The current version uses semi-active laser (SAL) guidance, requiring the target to be illuminated by a laser designator either on the launch platform or elsewhere; though there are alternative guidance packages available including a millimetre-wave radar (MMW) seeker and a two-colour imaging infrared (IIR) seeker.[2]
All variants of the Mokopa feature two launch modes, lock-on before launch (LOBL) and lock-on after launch (LOAL). LOBL is the older, more conventional mode of missile launching, where a target must be illuminated by the launch platform before launch. LOAL in contrast allows the launch platform to launch the missile with or without being in sight of the target. For the SAL version, this allows either the launch platform to move into place and illuminate the target only immediately before a missile strikes a target, or allows an observer on the ground equipped with a laser designator to guide a missile. This method of launch greatly reduces the exposure time of the launch platform to enemy fire.