A manportable anti-tank missile system that appeared to be a South Korean-made LIG Nex1 Raybolt has been seen in a video attributed to the Fourth Brigade that is fighting the Yemeni rebel group Ansar Allah (Houthi). The video,appears to show this fire-and-forget capability as the vehicle it is launched against moves behind high ground during the missile’s flight, obscuring the target from the launch location. The Raybolt underwent successful test evaluations in Saudi Arabia in December 2013 and January 2014. The Raybolt contract is expected to be worth 1 trillion wan through till 2023. In 2018, the Raybolt was used in the Yemeni Civil War by Saudi-backed forces against the Houthis.
The Raybolt’s most notable feature is an imaging infrared seeker providing fire-and-forget capability. It also has a tandem-warhead and both direct attack and top attack modes. The Raybolt uses a smokeless propellant and can be fired from within a building. The Raybolt missile and Observation and Launch Unit (OLU) can either be vehicle-mounted or carried as a manpack by two men. There are also discussions to mount the Raybolt on helicopters. The OLU has day/night capability via a thermal sight. The missile uses a soft launch to escape the barrel before activating the main flight motor.
The Raybolt system weight about 20 kg (44 lb), which its manufacturer describes as lighter than peers. The Raybolt’s range is 2.5 or 3 km.[6] The Raybolt’s can penetrate 900 mm of RHA after HEAT, which is described as “excellent performance” by DAPA. The missile can be carried by a two-man crew or fitted to fire from vehicles. The South Korean Army uses an anti-tank version of the Kia Motors 4×4 Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) called the K-153C; the roof is equipped with a launcher turret with two missiles ready to fire and four additional missiles carried inside the vehicle. The Raybolt is positioned by its manufacturer as a competitor and peer with the American FGM-148 Javelin and Israeli Spike-MR ATGMs.
