Spanish Army newspaper Tierra said the Spanish Army plans to convert some 60 of its M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers(Transporte Oruga Acorazado) into Spike anti-tank missile platforms. Engineers at the Armoured Systems Maintenance Centre (PCMASA) have already developed a prototype that has been tested by Regiment No 31 ‘Asturias’, part of XII Brigade ‘Guadarrama’. This version is based on the M113 A2 TOA Milan Misil Contracarro (MCC). Spike missile launcher is among a number of new roles assigned to Spanish M113s ahead of their replacement in the APC role by the Piranha 5 (to be known as the VCR in Spanish service).
Spike is an Israeli fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile and anti-personnel missile with a tandem-charge HEAT warhead developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. In December 2006, the government of Spain placed an order for 260 launchers and 2,600 Spike-LR missiles, to replace Milan and Dragon missiles. General Dynamics Santa Barbara has signed a contract with Rafael for local production of the missiles. Deliveries began in 2009 and scheduled to conclude in 2014. In January 2008, Spain placed an order for Spike-ER missiles to equip the 24 Tiger HAD attack helicopters on order from Eurocopter.
