South Korean aerospace manufacturer and arms manufacturer LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A) has completed delivery of an initial tranche of AT-1K Raybolt anti-tank guided missile systems to the Philippine Army, open-source intelligence account Para Bellum reported on X. Acquired under the Medium Multipurpose Assault Weapon (MMAW) with Precision Guided Munition (PGM) project—designated contract ORD-PABAC2-025-24 and awarded in late 2024—the initial delivery comprises five launchers and an initial stock of guided munitions. Imagery indicates that LIG Nex1 field technicians are conducting technical training and familiarization courses for Philippine Army personnel at the Army Support Command (ASCOM). This baseline batch is configured primarily for cadre and operator training to build tactical proficiency ahead of larger deliveries, following a subsequent contract placed in 2025 for additional AT-1K Raybolt units slated for delivery in 2027.
The acquisition falls under the final phase of the Revised Modernization Program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, known as Re-Horizon 3, an initiative approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. allocating $35 billion over a ten-year horizon to address critical defense capability gaps. Driven by escalating territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Manila is reprioritizing maritime domain awareness, coastal defense, and ground-based precision strike capabilities, with planned acquisitions spanning surface combatants, multi-domain radar installations, and tactical missile systems. The Philippine Army is expected to pursue regular, small-batch procurements of MMAW with PGMs to steadily expand frontline anti-armor coverage, maintaining a clear procurement distinction between guided precision systems and separate acquisitions for unguided MMAW anti-structure weapons. Given Manila’s established operational reliance on South Korean defense materiel—including light fighter aircraft and naval surface combatants—the adoption of South Korean guided missiles aligns with efforts to standardize logistics and deepen defense cooperation with Seoul.
Developed by LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A, formerly known as LG Innotek and LIG Nex1) in collaboration with South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD) under the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the AT-1K Raybolt (known locally as the ‘Hyungung’) is a third-generation man-portable anti-tank guided missile weapon system built with over 95% domestic content. The system utilizes a soft-launch mechanism enabling safe firing from enclosed spaces and structures, utilizing a smokeless propellant to preserve operator concealment. With an effective engagement range extending from 2.5 to 3.0 km, the Raybolt incorporates an advanced imaging infrared (IIR) seeker providing true day/night, all-weather fire-and-forget capability. The guidance system supports selectable direct-attack and top-attack trajectory modes, optimized to defeat modern main battle tanks, heavily fortified bunkers, and armored fighting vehicles by striking vulnerable roof armor or thin structural sections.
Weighing approximately 20 kg (44 lb), the Raybolt offers enhanced tactical mobility as a two-person manpack system or as a vehicle-mounted platform, such as the Kia Motors K-153C Light Tactical Vehicle chassis utilized by the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. Lethality is driven by a tandem High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead designed to defeat Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) with a penetration capability exceeding 900 mm of Rolled Homogeneous Armor (RHA). Introduced to the Republic of Korea Armed Forces in 2017 to replace aging recoilless rifles and legacy TOW systems, the Raybolt has demonstrated operational performance in foreign operational deployments, including service with the Royal Saudi Armed Forces. South Korea’s continued export campaigns targeting South Asian, Middle Eastern, and South American markets underline the Raybolt’s position as a core export asset within Seoul’s global defense portfolio.
