Engineering:Alcotán-100

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Short description: Spanish anti-tank rocket launcher system
Alcotán-100
Alcotán-100.png
Single use launcher attached with the reusable VOSEL firing control unit
TypePLOS (predicted line of sight) based unguided anti-tank rocket launcher system[1]
Place of originSpain
Service history
Used bySee Users
Production history
ManufacturerInstalaza SA
Unit costApprox. 17,500 ~ 24,500 $ [2]
Produced1998–present
Variants
  • ALCOTAN-AT (M2) munition: Anti-tank behind ERA
  • ALCOTAN-BIV (M2) munition: Dual purpose (anti-armour + fragmentation)
  • ALCOTAN-ABK (M2) munition: Anti-bunker ALCOTAN-MP (M2) munition: Multi-purpose, three different modes (impact, impact delay and airburst)
Specifications
Mass14 kg (31 lb)[3]
Length1.15 m (3.8 ft)
Crew1

Calibre100 mm (3.9 in)
Effective firing range600 m (2,000 ft)
SightsTelescopic sight with night vision
Warhead
Blast yield700 mm (28 in) penetration (ERA + armour steel)

PropellantSolid-fuel rocket
Guidance
system
PLOS (Predicted Line Of Sight)
Launch
platform
Man-portable launcher

Alcotán-100 is a recoilless, one-man portable, single-use (firing control unit is reusable) anti-tank rocket launcher system used by infantry, manufactured by Instalaza.[1][3] The firing control unit predicts the future aiming point based on calculation before the rocket fire.[1] It is being used as an infantry-type weapon and fireable from confined spaces. Instalaza claiming it to be, "the highest performance in unguided shoulder launched systems".[1] It is in service with the Spanish Armed Forces and exported to other countries.

The ALCOTAN-100 shoulder launched weapon system has been deployed successfully in several conflicts around the World.

History

Production of the Alcotán-100 began in 1998.[4]

Description

The Alcotán-100 fires a 100 mm (3.9 in) HEAT charge, in addition to HE/FRAG and HEDP (dual-purpose) rounds, and the weapon can be fired from confined spaces. The weapon also has a laser range finder and a ballistic computer; this firing control unit must be turned on before the weapon can be operated.[4]

VOSEL Fire System

The VOSEL fire control unit is available in two different versions, VOSEL (M2) and VOSEL (M2)-IR.[1] The VOSEL (M2) fire system gives the Alcotán-100 (M2) a high hit probability. It incorporates night vision that allows the operator to identify a target up to 1,200 metres in the night, a laser rangefinder with a range up to 2,000 metres and a ballistic computer.[3] After calculating the lead of the moving target, the computer will shows the gunner the future aiming point. The soldier then uses the aiming point to a hit. This mechanism reduces the reaction time and maximize the hit probability.[1]

The VOSEL fire system can be used separately from the launcher tube as a night surveillance telemetric device.[3]

Specifications

Cutaway model of the Alcotán-100
  • Calibre: 100 mm
  • Length: 1.15 m
  • Weight:
    • Launcher with projectile:[1] 10.5 kg ALCOTAN-AT (M2), 10 kg ALCOTAN-BIV (M2), 9.8 kg ALCOTAN-ABK (M2), 10.3 kg ALCOTAN-MP (M2)
    • Fire system: 4.5 kg[3]
  • Range:[1]
    • 30 m to 600 m point target for the ALCOTAN-AT (M2), ALCOTAN-BIV (M2), ALCOTAN-ABK (M2) and ALCOTAN-MP (M2)
    • >1,000 m for ALCOTAN-BIV (M2) (area target) and 1,000 m for ALCOTAN-MP (M2) (airbust)
  • Engine: Solid-fuel rocket
  • Penetration:[1]
    • Anti-tank ALCOTAN-AT (M2): 700 mm (explosive reactive armour + armour steel)
    • Dual purpose ALCOTAN-BIV (M2): 400 mm (armour steel) along with >1000 fragments
    • Anti-bunker ALCOTAN-ABK (M2): 350 mm (concrete, ∅ >50 mm for 2nd warhead follow-through) along with >2500 fragments inside bunker, 170 mm (armour steel)
    • Multi-purpose ALCOTAN-MP (M2): Effective against light armour and brick walls, >3000 fragments (airbust)


Current operators

 Spain
  • Spanish Armed Forces
 Peru
  • Special Forces[5][6]
  • Cavalry and mountain infantry units, with 74 launchers with 660 rockets.[7]
 Bahrain
  • Bahrain Defence Force[8]
 Ukraine
  • Armed Forces of Ukraine.[9]
 Pakistan
  • Pakistan Armed Forces[10]
 Bangladesh
  • Bangladesh Army: ALCOTAN-AT (M2) and ALCOTAN-BIV (M2) along with VOSEL (M2) firing control units.[11]
 Bangladesh
  • Border Guard Bangladesh: ALCOTAN-100 along with VOSEL (M2) firing control units.[12]

Users

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "ALCOTAN-100 (M2), the highest performance in unguided shoulder launched systems" (in en). http://instalaza.com/producto/alcotan/?lang=en. 
  2. PAKISTAN’S ANTI-TANK GUIDED MISSILE REQUIREMENTS https://quwa.org/2019/10/27/pakistans-anti-tank-guided-missile-requirements-2/
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "ALCOTAN-100" (in es). http://usuarios.multimania.es/instalaza/alcotan.html. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 Malory, Marcia. "Spain - Alcotán-100 Weapon System - Anti Tank Weapons" (in en). tanks.net. http://www.tanks.net/anti-tank-weapons/spain-alcotan-100-weapon-system.html. 
  5. "Future of Alcotan-100 Hangs on Spanish Army Procurement" (in en). 9 July 2010. http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/116312/infantry-battlefield-missiles%3A-market-briefs.html. 
  6. "Unknown title" (in es). http://defensa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4753:lanzacohetes-instalaza-para-la-1ra-brigada-de-fuerzas-especiales-de-peru&catid=55:latinoamerica&Itemid=163.  [yes|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
  7. Cruz Tantalean, Cesar (4 August 2013). written at Lima, Peru. "Peru receives, displays new anti-tank weapons" (in en). Janes (Coulsdon, United Kingdom). http://www.janes.com/article/25700/peru-receives-displays-new-anti-tank-weapons. 
  8. "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". https://twitter.com/jeremybinnie/status/1093457616813129728. 
  9. Toro, Carlos (4 March 2022). "Las armas que envía España a Ucrania, de bajo calibre y nada de misiles tierra-aire" (in es). El Mundo. https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2022/03/04/6220fd1fe4d4d8bc048b4594.html. 
  10. Khan, Bilal (22 May 2017). "Pakistan acquired Instalaza Alcotán-100 anti-tank rocket systems". https://quwa.org/2017/05/22/pakistan-acquired-instalaza-alcotan-100-anti-tank-rocket-systems/. 
  11. "Bangladesh Army Special Forces adopt Spanish anti-tank rocket launchers". February 2022. https://www.defseca.com/procurements/bangladesh-army-special-forces-adopt-spanish-anti-tank-rocket-launchers/. 
  12. "Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) adopts Spanish anti-tank weapons". 12 February 2022. https://www.defseca.com/procurements/border-guard-bangladesh-bgb-adopts-spanish-anti-tank-weapons/.