Developed jointly by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the
Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA), in collaboration
with Dynamit Nobel Defence (DND), the MATADOR (Man-portable
Anti-Tank, Anti-DOoR) is a 90mm calibre man-portable
disposable anti-armour weapon system which meets
the needs of the modern battlefield, especially in an increasingly
urbanised environment. The development of this weapon began in 2000
and the MATADOR will eventually replace the ARMBRUST Light
Anti-tank Weapon which has been in service since the
1980s.
The MATADOR, which is among the lightest in its
class, has both anti-armour and anti-brickwall
capabilities that is suitable for operations in confined spaces.
With its enhanced penetration capabilities, it is capable of
defeating most known Armoured Personnel Carrier and Light Tanks in
the world. The dual-capability warhead, when acting in the
delay mode, creates an opening larger than 450mm
diameter in a double brickwall and offers a non-conventional entry
point for the soldier when fighting in built-up areas. The
increased range of the MATADOR over the current
ARMBRUST allows the soldier to engage targets beyond small arms
effective range and therefore increasing the survivability of our
soldiers.
The MATADOR's innovative propulsion system results in a highly
accurate weapon system whose projectile is insensitive to wind.
Combined with ergonomic features and a high precision optical
sight, the MATADOR can be fired from a small confined
space to enhance our operational capabilities in both
conventional and urban operations.
In the development of the weapon, our soldiers feedback during
ergonomics trials and many other useful features found in the
ARMBRUST were incorporated in the design of the MATADOR.
The longer front grip handle prevents the soldier from misplacing
his finger in front of the muzzle during firing, thereby
eliminating the risk of injury. It also allows the soldier to rest
the weapon on the ground, thus improving accuracy when maintaining
a firing position. The foldable pistol grips allow the soldiers to
lock the weapon, preventing accidental firing.
Field trials were conducted to tailor the position of the optical
sight to the SAF soldiers. The chosen sight magnification provides
the soldiers with good field of view to allow for more precise
strike on target. The MATADOR is equipped with Picatinny rail for
mounting night vision device for night operations. Improvements
have also been made to the sighting system to enhance target
acquisition.
The countermass counteracts the recoil of the weapon upon firing.
In addition, the positioning of the countermass takes into
consideration the centre of gravity of the weapon to ensure good
balance for greater accuracy. A wider soft rubber sling replaced
the conventional hard, slim canvas sling to reduce the stress on
the soldiers shoulder due to prolonged slinging. The new sling
also comes with a quick-release buckle to allow rapid switch from
sling to firing position.
Furthermore, the carriage of the weapon has been made more
comfortable with better padding, a feature useful for long route
marches. As a whole, these easy-to-use features will help our
soldiers achieve proficiency in using the weapon within the
shortest possible time.
The MATADOR is a crucial step forward in the Armys journey to
transform itself into a 3rd generation fighting force and will
greatly enhance the firepower of the Infantry
Formation. The Army will gain the added capability to
fight in built-up areas. With the improvements to make the weapon
user-friendly, our soldiers will find the weapon easy to operate
and will spend less training time to achieve proficiency.
Technical Specifications
Calibre 90 mm
Weight of weapon 8.9 kg
Weight of projectile 2.6 kg
Length of weapon 1m
Muzzle velocity: 250 m/s
Flight time to 300m: 1.2 s
Temperature range: -40°C to +63°C
Effective range: 500 m
Firing from confined space >15m3
Warhead Capability: HEAT or HESH mode
--iMINDEF
