Turkey’s Roketsan wins Malaysian deal for Karaok anti-tank missiles

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish missile-maker Roketsan has won a contract to sell 108 Karaok anti-tank guided weapons to Malaysia, according to government and industry sources.

This is the first export contract for the Karaok system, Turkish officials said. The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not formally confirm the deal because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

One procurement official said Roketsan defeated three rivals to win the Malaysian contract, including contenders from South Korea and China. An industry source estimated the contract price at around $20 million.

Defense News has contacted Roketsan and the Malaysia Embassy in Turkey for further information on those who bid for the contract, as well as the sale’s value.

One Roketsan official said the Karaok system is capable of engaging and destroying armor and fortified bunkers at a distance of 2-4 kilometers (1.2-2.5 miles).

The Karaok features imaging, infrared homing guidance. The weapon’s diameter is 125mm diameter, it weighs less than 16 kilograms (35 pounds), and the system incorporates an armor-piercing tandem warhead. It offers both direct and overhead strike modes with a fire-and-forget mode.

The Karaok system will come with six missiles for each launcher — 18 launchers in total. The system will also include indoor and outdoor simulators as well as test equipment.

Once in service, the Karaok system will replace the Soviet-era Metis-M currently fitted on four-wheel drive G-Wagen vehicles. The Karaok weapons will be deployed on Cendana Auto light armored vehicles.

The Karaok is the Turkish equivalent of the FGM-148 Javelin guided anti-tank missile, jointly produced by Lockheed Martin and RTX. The American-made weapon has recently gained notoriety from its use by Ukraine as it fights off a Russian invasion.

Roketsan began to develop the Karaok in 2016. The company showcased the system at the IDEF exhibition in Istanbul in 2019. The Karaok successfully completed its first guided test fire in 2020 and entered the Turkish military’s inventory in 2022. The Turkish Army has ordered 300 Karaok systems.

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