Spike ( missile ) Spike is a fourth generation man - portable fire - and - forget anti - tank guided missile and anti - personnel missile with a tandem - charge d HEAT warhead , developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and in service with a number of nations . As well as engaging and destroying targets within the line - of - sight of the launcher ( " fire - and - forget " ) , some variants of the missile are capable of making a top - attack profile through a " fire , observe and update " guidance method ; the operator tracking the target , or switching to another target , optically through the trailing fiber - optic wire while the missile is climbing to altitude after launch . This is similar to the lofted trajectory flight profile of the US FGM - 148 Javelin . Design . Spike is a fire - and - forget missile with lock - on before launch and automatic self - guidance . The missile is equipped with an imaging infrared seeker . The medium , long and extended range versions of the Spike also have the capability of " Fire , Observe and Update " operating mode . The missile is connected by a fiber - optical wire that is spooled out between the launch position and the missile . With this the operator can obtain a target if it is not in the line of sight of the operator at launch , switch targets in flight , or compensate for the movement of the target if the missile is not tracking the target for some reason . Hence , the missile can be fired speculatively for a target of opportunity , or to provide observation on the other side of an obstacle . The missile has a soft launch capability – the motor firing after the missile has left the launcher - which allows for the missile to be fired from confined spaces , which is a necessity in urban warfare . The missile uses a tandem warhead – two shaped charge s , a precursor warhead to detonate any explosive reactive armor and a primary warhead to penetrate the underlying armor . Currently , it is replacing aging second generation anti - tank missiles like the MILAN and M47 Dragon in the armies of the user nations . The Spike system is made up of the launching tripod with its fire control unit and the missile . There is no dedicated thermal sight on the launcher – the missile ' s imaging seeker is used . Altogether , the long range variant of the system weighs around . Spike can be operated from the launcher by infantry , or from mounts that can be fitted to vehicles such as fast attack vehicle s , armored personnel carrier s or utility vehicles . Vehicles that are not normally fitted with anti - tank weapons can therefore be given anti - tank capability . Spike has been tested as a weapon system for the SAGEM Sperwer unmanned aerial vehicle . The Spanish Army has fitted the Spike - ER to its Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopters . Both Israel and the United States have experimented with arming Black Hawk helicopters with Spike missiles , the US variant is called UH - 60M Battlehawk . Marketing . In order to ease the selling of the weapon system in Europe , the company EuroSpike GmbH was formed in Germany . Its shareholders Diehl BGT Defence ( 40 % ) , Rheinmetall Defence Electronics ( 40 % ) and Rafael via ERCAS B . V ( 20 % ) . ERCAS B . V . is a Dutch holding company owned 100 % by Rafael . EuroSpike GmbH is located in Röthenbach , Germany . The Spike weapon system differs a little from the Israeli version and is then marketed under the name EuroSpike . For other areas of the world , Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd . is solely responsible . Variants . The reusable Command & launch unit ( CLU ) , battery , tripod and the thermal sight are common across all land - based versions ( with the exception of Spike NLOS ) of the Spike missile family , each weighing , , , and respectively .