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{{infobox weapon
{{infobox weapon
| name              = YDCh-72
| name              = YDCh-72
| image              = [[Image:YDCh_72.png|300px]]
| image              = YDCh-72.png
| caption            = YDCh-72 with launch tube
| caption            = YDCh-72G with cross-section (middle) and storage/launch tube (bottom)
| origin            = {{flag|Menghe}}<br>{{flag|New Oyashima}}
| origin            = {{flag|Menghe}}
| type              = anti-tank guided missile
| type              = anti-tank guided missile
<!-- Type selection -->
<!-- Type selection -->
Line 18: Line 18:
| wars              =  
| wars              =  
<!-- Production history -->
<!-- Production history -->
| designer          = Chŏnggong Missile Design Bureau
| designer          = Chŏnggong Missile Design Bureau<br>Samsan Defense Group
| design_date        = 2007
| design_date        = 2007-2012
| manufacturer      = Sinsegye Armaments Division
| manufacturer      = [[Samsan Group|Samsan]]
| unit_cost          =  
| unit_cost          =  
| production_date    = 2012-present
| production_date    = 2012-present
| number            =  
| number            =  
| variants          = YDCh-72A (no wire)<br/>
| variants          =  
YDCh-72B (fiber optic wire restored)
<!-- General specifications -->
<!-- General specifications -->
| spec_label        =  
| spec_label        =  
| weight            = 14 kilograms
| weight            = 16 kilograms
| length            = 124 cm
| length            = 127 cm
| launcher_length        = 149 cm
| launcher_length        = 139 cm
| width              =
| width              =
| height            =
| height            =
| diameter          = 110 mm
| diameter          = 140 mm
| crew              =
| crew              =
| passengers        =
| passengers        =
Line 77: Line 76:
| clearance          =  
| clearance          =  
| fuel_capacity      =  
| fuel_capacity      =  
| vehicle_range      = 3,500 meters
| vehicle_range      = 5,000 meters
| speed              =  
| speed              =  
| guidance          = {{wp|Infrared_homing|IIR}} with manual initial stage
| guidance          = {{wp|Infrared_homing|IIR}} with manual initial stage
Line 93: Line 92:
}}
}}


The '''YDCh-72''' ([[Menghean language|Menghean]]: 유도탄 대전차, ''Yudotan DaejeonCha'', "missile, anti-tank") is a type of anti-tank guided missile in service with the [[Menghe|Menghean]] armed forces. It was developed as a license-produced special variant of the [[New Oyashima|Oyashimese]] {{wp|Spike_(missile)|Spike}} missile, modified to meet the needs of the [[Menghean Army]]. The main modifications included the replacement of the electro-optical camera with an IIR-band guidance system, and the replacement of the fiber-optic wire spool with a radio datalink. The missile is smaller and lighter than the preceding YDCh-18, allowing it to be man-portable, but it can also be fired from vehicles and has become standard IFV armament in "Class 4" high-readiness units.
The '''YDCh-72''' ([[Menghean_Army_designation_scheme#Formal_designation|Formal designation]]: 72식 대전차 유도탄 / 七二式對戰車誘導彈, ''chil-i-sik daejŏncha yudotan'', "Type 72 anti-tank missile;" [[Menghean_Army_designation_scheme#Short_designation|Short designation]] 유대차-72 ''Yudaecha-chiri'' "YDCh-72") is a type of {{wp|anti-tank guided missile}} developed in [[Menghe]] during the late 2000s and early 2010s. Though it incorporated some components from similar [[Tír Glas|Glasic]] missiles as part of a technology-sharing agreement, it is an independent design overall, with slightly different capabilities and characteristics.
 
The key feature of the YDCh-72, shared with its Glasic counterpart, is an {{wp|infrared homing|imaging infrared}} seeker combined with a trailing fiber-optic cable. In the lock-on-after-launch mode, the operator fires the missile from a concealed position and identifies targets using the IR-spectrum video feed from the optical seeker. Once a target is selected, the missile autonomously homes in on it, following a top-attack trajectory. A direct-lock, fire-and-forget mode also exists. The missile can be fired from both man-portable and vehicle-mounted tubes.


==Development==
==Development==
The YDCh-72 originated with Menghean interest in an easily portable anti-tank missile which could supplement the YDCh-18 in combat battalions. Although the YDCh-18 was an impressive anti-tank missile in itself, with a higher speed and better accuracy and penetration than the preceding YDCh-13, it still retained the main shortcomings of a {{wp|Semi-automatic_command_to_line_of_sight |SACLOS}} guidance system. A portable launcher or launch vehicle firing the weapon would have to remain stationary and keep the target in its line of sight from launch until impact, exposing it to suppressing fire and, in the case of a vehicle within range of a tank, destruction by the enemy’s main gun. Lock would also be lost if the target vehicle retreated into cover or passed behind an obstacle. Additionally, the missile’s straight trajectory meant that it was most likely to strike the thick turret or glacis armor of a main battle tank, areas which even the improved YDCh-18 tandem warhead were not able to reliably penetrate.
The YDCh-72 originated with Menghean interest in a portable ATGM which could supplement the [[9M134 Valtorna|YDCh-18]] and [[YDCh-70]]. Though the YDCh-18 had impressive accuracy and speed, it still retained the shortcomings of a SACLOS missile, requiring a stationary launch with a clear and uninterrupted line of sight and impacting directly on the thick turret face or glacis armor of an oncoming tank. The YDCh-70 solved the latter problem by using an overflight trajectory and a downward-facing warhead, but it still required that the launch platform remain stationary and track the target, exposing IFVs and missile teams to retaliatory fire.


In order to offset these flaws, the [[Menghean Army]] sought out an anti-tank missile with some type of fire-and-forget or non-line-of-sight guidance, either {{wp|Infrared_homing|IIR}} or millimeter-wave radar. These guidance modes would also allow it to follow a top-attack trajectory against the target, striking the thinner top armor and greatly increasing the likelihood of penetration. The [[YDJ-82]], still in development at the time, offered this capability in its ground-launch version. But while a dedicated tank destroyer JYDJ-82 eventually entered service, the YDJ-82 was too large to be mounted on every IFV or carried by dismounted anti-tank squads. In 2008, the Menghean Army decided to pursue a joint contract with New Oyashima, which was also providing assistance with the PD-82. The Oyashimese military already operated the {{wp|Spike_(missile)|Spike}} ATGM, and offered it for export. After accepting a shipment of Spike-MR missiles for training and evaluation, the Menghean military decided it would be more productive in the long run to jointly develop a new variant to meet their needs.
In order to offset these flaws, the [[Menghean Army]] sought out an anti-tank missile with some type of fire-and-forget or non-line-of-sight guidance, either {{wp|Infrared_homing|IIR}} or millimeter-wave radar. These guidance modes would also allow it to follow a top-attack trajectory against the target, striking the thinner top armor and greatly increasing the likelihood of penetration. The YGJ-48, licensed from Tír Glas in 2005, offered both of these capabilities, but due to its size it could only be launched from helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and dedicated launch trucks.
 
At first, Menghean designers considered pursuing a license for the Glasic {{wp|Spike (missile)|Spike-LR}}, but the measure was overruled following disagreements over whether the missile's cost and range met Menghean requirements. Instead, the [[Samsan Group|Samsan Defense Group]] began work on a domestic missile which would fill a similar role. Certain components, including many seeker parts, benefited from technology-sharing agreements with Tír Glas, but were not regulated by a formal license agreement. In other areas, particularly the rocket motor, Samsan applied domestic progress in solid-fuel missile propulsion. The missile was approved for production in 2011 as the YDCh-72 and entered service the following year.


==Design==
==Design==
The new missile, designated '''YDCh-72''', was based on the medium range variant of the Oyashimese ATGM. Its forward guidance unit was replaced by a jointly developed imaging infrared seeker, which would identify the heat signature generated by an operating military vehicle and autonomously home in on it, ending its flight path with a descending top attack dive. In line-of-sight mode, the missile acquires the target designated by the operator, who uses the missile’s own IR seeker in place of a dedicated IR camera on the launcher. After launch, the missile autonomously homes in on the designated target unless further input is given. This allows an IFV to launch the missile from a {{wp|Hull-down#Armoured_warfare|hull-down position}} and then retreat into cover before enemy tanks can destroy the launch vehicle. In an alternative non-line-of-sight mode, the missile can relay its IIR camera feed back to the operator, who manually controls the missile in its early flight and switches it back to autonomous mode after it acquires a selected target. This mode can be used to reach targets beyond an obstacle, adding further protection against retaliatory fire. In the original Oyashimese weapon, this guidance relay was carried out along a fiber-optic wire trailing behind the missile. The YDCh-72 replaced this with a secure radio datalink, out of concern that a wire could snag on foliage or break if the vehicle moved suddenly.
At slightly over 16 kilograms, the YDCh-72 is a little over half the weight of the YDCh-70 which it replaced, and similar in weight to the man-portable YDCh-16 of the airborne forces. This allows a dismounted squad or light helicopter to carry more missiles than the YDCh-18 or -70 would have permitted, for equal or greater anti-tank effectiveness. The tripod, launch optics, display screen, and control interface, however, add to the weight and bulk of the overall system, which still requires at least three crew members to transport and operate in dismounted form. On land and airborne vehicles, these are integrated into the gunner or commander's controls.


At 14 kilograms, the YDCh-72 missile is about the same weight as the YDCh-71 lightweight infantry ATGM and less than half the weight of the vehicle-mounted YDCh-18. This makes it easily man-portable, allowing a dismounted squad to carry more missiles than they could with the YDCh-18 system. The YDCh-72 also retains the Spike’s cold-launch stage, which propels the missile clear of its launch tube before the rocket motor kicks in. This protects an ATGM squad from the rocket blast, especially useful when launching from an enclosed space such as a room in a building, and reduces the dust cloud generated from launching in the open. The YDCh-72 does have a larger rocket motor than the Oyashimese original, and a newer seeker head, which together extend the maximum operational range to about 3,500 meters. This is still less than half the maximum range of the YDCh-18, but the latter weapon could rarely reach this distance due to line-of-sight obstacles, whereas the YDCh-72 can engage targets obstructed by hills or buildings and is more able to use the range at its disposal.
The missile body itself has a two-stage propellant system, with an initial booster stage to propel it clear of the tube and a second sustainer stage to propel it in flight. The booster stage makes the missile safer to fire from confined rooms and reduces the dust cloud it produces on launch. The sustainer stage uses a smokeless, clean-burning propellant, which ensures that the missile does not give away the launcher's position when fired from behind a hill or obstacle. Surrounding the booster is a coil of fiber-optic cable, four kilometers long on the G version and five kilometers long on the N and D versions. Use of a cable rather than a datalink makes the missile much more resistant to jamming, but also limits its speed and range, one of the reasons a fixed-wing-launched version was never developed.


==YDCh-72J==
For targeting, the missile relies on an imaging infrared camera on the nose, coupled to what Menghean sources refer to as a "semi-autonomous guidance system." Initially, some defense analysts misinterpreted this as "semi-active laser homing." In reality, the missile's seeker feeds a false-color image to the operator's screen, which he uses to manually guide the missile in its mid-flight stage. In flight, the seeker identifies possible vehicular IR signatures, which the operator reviews before selecting one as the target. Once a target has been selected, the operator hands off the terminal stage to the missile's autonomous guidance, which follows a top-attack trajectory without further input. This allows the missile to be fired from behind a hill, building, or other obstacle, as long as the operator knows the approximate location of the enemy target. It also allows the operator to better distinguish between friendly and enemy vehicles in the target area, compared with a fully autonomous lock-on-after-launch missile.
During the development process, the Oyashimese authorities proposed expanding the program to include sales of the Spike-ER, which had a longer range and a non-line-of-sight system closer to Menghean design requirements. The Byuntian missile design bureau made some preliminary evaluations of the longer-range missile, which was sometimes shown with the designation YDCh-72J (장거리, ''Janggŏri'', long-range).


In the end, however, the Army leadership decided to use the ground-launched PD-82 as its main long-range AT weapon, filling the intended role of a Spike-ER derivative. The program was officially cancelled, but Changgong has continued side work on a long-range YDCh-72, displaying models of a vertical launch vehicle at the 2015 Hanguang Armaments Expo.
Alternatively, the operator can select a target through the seeker camera while the missile is still in its launch tube, then fire and immediately hand the missile over to autonomous guidance mode. This allows for fire-and-forget capability, but requires line-of-sight contact at the outset.


==YDCh-73==
When carried on foot by a dismounted ATGM team, the YDCh-72 is exclusively fired from a tripod, not from the shoulder. The gunner's sighting unit, fixed to the tripod, has been seen in two versions: one with only a viewscreen to the missile's camera, and one with a viewscreen, a daytime sight, and a nighttime sight, for longer-range target acquisition. The minimum weapon crew consists of three men: a gunner, who points the weapon and guides it in flight; a commander, who identifies targets; and a reloader. The gunner carries the tripod and sighting device, while the commander and loader each carry two reload tubes. These are the same YDCh-72 reload tubes used on all platforms, but with removable foam caps on the front and rear to cushion impacts.
{{infobox weapon
| name              = YDCh-73
| image              = [[Image:YDCh_73.png|300px]]
| caption            = YDCh-73 in handling shell and deployed. Note 125mm APFSDS for size comparison.
| origin            = {{flag|Menghe}}
| type              = gun-launched anti-tank guided missile
<!-- Type selection -->
| is_ranged          =
| is_bladed          =
| is_explosive      =
| is_artillery      =
| is_vehicle        =
| is_missile        = yes
| is_UK              =
<!-- Service history -->
| service            = 2016-present
| used_by            = {{flag|Menghe}}
| wars              =
<!-- Production history -->
| designer          = Chŏnggong design bureau
| design_date        = 2012
| manufacturer      = Sinsegye Armaments Division
| unit_cost          =
| production_date    = 2016-present
| number            =
| variants          =
<!-- General specifications -->
| spec_label        =
| weight            = 19 kilograms
| length            = 91 cm
| cartridge_length        = 103 cm
| width              =
| height            =
| diameter          = 124 mm
| crew              =
| passengers        =
<!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
| cartridge          =
| cartridge_weight  =
| caliber            =
| barrels            =
| action            =
| rate              =
| velocity          =
| range              =
| max_range          =
| feed              =
| sights            =
<!-- Artillery specifications -->
| breech            =
| recoil            =
| carriage          =
| elevation          =
| traverse          =
<!-- Bladed weapon specifications -->
| blade_type        =
| hilt_type          =
| sheath_type        =
| head_type          =
| haft_type          =
<!-- Explosive specifications -->
| filling            =
| filling_weight    =
| detonation        =
| yield              =
<!-- Vehicle/missile specifications -->
| armour            =
| primary_armament    =
| secondary_armament  =
| engine            =
| engine_power      =
| pw_ratio          =
| transmission      =
| payload_capacity  =
| suspension        =
| clearance          =
| fuel_capacity      =
| vehicle_range      = 5,000 meters
| speed              =
| guidance          = {{wp|Infrared_homing|IIR}} with manual initial stage
| steering          = aerodynamic surfaces
<!-- Missiles only -->
| wingspan          = 45 cm
| propellant        = solid fuel rocket
| ceiling            =
| altitude          =
| depth              =
| boost              =
| accuracy          =
| launch_platform    = SCh-5/6A, SCh-6D, SCh-8B
| transport          =
}}
Even while the YDCh-72 was still in development, Army High Command expressed interest in a fire-and-forget gun-launched ATGM for use on main battle tanks. All Menghean MBTs since the [[MinChong-5#Later_upgrades|MCh-5Ch]] had been equipped to fire {{wp|Semi-automatic_command_to_line_of_sight|SACLOS}} ATGMs through the gun barrel, allowing them to engage enemy armor with greater accuracy from a longer range. By the 21st century, however, the utility of such weapons was coming into doubt; ever since the adoption of Oyashimese-based fire-control systems, Menghean MBTs had been able to reliably score first-round hits with 125mm APFSDS at long range, reducing the need for an anti-tank guided missile that took longer to reach the target and was less effective against composite armor.


YDCh-72, especially after its spectacular success in trials, offered a solution to these problems. As on IFVs, its fire-and-forget capability would allow a tank to launch the weapon and then retreat into cover rather than remaining stationary in the face of enemy fire. The top-attack trajectory also offered a weapon to use against MBTs found to be resistant to the [[SuChong-6]]’s long 125mm APFSDS. Some doctrinal experts suggested that the weapon’s range, especially if extended, would allow MBTs to inflict attrition and demoralization on an enemy armored force prior to commencing line-of-sight battle.
Any YDCh-72 tube for infantry service can also be mounted to a land or airborne vehicle's adapter rails, for logistics commonality. On helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft mounts, the tube's front cap is removed before flight to expose the seeker. On enclosed land vehicles, the front cap is removed during mounting but a hinged cap attached to the mounting rail is installed in its place; this folds down to expose the seeker only when the missile is armed, protecting the missile from dirt and moisture. A few prototype vehicles place twin or quadruple launch tubes in a thinly armored box with a hinged front, for moderate shrapnel protection.


In 2012, shortly after the YDCh-72 passed its final firing trials and entered service, High Command commissioned the Changgong design bureau to develop a similar missile which could be launched from a 125mm tank gun. At 110 millimeters in diameter, the YDCh-72 was already narrow enough to fit down the barrel, but it was too long for SCh-6 and [[SuChong-8|SCh-8]] autoloaders to handle even before the addition of a cold-launch element. This challenge led the designers to adapt the YDCh-72 design to the required dimensions, shortening the missile while also increasing its diameter to 125 millimeters. To retain training and manufacturing commonality and speed up the design process, the designers chose to retain the YDCh-72’s seeker and most of its guidance and control electronics. The larger rocket booster allowed a slight improvement in range, and the installation of a heavier tandem HEAT warhead, but these changes also increased the missile's mass. After the Menghean invasion of the Republica Innominada, High Command ordered Changgong to accelerate development of the YDCh-73, and the first prototype was ready for testing in 2015.  
The missile warhead consists of a two-stage tandem {{wp|High-Explosive Anti-Tank|HEAT}} charge. Visual measurements on a scale model suggest that the precursor charge is 60 millimeters in diameter, while the main charge is 120 millimeters. Menghean Army sources claim a total penetration figure of 450 millimeters RHAe after ERA, which is modest for a missile this size, but more than adequate for defeating any operational tank's roof armor on a top-attack trajectory. State publications have also reported that the rear charge is shaped to maximize behind-armor effects rather than penetration.


Owing to these changes, the resulting missile bears the separate designation YDCh-73. Externally, it is shorter and fatter than the YDCh-72, though upon closer examination it still retains the latter’s seeker head and control fins. In order to prevent gun rifling from damaging its skin, the missile is carried within a metal sleeve that falls off after firing. The glass seeker head is also covered by a protective rubber cap during transport, but this is removed just before inserting the missile into the autoloader. Like the YDCh-72, the YDCh-73 does not require an external infrared camera, and in pre-launch preparation it locks on to the target using its own IIR seeker – which in this case must “look” down the barrel while the gun is pointed directly at the target. The gunner can either perform this action on his own optics, or switch to a video feed from the IIR seeker. The missile is launched from the gun barrel under its own power, burning up a combustible case which attaches it to the rear stub. In lock-on-after-launch mode, the gunner remains on this video feed and guides the missile in its early flight, selecting a target and releasing the missile to autonomous mode in a manner identical to the YDCh-72. If lock is already established prior to launch the missile can be placed directly in autonomous mode. Both modes allow the tank to accelerate or retreat into cover after firing, even if this breaks line-of-sight. Field tests in 2015 found that the main gun stabilizer on the SCh-6Ch is sufficiently precise to allow the missile to lock on to a target while the tank is moving, and lock-on-after-launch firing can be performed at high speed on rough terrain if the gunner is skilled.
During live-fire trials in 2017, a YDCh-72N missile successfully struck a slow-moving {{wp|unmanned aerial vehicle}} from a distance of 1.59 km, the first demonstration of the YDCh-72 in an anti-air role. Due to the missile's low speed, short range, and contact fuse, it is unlikely to be effective against fast jets, but it may pose a threat to helicopters and mid-size battlefield surveillance drones if MANPADS launchers are not available.


After performing well on firing trials, the first prototype was accepted for service in early 2016. Operational deliveries were originally set to begin in November of that year, but have been revised back to January 2017 due to production delays. The “D” variant of the SuChong-6 and the “B” variant of the SuChong-8 were both designed to accept the missile, as is the “A” variant of the Marine Infantry’s [[MinChong-5#SuChong-5.2F6|SuChong-5/6]].  
==Variants==
;'''YDCh-72G:'''
:Initial service variant with a range of 4,000 meters, introduced in 2012.
;'''YDCh-72N:'''
:Improved variant introduced in 2017. It has a more efficient propellant section and a longer fiber-optic cable spool, which together increase its range to 5,000 meters. The launch tube is slightly longer, but is compatible with the same operator interfaces.
;'''YDCh-72D:'''
:A variant with a thermobaric warhead for use against soft targets. In terms of operation and characteristics, it is otherwise identical to the YDCh-72N. As it uses the same seeker, it still relies on IR-contrast tracking rather than laser designation or image-matching, which could limit its usefulness in counter-insurgency settings. It is not clear whether the Menghean Army has placed any orders for the weapon, though the Navy has reportedly looked into using it on patrol boats.


==Service==
==Operational service==
Both the YDCh-72 and YDCh-73 are manufactured by the armaments division of '''Sinsegye''', a public-private conglomerate firm which is best known for producing consumer electronics. Although no officially published figures are available, Changgong’s website states that production of the YDCh-72 already numbers “above ten thousand” with many more set to be produced. The weapon is currently standard-issue in the Army’s “Class 4” formations, the fourth and highest ranking for equipment quality in a combat unit. In Mechanized Infantry battalions it is standard-issue at the Squad level, with one group of four launchers on each IFV. These currently account for most YDCh-72 missiles in service. In Class 4 Motorized Infantry battalions it is issued to each Company’s Anti-Tank Squad, with additional vehicle-mounted launchers at the Battalion and Regimental levels. As of 2015, all active Marine Infantry Brigades and Airborne Assault Brigades are fully equipped with the YDCh-72, having used it to replace other ATGM types.
The YDCh-72 is manufactured by [[Samsan Group|Samsan's]] defense wing, which was also responsible for the development work. In Mechanized Infantry formations of the [[Menghean Army]], it is currently being issued at a rate of four launchers per IFV, one on each side of the turret plus two reloads. In motorized infantry formations, it is carried by company-level ATGM squads, with three squad members per launcher, and with additional wheeled ATGM vehicles at the battalion level. Menghean arms designers have also unveiled a number of dedicated wheeled and tracked tank destroyers carrying the YDCh-72, mainly marketed for export. Due to the weapon's high production cost, it is not slated to fully replace the YDCh-70 in the near future, and deliveries in the last few years have prioritized airborne and marine infantry units.


In March 2015, military officials from [[Qusayn]] contacted the Menghean government to request a special sale of the YDCh-72, which is not exported by [[Singun-Battang Korrigae]]. The Menghean government has denied the request, as the weapon is originally licensed in New Oyashima and sale to third-party countries is not possible without the designer’s formal consent.
During the [[Innominadan Crisis]], the YDCh-72 saw limited service in front-line units tasked with the invasion of Innominada. Accounts from veteran crew members have been generally favorable, with consistent praise for the missile's accuracy and versatility. Some criticism has focused on the risks inherent in the lock-on-in-flight guidance system, with two incidents of friendly fire in which a missile launched over the horizon acquired a friendly vehicle and received positive input from the operator. In a press release published in 2015, representatives of the Menghean Army stated that commanders were working on exercises and best practices to minimize the risk of friendly fire with non-line-of-sight anti-tank missiles.


==See also==
==See also==
* [[YDCh-70]]
* [[YDCh-70]]
* [[YDCh-71]]
* [[YDCh-71]]
* [[HRB-14]]


[[Category:Menghe]]
[[Category:Menghe]]

Latest revision as of 02:10, 14 July 2019

YDCh-72
YDCh-72.png
YDCh-72G with cross-section (middle) and storage/launch tube (bottom)
Typeanti-tank guided missile
Place of origin Menghe
Service history
In service2012-present
Used by Menghe
Production history
DesignerChŏnggong Missile Design Bureau
Samsan Defense Group
Designed2007-2012
ManufacturerSamsan
Produced2012-present
Specifications
Weight16 kilograms
Length127 cm
Diameter140 mm
Wingspan47 cm
Propellantsolid fuel rocket
Operational
range
5,000 meters
Guidance
system
IIR with manual initial stage
Steering
system
aerodynamic surfaces

The YDCh-72 (Formal designation: 72식 대전차 유도탄 / 七二式對戰車誘導彈, chil-i-sik daejŏncha yudotan, "Type 72 anti-tank missile;" Short designation 유대차-72 Yudaecha-chiri "YDCh-72") is a type of anti-tank guided missile developed in Menghe during the late 2000s and early 2010s. Though it incorporated some components from similar Glasic missiles as part of a technology-sharing agreement, it is an independent design overall, with slightly different capabilities and characteristics.

The key feature of the YDCh-72, shared with its Glasic counterpart, is an imaging infrared seeker combined with a trailing fiber-optic cable. In the lock-on-after-launch mode, the operator fires the missile from a concealed position and identifies targets using the IR-spectrum video feed from the optical seeker. Once a target is selected, the missile autonomously homes in on it, following a top-attack trajectory. A direct-lock, fire-and-forget mode also exists. The missile can be fired from both man-portable and vehicle-mounted tubes.

Development

The YDCh-72 originated with Menghean interest in a portable ATGM which could supplement the YDCh-18 and YDCh-70. Though the YDCh-18 had impressive accuracy and speed, it still retained the shortcomings of a SACLOS missile, requiring a stationary launch with a clear and uninterrupted line of sight and impacting directly on the thick turret face or glacis armor of an oncoming tank. The YDCh-70 solved the latter problem by using an overflight trajectory and a downward-facing warhead, but it still required that the launch platform remain stationary and track the target, exposing IFVs and missile teams to retaliatory fire.

In order to offset these flaws, the Menghean Army sought out an anti-tank missile with some type of fire-and-forget or non-line-of-sight guidance, either IIR or millimeter-wave radar. These guidance modes would also allow it to follow a top-attack trajectory against the target, striking the thinner top armor and greatly increasing the likelihood of penetration. The YGJ-48, licensed from Tír Glas in 2005, offered both of these capabilities, but due to its size it could only be launched from helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and dedicated launch trucks.

At first, Menghean designers considered pursuing a license for the Glasic Spike-LR, but the measure was overruled following disagreements over whether the missile's cost and range met Menghean requirements. Instead, the Samsan Defense Group began work on a domestic missile which would fill a similar role. Certain components, including many seeker parts, benefited from technology-sharing agreements with Tír Glas, but were not regulated by a formal license agreement. In other areas, particularly the rocket motor, Samsan applied domestic progress in solid-fuel missile propulsion. The missile was approved for production in 2011 as the YDCh-72 and entered service the following year.

Design

At slightly over 16 kilograms, the YDCh-72 is a little over half the weight of the YDCh-70 which it replaced, and similar in weight to the man-portable YDCh-16 of the airborne forces. This allows a dismounted squad or light helicopter to carry more missiles than the YDCh-18 or -70 would have permitted, for equal or greater anti-tank effectiveness. The tripod, launch optics, display screen, and control interface, however, add to the weight and bulk of the overall system, which still requires at least three crew members to transport and operate in dismounted form. On land and airborne vehicles, these are integrated into the gunner or commander's controls.

The missile body itself has a two-stage propellant system, with an initial booster stage to propel it clear of the tube and a second sustainer stage to propel it in flight. The booster stage makes the missile safer to fire from confined rooms and reduces the dust cloud it produces on launch. The sustainer stage uses a smokeless, clean-burning propellant, which ensures that the missile does not give away the launcher's position when fired from behind a hill or obstacle. Surrounding the booster is a coil of fiber-optic cable, four kilometers long on the G version and five kilometers long on the N and D versions. Use of a cable rather than a datalink makes the missile much more resistant to jamming, but also limits its speed and range, one of the reasons a fixed-wing-launched version was never developed.

For targeting, the missile relies on an imaging infrared camera on the nose, coupled to what Menghean sources refer to as a "semi-autonomous guidance system." Initially, some defense analysts misinterpreted this as "semi-active laser homing." In reality, the missile's seeker feeds a false-color image to the operator's screen, which he uses to manually guide the missile in its mid-flight stage. In flight, the seeker identifies possible vehicular IR signatures, which the operator reviews before selecting one as the target. Once a target has been selected, the operator hands off the terminal stage to the missile's autonomous guidance, which follows a top-attack trajectory without further input. This allows the missile to be fired from behind a hill, building, or other obstacle, as long as the operator knows the approximate location of the enemy target. It also allows the operator to better distinguish between friendly and enemy vehicles in the target area, compared with a fully autonomous lock-on-after-launch missile.

Alternatively, the operator can select a target through the seeker camera while the missile is still in its launch tube, then fire and immediately hand the missile over to autonomous guidance mode. This allows for fire-and-forget capability, but requires line-of-sight contact at the outset.

When carried on foot by a dismounted ATGM team, the YDCh-72 is exclusively fired from a tripod, not from the shoulder. The gunner's sighting unit, fixed to the tripod, has been seen in two versions: one with only a viewscreen to the missile's camera, and one with a viewscreen, a daytime sight, and a nighttime sight, for longer-range target acquisition. The minimum weapon crew consists of three men: a gunner, who points the weapon and guides it in flight; a commander, who identifies targets; and a reloader. The gunner carries the tripod and sighting device, while the commander and loader each carry two reload tubes. These are the same YDCh-72 reload tubes used on all platforms, but with removable foam caps on the front and rear to cushion impacts.

Any YDCh-72 tube for infantry service can also be mounted to a land or airborne vehicle's adapter rails, for logistics commonality. On helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft mounts, the tube's front cap is removed before flight to expose the seeker. On enclosed land vehicles, the front cap is removed during mounting but a hinged cap attached to the mounting rail is installed in its place; this folds down to expose the seeker only when the missile is armed, protecting the missile from dirt and moisture. A few prototype vehicles place twin or quadruple launch tubes in a thinly armored box with a hinged front, for moderate shrapnel protection.

The missile warhead consists of a two-stage tandem HEAT charge. Visual measurements on a scale model suggest that the precursor charge is 60 millimeters in diameter, while the main charge is 120 millimeters. Menghean Army sources claim a total penetration figure of 450 millimeters RHAe after ERA, which is modest for a missile this size, but more than adequate for defeating any operational tank's roof armor on a top-attack trajectory. State publications have also reported that the rear charge is shaped to maximize behind-armor effects rather than penetration.

During live-fire trials in 2017, a YDCh-72N missile successfully struck a slow-moving unmanned aerial vehicle from a distance of 1.59 km, the first demonstration of the YDCh-72 in an anti-air role. Due to the missile's low speed, short range, and contact fuse, it is unlikely to be effective against fast jets, but it may pose a threat to helicopters and mid-size battlefield surveillance drones if MANPADS launchers are not available.

Variants

YDCh-72G:
Initial service variant with a range of 4,000 meters, introduced in 2012.
YDCh-72N:
Improved variant introduced in 2017. It has a more efficient propellant section and a longer fiber-optic cable spool, which together increase its range to 5,000 meters. The launch tube is slightly longer, but is compatible with the same operator interfaces.
YDCh-72D:
A variant with a thermobaric warhead for use against soft targets. In terms of operation and characteristics, it is otherwise identical to the YDCh-72N. As it uses the same seeker, it still relies on IR-contrast tracking rather than laser designation or image-matching, which could limit its usefulness in counter-insurgency settings. It is not clear whether the Menghean Army has placed any orders for the weapon, though the Navy has reportedly looked into using it on patrol boats.

Operational service

The YDCh-72 is manufactured by Samsan's defense wing, which was also responsible for the development work. In Mechanized Infantry formations of the Menghean Army, it is currently being issued at a rate of four launchers per IFV, one on each side of the turret plus two reloads. In motorized infantry formations, it is carried by company-level ATGM squads, with three squad members per launcher, and with additional wheeled ATGM vehicles at the battalion level. Menghean arms designers have also unveiled a number of dedicated wheeled and tracked tank destroyers carrying the YDCh-72, mainly marketed for export. Due to the weapon's high production cost, it is not slated to fully replace the YDCh-70 in the near future, and deliveries in the last few years have prioritized airborne and marine infantry units.

During the Innominadan Crisis, the YDCh-72 saw limited service in front-line units tasked with the invasion of Innominada. Accounts from veteran crew members have been generally favorable, with consistent praise for the missile's accuracy and versatility. Some criticism has focused on the risks inherent in the lock-on-in-flight guidance system, with two incidents of friendly fire in which a missile launched over the horizon acquired a friendly vehicle and received positive input from the operator. In a press release published in 2015, representatives of the Menghean Army stated that commanders were working on exercises and best practices to minimize the risk of friendly fire with non-line-of-sight anti-tank missiles.

See also

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