ASM-23 Tayra
| ASM-23 Tayra | |
|---|---|
 x4 ASM-23 Tubes on an AH-52Y Jaquetón | |
| Type | Air-launched Anti-tank missile |
| Place of origin |  Inyursta Langenia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2019–present |
| Used by | Inyurstan Army Langenia |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Martel Arms |
| Designed | 2015 |
| Manufacturer | Martel Arms |
| Produced | 2018–present |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 108lb (49kg) |
| Length | 89in (226cm) |
| Diameter | 6.1in (154.9mm) |
| Warhead weight | 9.9kg Tandem-HEAT |
Detonation mechanism | Impact |
| Blast yield | 1,300mm RHA Penetration |
| Propellant | Solid fuel |
Operational range | 11,300m |
| Speed | 485m/s (Mach 1.4) |
Guidance system | SACLOS Laser, Millimeter Microwave (MMW) |
| Accuracy | <0.5m CEP |
The ASM-23 Tayra is an anti-tank guided missile produced in Inyursta. A further development of the GPM-K Pacarána, the Tayra is optimized for air launch and boasts a range of almost twice that of its forefather, depending on altitude. Named for the Tayra, a large and powerful carnivorous mammal; sticking to the theme of the earlier Pacarana while implying a powerful "size up" and sticking to a simple, easy-to-remember moniker.
Development
Need for Heliborne ATGM
A 2013 military inquiry into the Inyurstan Navy & Inyurstan Marine Corps found that guided rockets were not always sufficient to destroy armored vehicle targets. Existing ASM-7 STRIKE missiles (used to attack enemy small boat swarms) were comparatively large for a helicopter to carry, and in practice only 4-6 could reliably be sortied with. Unlike surface fleet defense, close air support (CAS) missions required more ammunition, more time-on-station and greater need for the pilot(s) to be within closer range of enemy vehicles and infantry positions.
The Inyurstan Army would eventually enter the program too, looking to save costs by investing in a domestically produced missile rather than rely on continued AGM-114 Hellfire imports, provided the missile in question offered a fire-and-forget mode.
Langenia
Features
Like the previous GPM-K missile, the ASM-23 is a supersonic missile, allowing it to engage targets at longer distances (8-11km) quickly while reducing enemy response time to the missile. Its rear-facing receiver also decreases sensitivity to jamming and other soft-kill countermeasures. Both missiles share a >95% parts similarity, with the Tayra being only marginally longer and heavier than its forefather, but with extended range and slightly faster speed due to the physics of air-launch. Martel production plants in Guadalojas, Porte Levesque, and Fjorda De Rivera produce both missiles side-by-side. [X FACILITY] in Langenia also produces the ASM-23 Tayra.
Its 9.9kg tandem-HEAT warhead can defeat modern enemy armor with ERA/NERA. The missile can also effectively engage subsonic, low-flying aerial targets such as helicopters, UAVs and CAS aircraft.
Variants
ASM-23A: Fire-and-forget MMW active radar variant.
ASM-23L: Dual-mode semi-active MMW & SACLOS beam-riding variant.