7 Things You Didn’t Know About the American SRAW Missile System

While anti-tank missiles may sound technical and niche, fascinating technology and surprising stories often lie behind their development. A good example is the American SRAW system. Here are 7 things you probably didn’t know about this unique missile.

#7: Developed but Lost the Competition

SRAW was an innovative technology but lost competitions both in the UK and the USA. A variant called “Kestrel” competed in the British NLAW program but lost to Sweden’s Saab MBT-LAW. In the U.S., the missile was also evaluated for the MPIM program but ended up without a contract.

#6: Quickly Produced but Rapidly Dropped

The missile was designed in 1990 and already in production by 2002, but production was abruptly halted in October 2003. Only between 750 and 960 units were ever made, making SRAW a rare entity in American military history.

#5: Lightweight and Minimal Recoil

With a weight of just 9.7 kg and a soft-launch technique, SRAW could be safely fired from buildings without risk of backblast or smoke. This made the system particularly attractive for urban warfare.

#4: Two Variants – Two Missions

SRAW came in two variants: FGM‑172A for top attacks against armored targets and FGM‑172B, which served as a bunker-buster with direct or delayed detonation. Many A variants were later converted to the more versatile B version.

#3: Top Attack Like Batman

FGM‑172A employs a dramatic “top-attack” system, where the missile explodes from above with a powerful EFP (Explosively Formed Penetrator). A dual sensor (laser and magnetic) detects armor, allowing the missile to attack from above almost like a superhero striking from above.

#2: “Fire-and-forget” with PLOS

A unique technology behind SRAW is Predicted Line Of Sight (PLOS), where the operator only needs to follow the target for a few seconds before the missile continues on its own. Thus, the soldier could quickly seek cover after firing – a valuable feature on the battlefield.

#1: American-Israeli Collaboration – Rare and Unique

SRAW was created through an unusual collaboration between Lockheed Martin and Israel Military Industries. This combination of American engineering and Israeli military experience made the system both advanced and tactically innovative, although it never quite succeeded commercially.

Our team may have used AI to assist in the creation of this content, which has been reviewed by our editors.