Waiting for the 'Almas' Action in Gaza, the Iranian-Made Anti-Tank Missile that Israel Fears

Unofficial sources said Kornet anti-tank missiles had been used by Hamas fighters in fighting against Israeli ground forces. More specifically, the type of Israeli armored vehicle that Kornet managed to destroy was the Namer chain-wheel APC. 

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Like Hezbollah in Lebabon, it is strongly suspected that some of Hamas' weapons came from Iranian assistance. Apart from Iran which has supplied the Kornet (Dehlavieh), the debut of other anti-tank missiles from Iran is expected to cause losses to the Zionist forces.

And one of the anti-tank missiles that is anticipated to debut in the war in Gaza is Almas – Anti Tank Guided Missile (ATGM). Around 2020-2021, Almas made his debut by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).

Apart from its debut as a ground-launched anti-tank missile, Almas can also be launched as an air-to-surface missile, namely by being mounted on the Mohajer-6 combat drone (UCAV) and AJ-1J Cobra attack helicopter. 

When launched from the air, Almas can hit targets as far as 8,000 meters. Meanwhile, in its original version (ground launcher), Almas 1 can destroy targets at a distance of 4,000 meters. The Almas missile is 1,100 mm long with a diameter of 130 mm. The weight of the missile is 11.5 kg, and the full weight of the launcher is 15 kg. 

Thread on "Eghtedar 1402" drills by Iranian Army's ground forces.
Portable version of the Iranian "Almas-1"ATGM system. pic.twitter.com/Fkr69sTo3a

— Yuri Lyamin (@imp_navigator) October 27, 2023

With a tandem HEAT (High Explosive Anti Tank) warhead, Almas can penetrate armor with a thickness of 600 mm. Amas relies on Infrared homing guides – Electro-optical (CCD, imaging infrared (IIR), or dual CCD/IIR), passive CCD or dual CCD/IIR seeker, so Almas can be launched in 'fire and forget' mode.

Many analysts say that Almas was designed as a 'copy' of the Israeli anti-tank missile, Spike 2, which can be seen from the similarities in the missile design and launch system. A trained team can transport, assemble, and then launch an attack with an Almas from concealment, as the operator is at risk of safety while in close proximity to the launch unit.

With several modular features, Almas can easily be adapted to equip drones and speed boats. During deployment, Almas can be carried by two personnel who carry several components for disassembly in the field. In the hands of a trained operator, the Almas can be prepared in approximately 30 seconds and a further 15 seconds are required to reload the ammunition.

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Spike LR2 is said to be the original variant of Almas. Produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Spike LR2 has a ground shooting range of 5,500 meters and 10,000 meters when launched from the air. The LR2 spike was first used by Israeli forces in October 2017.