[VIDEO] Malaysian Armed Forces to Receive Türkiye-Made KARAOK Anti-Tank Missile System in April–May, Strengthening Malaysian Army Anti-Armour Firepower

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) is expected to receive the first delivery of the Türkiye-made KARAOK anti-tank guided missile system between April and May this year, marking another significant milestone in the modernisation of the anti-armour capabilities of the Malaysian Army.

The matter was confirmed by Ketech Asia Business Development Manager Ameer Hafeez in a recent interview with Defence Security Asia.

“We are still following the contract timeline, and this year we are required to make the delivery, and so far everything is progressing according to the timeline.”

“We expect the first batch (of the KARAOK anti-tank guided missile system) to be delivered in April or May (to Malaysia) because we have completed the FAT (Final Acceptance Test), and that is the reason why the delivery date falls within that period,” he explained.

The MAF will receive a total of 18 launchers together with 18 KARAOK missiles, with an additional missile offered by the supplier as a value-added package.

“Correct, 18 launchers and 18 missiles, and we are also offering one additional missile as a value add,” he said, adding that the end-user of this capability is infantry personnel.

He also confirmed that the KARAOK anti-tank guided missile system will be integrated with weapon carrier vehicles that were procured separately under an earlier acquisition programme.

“The weapon carrier vehicles were awarded earlier and are now already deployed at camps and suitable units, and once the KARAOK systems are received, they will be distributed according to the number of those vehicles,” he explained.

On the training aspect, Ameer stated that up to 20 MAF officers and personnel are expected to undergo system operation training, either in Türkiye or domestically.

“We are offering up to 20 officers and personnel for training, and in addition to training in Türkiye, we will also conduct local training (at MAF facilities), likely at PULADA, including classroom training,” he said.

The training programme will be conducted with the full support of the original equipment manufacturer of the KARAOK anti-tank missile system, Roketsan, which he said is very open to training a larger number of Malaysian personnel.

“Roketsan as the OEM has agreed and they are happy if more personnel are sent for training, because that is better in terms of skills transfer,” he said.

From the technical inspection and testing perspective, he further explained that the Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) was conducted in Türkiye, covering visual and physical inspections, while live-fire testing was carried out as part of the FAT at the designated location.

Notably, Malaysia has also become the first export destination for the KARAOK system, positioning the country as an early user of this new-generation Türkiye-made anti-tank guided missile.

“Yes, Malaysia is the first export destination for KARAOK, and although the number of 18 units is small compared to the requirements of the Turkish Army, we really pushed to ensure that the delivery (to Malaysia) could be carried out as soon as possible,” he said.

“So we try to push as fast as possible (the delivery to Malaysia).”

Although this acquisition is described as a first batch, Ketech explained that any follow-on purchases will depend entirely on future operational requirements and budget allocations.

“For now, we are focusing on these 18 units first, and for the next batch, it will depend on requirements and budget,” he said.

With the induction of the KARAOK system, the Malaysian Army is expected to gain a significant enhancement in its modern anti-tank capabilities, offering greater mobility, flexibility and suitability for contemporary infantry operations in modern battlefield environments.

The Ministry of Defence signed the procurement agreement with Roketsan for the acquisition of the KARAOK anti-tank guided missile system in 2023.

The KARAOK anti-tank guided missile system developed by Roketsan is of 125mm calibre and is capable of engaging targets at ranges between 2.5km and 4km.

It is equipped with an Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker guidance system as well as an armour-piercing tandem warhead.

In addition to its “fire-and-forget” capability, the KARAOK anti-tank guided missile is also capable of direct-attack engagements as well as “top-attack” profiles against tanks, which are known to have weaker armour protection on their upper surfaces.

The “top-attack” mode ensures that KARAOK is capable of neutralising nearly all main battle tanks currently in service.

The KARAOK anti-tank guided missile system is also recognised as having capabilities comparable to the FGM-148 “Javelin” missile.

The total weight of the KARAOK anti-tank guided missile system is approximately 16kg.

The components of the medium-range KARAOK anti-tank guided missile system consist of a reusable Command Launch Unit (CLU), similar to the Javelin system, and the missile itself.

Malaysia is the first export country to select the Türkiye-made KARAOK anti-tank guided missile system from Roketsan for its armed forces.

KARAOK will replace the Russian-made medium-range “Metis-M” (AT-13 Saxhorn) anti-tank guided missile system that has been in service with the Malaysian Army for the past 20 years.

In an interview with Defence Security Asia during DSA 2024, Roketsan’s Regional Manager for Central Asia and the Far East, Chumur Murat Boz, said that the delivery of KARAOK in 2026 would make Malaysia the first country outside Türkiye to operate the company’s medium-range anti-tank guided missile system.

At present, the medium-range KARAOK missile system is also in service with the Turkish Armed Forces.

“There is a huge demand for portable anti-tank and air defence systems worldwide. Malaysia will be our first delivery for KARAOK.

“Last year (2023) we signed the contract and according to that contract, it will be delivered in early 2026. We do not see the MAF as a customer but as our strategic partner… we want to add value and contribute to the security and sovereignty of Malaysia and its armed forces,” he said.

According to him, Roketsan will provide an intensive training programme to MAF personnel prior to the delivery of KARAOK.

“We will also provide train-the-trainer programmes so that they can train the next trainers,” he said, adding that the programme will be conducted through simulators and real-world training.

Roketsan began developing the KARAOK anti-tank guided missile system in 2016 before officially introducing it to the international defence community at the IDEF defence exhibition in Istanbul in 2019.

The system achieved a major technical milestone in 2020 when it successfully conducted its first guided live-fire test, validating the effectiveness of its sensors, guidance system and engagement concept under real operational conditions.

After completing its development and certification phases, KARAOK was formally inducted into the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces in 2022, marking its transition from a development programme into a fully operational infantry anti-armour capability.

The Turkish Army has since placed an order for 300 KARAOK systems, reflecting Ankara’s intent to equip its infantry formations with a lightweight, indigenous, fire-and-forget anti-tank weapon optimised for modern close-combat environments.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA