MATADOR

MATADOR with stand-off probe extended for anti-armor mode - 90mm

MATADOR ("Man-portable Anti-Tank, Anti-DOoR"), also known as the RGW 90 ("Recoilless Grenade Weapon") in Slovenian Service and Pzf 90 ("Panzerfaust 90") in German service, is a multinational man-portable unguided rocket launcher developed jointly by Israel, Germany and Singapore as an update to the Armbrust ATW. MATADOR uses a scaled-up version of the same countermass system where a mass of shredded plastic is ejected from the rear of the weapon on firing to counteract the force of the projectile being fired.

The weapon is a one-piece launcher with the grips and sight mount permanently affixed to the fiberglass launch tube: it is issued with a simple optical sight, but has a picatinny rail to allow installation of other optics. MATADOR is primarily designed for urban combat, with a multirole warhead on the basic model operated using a telescopic standoff rod rather like some versions of the Panzerfaust 3: with the probe extended the warhead functions as a hollow charge, while retracted the explosive will impact the target before detonating, functioning like a HESH round and able to open an 18-inch hole in a double brick wall. The warhead is optimized for effectiveness on structures and is only effective against light tank and IFV grade armor, particularly since it is only a single-stage HEAT effect and so easily stopped by reactive armor.

The series has been developed further: the MP (multipurpose) model features an improved warhead and is sold with a reflex sight with an automatically offset reticle linked to a laser rangefinder for improved long-rang shot placement. The AS (anti-structure) model features a tandem-change design for greater effect on multi-layer walls and reactive armor, and is said to be able to penetrate a three-layer brick wall. The WB (wall breaching) variant is a specialised version without a multi-mode fuze, and has a large conical warhead that projects from the muzzle with a long, thin standoff rod. This is an unorthodox explosively formed ring warhead, which is designed to cut a man-sized (30-39in) entry hole into a three-layer brick wall at a range of 22-130 yards.

The MATADOR rocket launcher appears in the following TV shows and video games, used by the following actors:

Specifications

(2000-present)

Type: Disposable rocket launcher

Length: 39 in (99.1 cm)

Weight: 19.6 lbs (8.9 kg) with basic sight (MATADOR), 24.9 lbs (11.3 kg) with laser rangefinder and reflex sight (MATADOR-MP), 22 lbs (10 kg) with basic sight (MATADOR-AS), 28.7 lbs (13 kg) with reflex sight (MATADOR-WB)

Calibre: 90mm (3.5in)

Capacity: 1 rocket

Fire modes: Safe / fire, multimode warhead versions anti-armor with probe extended and anti-structure with probe collapsed.

Television

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Release Date
Future Weapons		soldiers		2007
Ultimate Weapons		Rafael Representative		2010

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Project Reality				2005