KARAOK: ROKETSAN’s Shoulder-Launched Anti-Tank Missile

KARAOK is a man-portable, short-range anti-tank guided missile developed by ROKETSAN that works on a fire-and-forget (lock-on before launch) principle. The imaging infrared seeker locks onto the target before firing, so the gunner can leave the position the moment the missile is away. With an effective range of more than 2.5 kilometres and a tandem HEAT warhead, KARAOK is designed to defeat modern armour. It entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces in 2022.

>2.5 km

Range

<16 kg

Weight (tube+missile)

Tandem HEAT

Warhead

Fire-and-forget

Guidance

KARAOK — At a Glance
Name	KARAOK
Category	Man-portable short-range anti-tank guided missile (ATGM)
Developer	ROKETSAN (IIR seeker: ASELSAN)
In service	2022
Range	>2.5 km
Weight	<16 kg (tube + missile)
Length / Diameter	110 cm / 125 mm
Warhead	Tandem HEAT
Guidance	Imaging infrared (IIR) fire-and-forget
Propulsion	Suitable for enclosed-space launch (soft launch)
Platform	Single infantryman; light vehicle
Operators	Turkish Armed Forces (~330 missiles), Malaysia

What is KARAOK?

KARAOK is a guided missile developed by ROKETSAN for the short-range anti-tank role, light enough to be carried and fired from the shoulder by a single soldier. Its defining feature is a fire-and-forget architecture: the gunner locks the imaging infrared seeker onto the target before launch (lock-on before launch), pulls the trigger, and the missile flies to the target on its own while the operator relocates or takes cover. Unlike older wire-guided anti-tank missiles, there is no need to keep the target in the line of sight until impact.

Together with the medium-range OMTAS and the long-range UMTAS, KARAOK forms the lightest and shortest-range element of Turkey’s domestic anti-tank missile family. The imaging infrared seeker is supplied by ASELSAN. With a total system weight under about 16 kilograms, KARAOK is meant to deliver man-portable armour defence at the infantry-platoon level. It entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces in 2022.

Developed under Turkey’s push for indigenous defence products, KARAOK was designed to reduce dependence on foreign short-range anti-tank systems. The result is a weapon that lets a single operator engage main battle tanks and armoured personnel carriers accurately, quickly and at comparatively low cost.

KARAOK is a man-portable, fire-and-forget short-range anti-tank guided missile launched from a single soldier's shoulder. — KARAOK is a man-portable, fire-and-forget short-range anti-tank guided missile launched from a single soldier’s shoulder.

Technical specifications and how it works

KARAOK is stored in a launch tube 110 centimetres long and 125 millimetres in diameter; the total weight including tube and missile is under 16 kilograms. Those dimensions make it a load a single soldier can carry and bring into action quickly. Effective range is above 2.5 kilometres; the missile’s flight speed has not been officially disclosed by ROKETSAN.

The heart of the guidance system is a day-and-night imaging infrared (IIR) seeker. Before firing, the gunner locks the target’s thermal signature into the seeker. After launch, the missile homes on the target with no wire, no data link and no operator input. This fire-and-forget capability markedly improves the gunner’s survivability, because the position can be abandoned while the missile is still in flight.

KARAOK offers two engagement modes: a direct, line-of-sight hit and a top-attack profile. In top-attack mode the missile dives onto the target’s weakly protected upper armour, a decisive advantage against modern main battle tanks. The warhead is of the tandem HEAT (shaped-charge) type: a smaller precursor charge defeats add-on protection such as explosive reactive armour, after which the main charge penetrates the base armour. The warhead’s weight has not been officially released.

The propulsion system is designed to allow safe firing from enclosed spaces — inside a building, bunker or firing position — a critical feature for urban combat, where the gunner can shoot from concealment. Using a soft-launch principle, the missile exits the tube at low velocity and the main motor ignites at a safe distance from the operator.

KARAOK Technical Specifications

Specification	Value
Category	Man-portable short-range anti-tank guided missile (ATGM)
Developer	ROKETSAN
Seeker maker	ASELSAN (imaging infrared)
In service	2022
Range	>2.5 km
Speed	Not officially disclosed
Weight	<16 kg (tube + missile)
Length	110 cm
Diameter	125 mm
Warhead	Tandem HEAT (weight undisclosed)
Guidance	Imaging infrared (IIR) fire-and-forget, day/night
Engagement modes	Direct + top-attack
Propulsion	Suitable for enclosed-space launch (soft launch)
Platform	Single infantryman; light vehicle

On the international market, KARAOK sits in the short-range, shoulder-launched, fire-and-forget anti-tank class. The table below summarises the main foreign systems in that category.

Equivalent and Rival Systems

System	Country/Origin	Note
FGM-148 Javelin	USA	Fire-and-forget IIR seeker, top-attack; ~2.5 km; widely fielded but heavy and costly.
Spike-SR	Israel	Short-range fire-and-forget version; electro-optical seeker; ~2 km range.
NLAW	UK/Sweden	Predicted line-of-sight (PLOS) guidance, top or direct attack; single-use, ~1 km.

Platforms, operators and exports

KARAOK’s primary platform is the individual infantryman; the system is built to be carried and fired from the shoulder. It can also be integrated onto light vehicles: in the configuration supplied to Malaysia, the system is mounted on a Cendana 4×4 light vehicle. That flexibility lets KARAOK serve both dismounted infantry teams and mobile reconnaissance-strike elements.

The main operator is the Turkish Armed Forces; open sources indicate a procurement of roughly 330 missiles for the Turkish military. KARAOK has also become an export product: Malaysia signed a contract for a package of 18 launchers and 108 missiles, with deliveries expected in 2026. This is a concrete step that places KARAOK among ROKETSAN’s anti-tank systems sold abroad.

Its place in Turkey’s defence industry, strengths and limits

As the lightest and shortest-range system in ROKETSAN’s anti-tank family, KARAOK fills a domestic armour-defence gap at the infantry platoon and squad level. Where OMTAS covers the medium range and UMTAS the long range and air-launched role, KARAOK is the close-combat tier in which a single soldier can respond quickly at short distance. Its fire-and-forget capability, enclosed-space launch and top-attack mode are the main advantages that make it well suited to urban and broken-terrain combat.

Some of the system’s technical figures — such as flight speed and warhead weight — have not been officially released by ROKETSAN; these values are not invented here but noted as undisclosed. The short range positions KARAOK as a close- and medium-distance solution rather than a long-range open-field weapon. Overall, KARAOK is a matured indigenous product that reduces Turkey’s reliance on imports for short-range anti-tank capability and has secured its first export success with Malaysia.

ACCURACY NOTE

KARAOK’s flight speed and the weight of its tandem HEAT warhead have not been officially disclosed by ROKETSAN, and no estimated figure is given here. The range (>2.5 km), weight (<16 kg) and dimensions are based on open sources. The Malaysian export (18 launchers + 108 missiles, delivery 2026) and the ~330-missile procurement for the Turkish military are reported per open-source accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the range of KARAOK?

KARAOK has an effective range of more than 2.5 kilometres, placing it in the short-range anti-tank missile class.

Who uses KARAOK?

The main operator is the Turkish Armed Forces (about 330 missiles). Malaysia has also signed an export contract for 18 launchers and 108 missiles.

What platform is KARAOK launched from?

KARAOK is fired primarily from the shoulder of a single infantryman, and it can also be integrated onto light vehicles. In the Malaysian configuration it is mounted on a Cendana 4×4.