Top 10 Anti-Tank Missiles in 2026: UMTAS, OMTAS, KARAOK Turkish Trio — Javelin, Kornet, Spike Compared, Explained
Anti-tank missiles are the disruptor of modern land warfare. UMTAS from a TB2 in Karabakh 2020, Javelin in Ukrainian infantry hands, Kornet with Hezbollah in Gaza — destroying a $200M tank with a $100K missile is the new equation. In this category, Turkey is one of the few nations producing all three tiers of one front: UMTAS (helo/UCAV), OMTAS (infantry/vehicle), KARAOK (shoulder-fired infantry). Three Turkish systems on the list. Here are the world's 10 deadliest anti-tank missiles in 2026.
At a Glance: Full Comparison
| # | Missile | Country | Range | Penetration | Unit Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | FGM-148 Javelin | ABD | 4 km | 750 mm RHA | $178K |
| #2 | ROKETSAN UMTAS-G/T 🇹🇷 | Türkiye | 8 km (helo), 16 km (TB2) | 1,000+ mm RHA | ~$150K |
| #3 | 9M133 Kornet | Rusya | 5.5 km (8 km Kornet-EM) | 1,200 mm RHA | ~$30K |
| #4 | Spike NLOS | İsrail | 32 km (NLOS) | 1,000+ mm RHA | ~$600K |
| #5 | ROKETSAN OMTAS 🇹🇷 | Türkiye | 4 km | 1,000+ mm RHA | ~$120K |
| #6 | MBDA MMP | Fransa | 4 km | 1,000 mm RHA | ~$210K |
| #7 | BGM-71 TOW | ABD | 4.5 km | 900 mm RHA | ~$50K |
| #8 | MBDA Brimstone | Birleşik Krallık | 60 km (air-launched) | 1,000 mm RHA | ~$175K |
| #9 | HJ-12 Red Arrow | Çin | 4 km | 1,100 mm RHA | ~$80K |
| #10 | ROKETSAN KARAOK 🇹🇷 | Türkiye | 2.5 km | 600+ mm RHA | ~$60K |
FGM-148 Javelin
FGM-148 Javelin — The Anti-Tank That Became a Myth in Ukraine. Became 'Saint Javelin' — the nightmare of Russian tanks in Ukraine. Top-attack mode, fire-and-forget, IR seeker. 4 km range, kills T-90M through the weak top armor. Unit cost: $178K.
ROKETSAN UMTAS-G/T
ROKETSAN UMTAS — The Bayraktar TB2's Tank-Killer. An 8 km-range anti-tank missile launched from the Bayraktar TB2, Akinci and ATAK helicopter. UMTAS-G has GPS guidance, UMTAS-T has a tandem HEAT warhead (defeats ERA). Took out dozens of T-72s and BMP-2s in Karabakh. Export deals with Poland, Ukraine, the UAE.
9M133 Kornet
9M133 Kornet — Russia's Widely-Used Anti-Tank. Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Ukraine — the most widely deployed Russian anti-tank. Wire-guided, 5.5 km range, tandem HEAT. Can kill an M1A2 Abrams from the side. Hezbollah's Merkava hunter.
Spike NLOS
Spike NLOS — Beyond-Line-of-Sight Anti-Tank. A 32 km-range, man-in-the-loop Israeli anti-tank. Launched from AH-64 Apache, AW101, frigates and coastal platforms. Hit Armenian T-72s in Karabakh (Azerbaijan inventory).
ROKETSAN OMTAS
ROKETSAN OMTAS — Turkish Infantry Anti-Tank. Top-attack mode, fire-and-forget, 4 km range. The Turkish infantry counterpart to Javelin. Also launched from ATAK helicopter and Ejder Yalcin. With KARAOK, the mid-tier of Turkey's anti-tank triple.
MBDA MMP
MBDA MMP — France's Next-Gen Anti-Tank. Successor to MILAN, with fibre-optic data link, 4 km range, fire-and-forget + man-in-the-loop. In service with France and Sweden. 9,000+ units produced by 2024.
BGM-71 TOW
BGM-71 TOW — A 50-Year-Old Anti-Tank Modernized. In service since Vietnam, in 50+ inventories. TOW-2B Aero (latest) is top-attack, 4.5 km. Cheap (~$50K), but showing its age.
MBDA Brimstone
MBDA Brimstone — Air-Launched Anti-Tank. Hellfire-class, launched from RAF Eurofighter / Apache, capable of multiple tank kills in 'swarm-rain' mode. Delivered to Ukraine, combat-proven.
HJ-12 Red Arrow
HJ-12 Red Arrow — China's Javelin Clone. Externally similar to Javelin, fire-and-forget with top-attack. 4 km range. PLA-focused, limited exports.
ROKETSAN KARAOK
ROKETSAN KARAOK — Shoulder-Fired Anti-Tank. Turkey's shoulder-launched lightweight (15 kg) anti-tank. 2.5 km range, fire-and-forget, top-attack. The light-infantry tier of the UMTAS-OMTAS-KARAOK triple. In Turkish service since 2023.
Turkish Anti-Tank Trio — UMTAS, OMTAS, KARAOK
Three Turkish systems on the list — together they cover EVERY tier of the anti-tank spectrum:
- UMTAS (8-16 km, air platforms): The weapon the Bayraktar TB2 used to take out dozens of T-72s in Karabakh. Export deals with Poland, Ukraine, the UAE and Azerbaijan.
- OMTAS (4 km, infantry/vehicle): An indigenous fire-and-forget in the Javelin class. Integrated on ATAK helo and Ejder Yalcin.
- KARAOK (2.5 km, shoulder-fired): Light infantry anti-tank. 15 kg, fire-and-forget, top-attack. Turkey's NLAW/Javelin shoulder-class counterpart.
- UCAV integration: UMTAS launches from both TB2 and Akinci. Turkey is the world leader in UCAV-anti-tank integration.
- Exports: UMTAS used against Russian tanks in Ukraine. Poland signed a 600-unit contract in 2024.
Two new “Top 10” analyses every day
Coming up: Attack helicopters (ATAK), Corvettes (MILGEM), Frigates (Istanbul-class), Cruise missiles (SOM/Atmaca).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is UMTAS better than Javelin?
Different categories. Javelin is a shoulder-fired infantry weapon; UMTAS is an air-platform missile (TB2/Akinci/ATAK). UMTAS has longer range (16 km vs 4 km); Javelin is more portable for infantry.
Was UMTAS really used in Ukraine?
Yes. Delivered with the Bayraktar TB2, hundreds of strikes against Russian T-72/T-80s in 2022-2024. UMTAS was officially sold to Ukraine.
How much does KARAOK cost?
Unit cost ~$60K — about one third of Javelin's $178K. Economical for Turkish infantry.
What's the difference between UMTAS, OMTAS and KARAOK?
Range and platform: UMTAS 8-16 km (helo/UCAV), OMTAS 4 km (infantry/vehicle), KARAOK 2.5 km (shoulder). Together they cover the whole anti-tank spectrum.
Which tanks can they kill?
The tandem HEAT defeats ERA — penetrates the top armor of all modern tanks including T-90M, M1A2 and Leopard 2A8. Top-attack mode targets the thin top armor.
