Type Cruise missile. In service December 2001 Manufacturer Avibras | Place of origin Brazil Used by Brazilian Army Produced 2016-(expected) | |
The AV-TM-300 (AVibrás Tatical Missile) or MTC-300 (Míssil Tático de Cruzeiro) is a Brazilian project of cruise missile that is under development by Avibras for the Astros 2020 system. Nicknamed Matador ("killer"), it is projected to be a less expensive alternative to the American BGM-109 Tomahawk. The missile is equipped with a central computer that combines a Ring laser gyroscope, connected to an active GPS navigation device that uninterruptedly supplies positioning information for course correction. Apparently there will be also be a naval version called X-300. The missile can use a single warhead of 200 kg of high explosive or cluster munition warhead with 64 submunitions for anti-personnel or anti-tank targets.
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Development
The first version of the missile was created in 1999, however, the development of the missile officially started in September 2001. Eventually, the original specifications underwent a major modification, including removal of the retractable wings and addition of composite materials. The missiles uses solid-fuel rockets for launching, and a turbojet during the subsonic cruise flight The missile indigenous turbojet engine is a variant of the Polaris TJ1000, which is being developed by Avibras based on technology licensed from Polaris.
The Brazilian Army signed an initial order contract in November 2012, investing $100 millions in the development phase. The first delivery to the Brazilian army are expected to be done by 2016, however all development stages are expected to be fully cleared by 2018. Flight test with the indigenous turbojet are expected to commence in mid 2013.