Ingwe
The ZT3 Ingwe (Leopard) is a modern South African multi-role laser beam riding anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) manufactured by Denel Dynamics (formerly Kentron).
Ingwe
Deon Steyn · Public domain
- Name
- ZT3 Ingwe
- Field
- anti-tank missile.
- Region
- South Africa.
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Documentary summary
The ZT3 Ingwe (Leopard) is a modern South African multi-role laser beam riding anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) manufactured by Denel Dynamics (formerly Kentron).
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
gnd · 1138717339 · wikidata · Q3545291
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — ZT3 Ingwe • Origin — South Africa • Type — Anti-tank guided missile • Is Ranged — yes • Is Explosive — yes • Is Missile — yes • Service — 1987–present • Used By — See Users • Wars — South African Border War • Designer — Denel Dynamics • Design Date — 1980s • Manufacturer — Denel Dynamics • Production Date — 1987–present • Variants — ZT3, ZT3A2 • Weight — 28.5 kg • Length — 1750 mm • Diameter — 127 mm • Filling — Tandem-charge HEAT warhead, multi-purpose penetrator (MPP) warhead • Detonation — Impact • Armour — up to 1000 mm of rolled homogenous armour (RHA) with Explosive reactive armour (ERA). • Vehicle Range — 250 m – 5000 m • Speed — 0.200 km/s • Guidance — Laser beam riding
Design and development
Design and development
• Illustration — Ratel IFV with Ingwe launcher on top and missile in front on ground. The ZT3 and its launch system were developed under the codename "Project Raleigh" in the 1980s as a "long-range indigenous antitank guided missile". The missile was developed to provide the South African Army's mechanized infantry vehicles, such as the Ratel IFV, with anti-tank abilities and to supplement the ageing MILAN missile system that was in service at the time. Preproduction models, mounted in a triple launcher on top of a Ratel IFV, saw service in Operation Moduler during the South African Border War with good effect. In the years since, Denel Dynamics have continually upgraded the system to improve its range, accuracy, reliability and warhead effectiveness. In May 2010, Denel Dynamics and Rheinmetall Denel Munitions were working on a new series of multi-purpose warheads for the missile system. Denel stated that due to changing trends in warfare in recent years, customers required a "generic precision land-attack missile" that can be used against a variety of targets such as buildings and bunkers. Denel is also developing the missile system for use on the Badger Infantry Fighting Vehicle that will enter service with the South African Army as part of Project Hoefyster. The company has also collaborated with the French-South African company, ATE, to integrate the missile system for use on helicopter platforms such as the Eurocopter EC635, the Mi-24 SuperHind Mk III and Eurocopter Fennec for use in various Air Forces around the world. Several missile systems in use with the South African Army were also modernised in 2005 as part of Project Adrift. In February 2013, Denel unveiled a new version of the system at the International Defence Exhibition held in Abu Dhabi. The new system, called the Portable Launch System (IPLS), is a portable, light-weight launch system that comprises a new missile launch unit designed for use on light vehicle mounts or tripods. It can fire both high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and multi-purpose penetrator (MPP) versions of the Ingwe. The system consists of a laser projection unit and guidance and control units. The system uses a laser beam riding missile that automatically determines its own position in the laser beam and manoeuvres onto its line of sight (LOS). The sighting system varies from a non-stabilised optic system for light vehicles to a stabilised day/night system on helicopter launch systems. Automatic target recognition and targeting modules can also be added to the missile system to ensure fully automatic post-lock on missile guidance by an operator. The missile can engage targets at ranges from 250 –. It employs a tandem-charge warhead to defeat up to 1000 mm of armour. The missile is also designed to be highly resistant to countermeasures, and uses stealth technology to be harder to detect. As of 2009, the ZT-3 was estimated to cost about $39,900.
Launch platforms
Launch platforms
• Illustration — Mi-24 SuperHind with Ingwe Missiles. Denel states that the Ingwe missile can be integrated on a wide variety of launch platforms, from infantry-crewed stationary launchers to helicopter-based launchers. The missile is known to be integrated for use on these platforms: • Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle • AV8 Gempita armoured fighting vehicle • Mi-24 SuperHind Mk III • Eurocopter EC635 • Eurocopter Fennec • Badger Infantry Fighting Vehicle • Denel Rooivalk
Operators
Operators
• Illustration — Map with ZT3 operators in blue
Current operators
Current operators
• Algeria • Algerian Air Force – 700 delivered between 2000 and 2001 for Mi-24 SuperHind MkIII helicopters. • Iraq • Iraqi Air Force – 300 delivered between 2010 and 2012 for Eurocopter EC635 helicopters. • Malaysia • Malaysian Army – 216 missiles ordered and 54 missile turrets for use on the AV8 Gempita armoured combat vehicles. • South Africa • South African Army – used on the Ratel IFV and will be integrated onto the Badger Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
Operational history
Operational history
The weapon was first used on 10 September 1987 when a pre-production Ratel ZT3 destroyed several T-55 tanks at the Lomba River in Angola.

Denel Aerospace Systems missiles (including Umkhonto, Mokopa, Ingwe and A-Darter), as displayed at Africa Aerospace Defence expo, 2006.
Deon Steyn
IDEF '07 Savunma Fuarı'nda çekildi.Ingwe mokopa umkhonto. 23 Mayıs 2007
KIZILSUNGUR at Turkish Wikipedia · KIZILSUNGUR
Catalogued output
Recorded examples
The following works and productions are recorded by name or by count. Recorded as a kind of anti-tank missile. Institutional cataloguing adds that ingwe was manufactured by Denel Dynamics.
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 1138717339, Mysterium. Ingwe.
General reference · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3545291: Ingwe
General reference · Wikidata
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 1138717339, Mysterium. Ingwe.Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
Connections
Knowledge graph
Connections
Each connection was recorded deliberately, with the basis for it kept on the internal record.
Broader subject
1- anti-tank missileTerminology
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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