The Archer (AR; ) is a series of Chinese air-to-ground anti-tank missile developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). Guided via the semi-active laser, it can be carried by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft. It can provide precision attacks on static and slow-moving targets. Overall, the AR-1 missile is comparable to the AKD-10, another Chinese missile.
The weapon was originally designed for the CASC Rainbow series UAVs, and was later expanded into lighter and heavier variants, as well as multiple types of loitering munitions.
The AR-1 was the first missile type in the series. The AR-1 was developed by the 11th Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) for equipping the CASC CH-3 and CASC CH-4 drones, with development commenced in August 2006. Unlike other drone-carried missiles in the world, AR-1 was designed specifically for an unmanned aerial vehicle, with highly integrated manoeuvre, fire control, and sensor systems. The AR-1 development test was successfully concluded in October 2011.
The AR-1 weighs around and is guided by inertial navigation system and semi-active laser homing. The seeker head is modular and can be replaced with other types. Other variants of AR-1 include AR-1A missile with a heavier warhead and a smokeless motor, AR-1C missile with all-weather capable infrared homing, AR-1D with television (TV) guidance, AR-1E missile with millimeter-wave radar seeker, and the AR-1L missile with tandem-charge HEAT warhead.
The Pakistan Barq missile may be based on the AR-1.
The AR-2 is a lightweight version of the AR-1. The AR-2 can be quadpacked into a single hardpoint that carries the AR-1, thus improving the magazine depth. It weighs around .
The AR-4 is an enlarged version of the AR-1. The AR-4 weighs around and fits a blast fragmentation/penetration warhead to target heavily armored vehicles and fortified structures. It has a range of and a launch altitude of . The missile features a modular seeker design, coming with interchangeable infrared, television, and millimeter-wave radar seekers.
The AR-3 is a loitering munition based on the AR series missiles. The munition weighs and is powered by a miniature turbojet engine that provides a loitering time of 30 minutes.