Kestrel II Rocket Outdoor Model Unveiled, Penetrates 67cm of Armor in Tests

(CNA, New Taipei, May 19, by Wu Shu-wei) In response to future battlefield needs and to counter the threat of the People's Liberation Army's armored forces, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) began independently developing the Kestrel II anti-armor rocket in 2024, based on the original Kestrel rocket. The recently unveiled outdoor version of the Kestrel II has an effective range of 500 meters and demonstrated an armor penetration depth of 67 cm in live-fire tests. The indoor-capable version is scheduled to complete development and testing in the second half of this year. The NCSIST's Systems Manufacturing Center recently debuted the Kestrel II anti-armor rocket to the public, showcasing a sample of Rolled Homogeneous Armor (RHA) steel plate penetrated to a depth of 67 cm by a Kestrel II live round. Also displayed were accompanying equipment developed for the Kestrel II, including a thermal imaging sight, training rounds, and a VR training simulator. A CNA reporter observed that to accommodate the increase in rocket caliber from 66mm to 96mm, the Kestrel II has a noticeably 'thicker' appearance. The launcher plus rocket weighs 7.4 kg, about 2.3 kg heavier than the original Kestrel, and the launch tube length has increased from 110 cm to 116 cm. The slight increase in length does not hinder mobility when carried with a sling. The launch tube remains a disposable, fire-and-discard system, requiring no reloading. Furthermore, the firing mechanism of the Kestrel II is nearly identical to the Kestrel rocket, with the same trigger grip, shoulder stop, cocking handle, and safety switch, allowing soldiers trained on the Kestrel to immediately operate the Kestrel II. The Kestrel II also adds a front grip to help the shooter stabilize their firing posture. The Kestrel II is equipped with a 5x optical zoom sight engraved with a Predicted Line of Sight (PLOS), enabling the shooter to lead moving targets. The sight is mounted on a tactical rail on the tube and can be detached after firing to be used for observation on other rail-equipped gear. The NCSIST-designed infrared thermal imaging sight for nighttime use with the Kestrel II is also engraved with the PLOS. Chang Chia-hua, Director of the NCSIST Systems Manufacturing Center, noted that during the 2024 review of the 2025 Ministry of National Defense budget, the legislature's Foreign and National Defense Committee passed a resolution requiring NCSIST to work on three enhancements for the Kestrel rocket: reducing launcher weight (below 4 kg), adding a predicted line of sight, and enabling indoor firing. The launcher's weight has since been refined to just 3.9 kg. Chang stated that NCSIST achieved these results in a very short time, especially the indoor firing capability. The Kestrel II will be the fourth rocket in the world (after the M72 A8, AT4, and Carl Gustaf) capable of being fired from indoors. NCSIST stated that the Kestrel II anti-armor rocket has completed all system development tests for the outdoor version. Developmental Testing (DT) for the outdoor model will be completed in the first half of this year, and DT for the indoor version will be completed in the second half. The Kestrel II rocket has an effective range of 500 meters and an armor penetration capability greater than 50 cm. (Editor: Lin Ker-lun) 1150519