thumb|right|Tir d'un [[BGM-71 TOW|missile antichar TOW filoguidé depuis un HMMWV]] 

Un '''missile antichar''' est un char. Ces missiles peuvent être tirés :
* depuis un système léger porté par des fantassins 
* depuis un véhicule blindé
* depuis un hélicoptère de combat ou un avion 
Il est fréquent que le même missile puisse être au choix mis en œuvre d'une des 3 façons indiquées ci-dessus.

== Historique ==
thumb|coupe d'un missile antichar français [[ENTAC de 1 génération, entré en service dans les années 1950]]
thumb|[[AT-3 Sagger|AT-3 soviétique sur un BMP-1]]

Les missiles anti-char font leur apparition dans les années 1950, avant de se généraliser dans la décennie suivante avec la miniaturisation des systèmes de guidage.

Ce fut en français.

Comme les roquettes antichar, leur charge offensive est une charge creuse,  ils diffèrent néanmoins des roquettes par leur guidage en cours de vol et une phase de propulsion souvent plus longue. Leur système de guidage leur permet d'engager des cibles à des distances bien supérieures à celles des roquettes. Les premiers produits massivement sont le AT-3 soviétique) et le Carl Gustav suédois.

thumb|right|The [[RAF's Brimstone missile is an advanced 21st century fire and forget anti-tank missile.]]

An '''anti-tank guided missile''' ('''ATGM''') or '''anti-tank guided weapon''' ('''ATGW''') is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily-armored tanks and other armored fighting vehicles.  

ATGMs range in size from shoulder-launched weapons which can be transported by a single soldier, to larger tripod mounted weapons which require a squad or team to transport and fire, to vehicle and aircraft mounted missile systems.

The introduction of smaller, man-portable ATGMs with larger anti-tank rockets and magnetic anti-tank mines had limited armor-penetration abilities and/or required a soldier to approach the target closely.
thumb|left|[[9К115-2 Metis-M|9K115 ''Metys'' ATGM of the Polish Army]]

''First-generation'' manually command guided MCLOS missiles like the AT-3 Sagger require input from an operator using a joystick or similar device to steer the missile to the target. The disadvantage is that the operator must be well trained and must remain stationary and in view of the target during the flight time of the missile. Because of this, the operator is vulnerable while guiding the missile.
 
''Second-generation'' semi-automatically command guided wires or laser marking or a TV camera view from the nose of the missile. Examples are the American TOW and Hellfire I missiles. Again the operator must remain stationary during the missile's flight.

thumb|right|[[Nag missile with the NAMICA launcher.]] 
thumb|right|[[PARS 3 LR fire-and-forget missile of the German Army]]
More advanced ''third-generation'' guidance systems rely on a laser, electro-optical imager or a W band radar seeker, on the nose of the missile. Once the target is identified the missile needs no further guidance during flight ( i.e it is " Javelin, German Spike and the Indian  Nag. 

Most modern ATGMs have shaped-charge high explosive (HEAT) warheads, designed specifically for penetrating armor.  ERA protected armor. The small initial charge sets off the ERA while the follow up main charge attempts to penetrate the main armor.  Nag and the Swedish Bill are designed to focus the explosion down through an armored fighting vehicle's thinner turret-roof or upper-hull armor.