A kinetic energy penetrator includes an elongated main body, a conical tip joined to the main body at the front end thereof, and fins located at the tail end of the main body. The tip is made of a hardmetal material which comprises hard particles including a first material and a binder matrix including a second, different material. A volume of the second material is from 3% to 40% of total volume of the hardmetal material. The hard particles include carbides, nitrides, carbonitrides, or borides, or combinations thereof. The binder matrix includes Re, a Ni-base superalloy, Ni, Co, W, Ta, or Mo, or combinations thereof. The main body is made of a high density metal or alloy (Density>16.0 g/cc), such as pure W, W—Re alloy, W—Mo alloy, W—Mo—Re alloy, W—Ni alloy, W—Co alloy, W—Ni—Fe alloy, W—Ni—Co—Fe alloy, depleted U.