Anti-tank missile system "Kornet". Russia. Anti-tank missiles

ATGMs are anti-tank missile systems, which today represent one of the most dynamically developing segments of the global arms market. This is due to the high efficiency of these complexes. Modern anti-tank systems are much cheaper than tanks and are able to effectively combat this main strike weapon of the ground forces. The development of the global ATGM market is also driven by the general trend towards maximizing the structural protection of all types of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles in modern armies.

Currently, the armies of many countries are actively switching from 2nd generation ATGMs (semi-automatic targeting) to third generation systems, which are built on the basis of the “fire and forget” principle. In the latter case, the operator of this complex can only take aim and launch the missile, then change position. As a result, the market for modern ATGMs was actually divided between American and Israeli defense manufacturers. The Russian leader in sales of the Kornet ATGM, according to the Western classification, belongs to the “2+” generation ATGM.

The third generation is commonly referred to as ATGMs, which in practice implement the “fire and forget” principle. To implement this principle, seekers are used - homing heads, which are placed on board anti-tank guided missiles - ATGMs. When launching an ATGM, the operator of the complex finds the target, makes sure that the seeker has captured the target and launches. After this, the missile's flight occurs completely autonomously without communication with the launcher; the missile flies according to commands received from the seeker. The advantage of such complexes is: reduced vulnerability of the crew and the complex (since they are less exposed to enemy fire), especially when used from combat helicopters; increased noise immunity (only 1 “GOS-target” channel is used).

The first serial ATGM of the 3rd generation American FGM-148 Javelin

It is worth noting that this principle also has a number of quite significant disadvantages, the main one of which is price. The cost of the seeker and the entire complex as a whole, due to the technical complexity of production, is several times higher than the cost of the previous generation ATGM. In addition, the homing head limits the combat capabilities of the ATGM due to the minimum firing range (in variants that damage armored targets at high missile dive angles) or deterioration in the layout conditions of the warhead. Along with this, the use of 3rd generation ATGMs makes it possible to attack the most vulnerable places of armored targets (for example, the roof), which makes it possible to reduce the weight of the missile (due to a smaller warhead) and its dimensions, along with this, the missile’s ability to autonomously target armored vehicles increases the likelihood of its destruction.

Taking into account the dynamic nature of modern battles, it would be advisable to keep both 2nd and 3rd generation missiles in the ammunition supply of helicopters and self-propelled anti-tank systems. At the same time, in an ideal case, the third generation PUTR should be unified to the maximum with the modification of the second generation missile. Regarding Russia, we can note the fact that as a result of perestroika and subsequent market reforms, the period of collapse of the military-industrial complex, lack of funding and subsequent stabilization, a full-fledged third-generation ATGM was never put into service in Russia.

At the same time, the Tula Design Bureau has its own view on this problem. Currently most of Western experts consider the implementation of the “fire and forget” principle to be the main feature by which an ATGM can be classified as the 3rd generation, therefore the Russian Kornet ATGM is conditionally classified as a “2+” generation complex. At the same time, the specialists of the Tula Design Bureau, despite the fact that they successfully completed work on guided missiles, decided to abandon them in the Kornet complex and believe that it compares favorably with foreign analogues on the market.

ATGM "Cornet"

The Kornet complex implements the “see-and-shoot” principle and a laser-beam control system, which allows the ATGM to achieve a large maximum firing range in comparison with Western ATGMs built on the “fire-and-forget” principle. There are other advantages, for example, the resolution of a thermal imaging sight installed on a mobile weapon carrier will be significantly higher than that of a seeker, for this reason the problem of target acquisition by the seeker at the start still remains very serious. In addition, firing at targets that do not have significant contrast in the far IR wavelength range (such targets include pillboxes, bunkers, machine gun emplacements and other structures) with missiles with a seeker is simply impossible, especially if the enemy sets up passive optical jamming. There are also certain problems associated with scaling the target image in the seeker during the missile approach, and the cost of such ATGMs is 5-7 times higher than the cost of missiles of a similar purpose for the Kornet.

It was the “efficiency-cost” criterion that became the basis for the commercial success of the Kornet ATGM in the world. It is several times cheaper than 3rd generation systems, which, figuratively speaking, fire at a target with expensive thermal imagers. The second most important criterion is a good launch range - up to 5.5 km. Along with this, the Kornet ATGM, like a number of other domestic anti-tank systems, is subject to constant criticism due to the insufficient ability to overcome dynamic protection on modern foreign MBTs.

Despite this, Kornet-E is the most successful Russian ATGM that is exported. Parties of this complex have already been purchased by 16 countries, including Algeria, Greece, India, Jordan, UAE, Syria, South Korea. The latest deep modernization of the ATGM called “Kornet-EM” has a firing range of up to 10 km, which is prohibitive for foreign analogues. Moreover, this complex is able to fire at both ground and air targets (such as helicopters and UAVs).

ATGM "Sturm-S"

Its ammunition load includes both armor-piercing ATGMs with a cumulative warhead and universal missiles with a high-explosive warhead. However, it is worth noting the fact that abroad they quickly lost interest in such complexes. This, for example, happened with the ADATS (Air Defense Anti-Tank System) complex, which was developed jointly by the American company Martin Marietta and the Swiss company Oerlikon Contraves AG. This complex was adopted by the armies of Thailand and Canada, and the United States, having placed a large order, eventually abandoned it. In 2012, the complex was removed from service by the Canadian Army.

Another Russian development of the 2nd generation “Metis-M” with a firing range of 1.5 km, as well as “Metis-M1” (2 km) with a semi-automatic wire guidance system, also has good export indicators.

At one time, Russia relied on the development of a combined system of anti-tank weapons, which would implement both the “see-shoot” and “fire-and-forget” principles - with the main emphasis on the relatively low cost of anti-tank systems. It was assumed that the anti-tank defense would be represented by 3 complexes of different standard equipment. In the defense zone from the front edge up to 15 km. deep into the enemy’s defenses, it was planned to use lightweight portable ATGMs with a firing range of up to 2.5 km, portable and self-propelled ATGMs with a firing range of up to 5.5 km, and self-propelled Hermes long-range ATGMs located on the BMP-3 chassis and capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 15 km.

The control system of the promising multi-purpose ATGM Hermes is a combined one. During the initial phase of the flight, the ATGM is controlled by an inertial system. At the final stage of the flight, semi-active laser homing of the missile to the target using laser radiation reflected from the target is used, as well as radar or infrared homing. This complex was developed in 3 main versions: ground, aviation and sea. At present, work is officially underway only on the aviation version of the complex - Hermes-A. In the future, this complex can also be equipped with the Pantsir-S1 air defense system, developed by the same Instrument Design Bureau (Tula). At one time, a third-generation ATGM “Avtonomiya” with an infrared homing system was also created in Tula, but it was never brought to the level of mass production.

ATGM "Chrysanthemum-S"

One of the latest developments of KBM - Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau is a modernized version of the Shturm self-propelled complex (Shturm-SM), which received the Ataka multifunctional missile with a launch range of 6 km. To search for possible targets around the clock, the new complex received a surveillance and targeting system with a thermal imaging and television channel. During the civil war in Libya, another Kolomna development underwent a baptism of fire - the self-propelled ATGM "Chrysanthemum-S" (launch range 6 km). This complex was used by the rebels. "Chrysanthemum-S" uses a combined target guidance system - semi-automatic with PTGM guidance in a laser beam and automatic radar in the millimeter range with ATGM guidance in a radio beam.

It is worth noting the fact that the Western trend regarding armored self-propelled ATGMs is their removal from service and low demand. At the same time, there is no serial infantry (portable, transportable or self-propelled) ATGM that has an infrared homing system for a target - IIR and remembers the contours of the target, which would implement the “fire-and-forget” principle in the arsenal of the Russian army. And there are serious doubts about the desire and ability of the Russian Ministry of Defense to acquire such expensive systems.

Currently, the production of products exclusively for export is no longer the main thing for the domestic defense industry, as it was quite recently. At the same time, almost all foreign armies are re-equipping with 3rd generation systems and all tenders often come down to competition between the Israeli Spike ATGM and the American Javelin ATGM. Despite this, there are still a large number of foreign customers in the world who cannot purchase these complexes, for example, for political reasons; Russia can be calm about such sales markets.

Information sources:
http://vpk-news.ru/articles/13974
http://btvt.narod.ru/4/kornet.htm
http://www.xliby.ru/transport_i_aviacija/tehnika_i_vooruzhenie_2000_10/p5.php

Chief of the Missile Forces and Artillery of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Mikhail Matveevsky reported to TASS about the upcoming development of a new generation anti-tank missile system.

This will be a self-propelled complex in which the “fire and forget” principle will be implemented. That is, the task of pointing the missile at the target will be solved not by the crew, but by the missile’s automation. “The development of anti-tank systems,” Matveevsky clarified, “is moving in the direction of increasing combat performance, missile immunity, automating the process of controlling anti-tank units and increasing the power of combat units.”

It would seem that the situation in the country with this type of weapon is quite sad. There are already third-generation ATGMs in the world, the main characteristic of which is precisely the implementation of the “fire and forget” principle. That is, the third generation ATGM missile has a homing head (GOS) operating in the infrared range. 20 years ago, the American FGM-148 Javelin complex was put into service. Later, the Israeli Spike family of ATGMs appeared, which used various methods of targeting the target: by wire, radio command, laser beam and using an IR seeker. The third-generation anti-tank systems also include the Indian Nag, which has almost doubled the range of the American design.

Russia does not have a third generation complex. The most “advanced” domestic ATGM is “Cornet”, created by the Tula Instrument Design Bureau. He is classified as generation 2+.

However, the third generation complexes have not only advantages in relation to previous generations of anti-tank missile weapons, but also very serious disadvantages. It is no coincidence that in the family of Israeli Spike ATGMs, along with the seeker, they use an archaic wire guidance system.

The main advantage of the “three-pointers” is that after launching a rocket, you can change position without waiting for a return rocket or projectile to arrive. It is also generally accepted that they have higher shooting accuracy. However, this is a subjective thing, it all depends on the qualifications and experience of the second generation ATGM gunner. If we talk specifically about the American “Jevelin” complex, it has two modes for selecting the missile trajectory. In a straight line, as well as attacking the tank from above into the part least protected by armor.

There are more disadvantages. The operator must ensure that the seeker has locked onto the target. And only after that make a shot. However, the range of the thermal seeker is significantly less than that of television, thermal imaging, optical and radar channels for detecting a target and pointing a missile at it, which are used in second-generation ATGMs. Thus, the maximum firing range of the American Javelin ATGM is 2.5 km. At Kornet - 5.5 km. In the Kornet-D modification it has been increased to 10 km. The difference is noticeable.

The difference in cost is even greater. The portable version of the Javelin, without the landing gear, costs more than $200,000. "Cornet" is 10 times cheaper.

And one more drawback. Missiles with an infrared seeker cannot be used against thermally non-contrasting targets, that is, pillboxes and other engineering structures. Kornet missiles, which are guided by a laser beam, are much more versatile in this regard.

Before launching the rocket, it is necessary to cool the seeker with liquefied gas for 20 to 30 seconds. This is also a significant drawback.

Based on this, a completely obvious conclusion arises: the promising ATGM, the creation of which was announced by Lieutenant General Mikhail Matveevsky, must combine the advantages of both the third generation and the second. That is, the launcher must be able to fire missiles of various types.

Consequently, the achievements of the Tula instrument design bureau cannot be abandoned; it is necessary to develop them.

For a long time now, almost all existing ATGMs (anti-tank guided missiles) in the world have been able to overcome dynamic armor protection. When approaching the tank at a distance of several centimeters, the missile is met by the explosion of one of the dynamic protection cells located on top of the armor. In connection with this, ATGMs have a tandem cumulative warhead - the first charge disables the dynamic protection cell, the second penetrates the armor.

However, the Kornet, unlike the Dzhevelin, is also capable of overcoming the active protection of the tank, which is the automatic shooting of incoming ammunition with a grenade or other means. To achieve this, the Russian ATGM has the ability to launch missiles in pairs, which are controlled by a single laser beam. In this case, the first missile penetrates the active defense, “dying” in the process, and the second rushes towards the tank armor. In the “Jevelin” ATGM, such firing is impossible even theoretically, since the second missile is not able to “see” the tank due to the first.

The fight against anti-tank systems with active protection was done significantly ahead of its time, since now only two tanks in the world have active protection - our T-14 Armata and the Israeli Merkava.

At the same time, Kornet’s competitors on the arms market fiercely criticize it. However, for the latest development of the Tula Design Bureau, a queue of people is lining up to purchase an effective and inexpensive means of combating enemy tanks.

Almost all ATGMs existing in the world have a wide range of carriers for this type of weapon. In the simplest case, the role of the “carrier” is a soldier firing from the shoulder. The complexes are also installed on wheeled platforms (up to jeeps), on tracked platforms, on helicopters, on airplanes attack aircraft, to missile boats.

A separate class of anti-tank weapons includes self-propelled anti-tank systems, in which missile launchers and equipment that provides target search and shooting are tied to specific carriers during development. At the same time, both the missiles and the systems that serve them are of an original design and are not used anywhere else. Currently, the Ground Forces operate two such complexes - "Chrysanthemum" and "Sturm". Both of them were created in the Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau under the leadership of the legendary designer Sergei Pavlovich Nepobedimy (1921 - 2014). Both complexes use tracked chassis as carriers.

Placing an ATGM on a chassis with a large load capacity allowed designers not to “catch microns and grams”, but to give freedom to creative imagination. As a result, both Russian mobile ATGMs are equipped with supersonic missiles and effective target detection devices.

The first to appear was “Sturm”, or rather its land modification “Sturm-S”. This happened in 1979. And in 2014, the modernized Shturm-SM complex was adopted by the Ground Forces. It was finally equipped with a thermal imaging sight, which made it possible to use ATGMs at night and in heavy weather conditions. The Ataka missile used is guided by radio command and has a tandem cumulative warhead to overcome dynamic armor protection of enemy tanks. A rocket with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead with a remote fuse is also used, which allows it to be used against manpower.

Firing range - 6000 m. Speed ​​of a 130 mm caliber rocket - 550 m/s. The ammunition load of the Shturm-SM ATGM is 12 missiles located in transport containers. The launcher is reloaded automatically. Rate of fire - 4 shots per minute. Armor penetration behind dynamic armor protection is 800 mm.

The Khrizantema ATGM was put into service in 2005. Then the modification “Chrysanthemum-S” appeared, which is not combat unit, but a complex of various vehicles that solve the problems of coordinated actions of a combat platoon of anti-tank missile systems with reconnaissance, target designation and protection of the battery from enemy personnel breaking into its location.

"Chrysanthemum" is armed with two types of missiles - with a tandem cumulative warhead and with a high-explosive one. In this case, the missile can be aimed at the target both by a laser beam (range 5000 m) and by radio channel (range 6000 m). The combat vehicle has a reserve of 15 ATGMs.

Rocket caliber - 152 mm, speed - 400 m/s. Armor penetration behind dynamic armor protection is 1250 mm.

And in conclusion, we can try to predict where the third generation ATGM will come from? It is logical to assume that it will be created in the Tula Instrument Engineering Design Bureau. At the same time, some optimists have already begun to spread the news that such a complex already exists. It has been tested and it’s time to put it into service. It's about about the Hermes missile system. It has a homing missile with a very serious range of 100 kilometers.

However, with such a range, it is necessary to create detection and target designation means different from traditional anti-tank ones, which will operate beyond the line of sight of hardware. You might even need a DLRO plane here.

The main point that does not allow Hermes to be considered an anti-tank system is the missile, which has a high-explosive fragmentation warhead. To a tank it is like pellets to an elephant. However, this does not mean that it is impossible to obtain an effective third-generation ATGM based on the Hermes.

Performance characteristics of the Kornet-D ATGM and FGM-148 Javelin

Caliber, mm: 152 - 127

Rocket length, cm: 120 - 110

Complex weight, kg: 57 - 22.3

Rocket weight in container, kg: 31 - 15.5

Maximum firing range, m: 10000 - 2500

Minimum firing range, m: 150 - 75

Warhead: tandem cumulative, thermobaric, high-explosive - tandem cumulative

Armor penetration under dynamic protection, mm: 1300−1400 — 600−800*

Guidance system: laser beam - IR seeker

Maximum speed flight, m/s: 300 - 190

Year of adoption: 1998 - 1996

* This parameter is effective due to the fact that the missile attacks the tank from above in its least protected part.

The Vikhr aviation anti-tank missile system is designed to destroy armored vehicles, including those equipped with reactive armor, and low-speed air targets flying at speeds of up to 800 km/h.

The development of the complex began in 1980 at the Instrument Engineering Design Bureau (NPO Tochnost) under the leadership of chief designer A.G. Shipunov. Adopted into service in 1992.

By the beginning of 2000, the complex was used on the Su-25T anti-tank attack aircraft (Su-25TM, Su-39, up to 16 missiles are suspended on two APU-8 launchers) and the Ka-50 "Black Shark" combat helicopter (up to 12 missiles are suspended on two PU).

In 1992, an improved modification of the Vikhr-M missile was shown for the first time at an exhibition in Farnborough.

There is a variant of the Vikhr-K shipborne complex, which includes a 30-mm AK-306 artillery mount and four Vikhr ATGMs with a firing range of up to 10 km. The Vikhr complex is supposed to be equipped on patrol ships and boats.

In the west, the Whirlwind complex received the designation AT-12 (AT-9).

The Malyutka-2 anti-tank missile system (ATGM) is a modernized version of the 9K11 Malyutka complex and differs from the latter in the use of an improved missile with different types of warheads. Developed at Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau.

The complex is designed to defeat modern tanks and other armored vehicles, as well as engineering structures such as bunkers and bunkers in the absence and presence of natural or organized infrared interference.

Its predecessor - the Malyutka complex - one of the first domestic anti-tank systems, was manufactured for approximately 30 years and is in service in more than 40 countries around the world. Various versions of the complex were and are being produced in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, China, Iran, Taiwan and other countries. Among such copies one can note the ATGM "Susong-Po" (DPRK), "Kun Wu" (Taiwan) and HJ-73 (China). ATGM "Raad" - Iranian version of the 9M14 "Malyutka" ATGM in production since 1961. In Iran, a tandem cumulative warhead with increased armor penetration, effective against multi-layer armor and armor under dynamic protection, has also been created for this ATGM. KBM proposes to extend the service life of all previously released missile variants, regardless of the year and place of their release, by at least 10 years. "Malyutka-2" will make it possible not to dispose of its predecessors, but to modernize them on the territory of the customer state. At the same time, the penetration of tank armor is significantly increased, and the operator’s work is also facilitated due to the introduction of noise-proof semi-automatic control. There is no need to relearn the calculations of the complexes, since the control principles are the same. The cost of modernization is half that of purchasing a similar new ATGM.

In the west, the complex and its modifications received the designation AT-3 "Sagger".

9K116-1 Bastion guided tank weapon system

In 1981, the 9K116 “Kastet” complex with a laser-beam-guided missile fired from the barrel of a 100-mm T-12 anti-tank gun was adopted by the USSR ground forces. The complex was developed by the Tula KBP team headed by A.G. Shipunov.

Even before the completion of development of the Kastet complex, it was decided to expand the development of complexes unified with it guided weapons for tanks T-54, T-55 and T-62. Almost simultaneously, two complexes were developed: 9K116-1 "Bastion", compatible with 100-mm rifled guns of the D-10T family of T-54/55 tanks and 9K116-2 "Sheksna", intended for T-62 tanks with 115-mm smoothbore guns U-5TS. The 9M117 missile was borrowed from the Kastet complex without changes, while in the Sheksna complex it was equipped with support belts to ensure stable movement along the 115-mm caliber barrel. The changes affected mainly the cartridge case with a propellant charge, redesigned to fit the chambers of these guns.

As a result, in a short time and at relatively low cost, conditions were created for the modernization of third-generation tanks, providing a manifold increase in combat effectiveness and significantly equalizing the fire capabilities of their modernized models - T-55M, T-55MV, T-55AM, T-55AMV, T-55AD, T-62M, T-62MV at long firing distances with fourth generation tanks.

The development of tank systems was completed in 1983.

Subsequently, the “Bastion” and “Sheksna” complexes served as the basis for the creation of the 9K116-3 “Fable” complex for guided weapons of the BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle. Currently, AK Tulamashzavod has mastered serial production of the modernized 9M117M missile with a tandem cumulative warhead capable of penetrating the reactive armor of modern and future tanks

In the west, the complex was designated AT-10 "Sabber".

Anti-tank missile system Konkurs-M

The Konkurs-M portable anti-tank missile system is designed to destroy modern armored vehicles equipped with dynamic protection, fortified firing points, mobile and stationary small-sized ground and afloat targets, low-flying helicopters, etc. at any time of the day and in difficult weather conditions.

The Konkurs-M complex was developed at the Instrument Design Bureau, Tula.
Adopted into service in 1991.

The complex consists of a 9P148 combat vehicle (carrier) with a 9P135M1 type launcher (PU) mounted on it, and 9M113M guided missile ammunition. If necessary, the launcher and ammunition can be quickly removed and removed from the combat vehicle for autonomous firing. The missile control system is semi-automatic, with commands transmitted via a wired communication line. Combat crew - 2 people.

The launcher is equipped with a 9Sh119M1 sighting device and a 1PN65 or 1PN86-1 “Mulat” thermal imaging device.

To control the launcher, missile and thermal imager during storage and operation, test equipment 9V812M-1, 9V811M, 9V974, integrated with the Fagot complex, is used. The missile is stored in a sealed transport and launch container (TPC) in constant combat readiness.

The Fagot (9M111, 9M111M) and Konkurs (9M113) anti-tank missiles can be used as ammunition. The operator's actions do not change when changing the type of missiles.

Armored wheeled and tracked vehicles are also used as carriers. combat vehicles: BMP-1, BMP-2, BMD, BTRD, BRDM-2, MT-LB, light jeep vehicles, motorcycles and other carriers.

The Konkurs-M complex is the basis of anti-tank defense. It is adapted for landing on parachute landing platforms. When overcome by carriers water barriers shooting afloat is ensured.

Aviation missile system Ataka-V

The Ataka-V complex is designed to destroy modern tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, ATGM and SAM launchers, long-term firing points such as bunkers and bunkers, low-flying low-speed air targets, as well as enemy personnel in shelters.

The missile of the Ataka-V aviation missile system was created on the basis of the 9M114 missile of the Shturm-V complex using a more powerful engine, which made it possible to increase the firing range of the complex, as well as a new, more powerful warhead with greater armor penetration.

At the end of the 1990s, Mi-24v helicopters were modernized to enable the use of the new Ataka-V and Igla-V missiles. The helicopter with a modernized weapon system was designated Mi-24VM (the export modification is designated Mi-35M).

Anti-tank missile system 9K115-2 Metis-M

The 9K115-2 "Metis-M" portable anti-tank missile system is designed to destroy modern and advanced armored vehicles equipped with dynamic protection, fortifications, and enemy personnel, at any time of the day, in difficult weather conditions.

Created on the basis of the Metis ATGM. The modernization concept consisted of maximum continuity in ground-based assets and ensuring the possibility of using both the standard Metis 9M115 missile and the new modernized 9M131 missile in the complex. Taking into account the prospects for increasing the security of tanks, the designers decisively increased the size of the warhead, moving from a 93mm caliber to a 130mm caliber. A significant improvement in tactical and technical characteristics was achieved due to an increase in the weight and dimensions of the ATGM.

The Metis-M complex was developed at the Instrument Design Bureau (Tula) and put into service in 1992.

Designed to replace the previously created second generation complexes "Metis", "Fagot", "Konkurs".

In the west, the complex was designated AT-13 "Saxhorn".

9K119 (9K119M) Reflex guided tank weapon system

The 9K119 "Reflex" guided weapon system is designed to fire effectively from a cannon with guided projectiles at tanks and other armored enemy targets, as well as for firing at small targets (pillboxes, bunkers), from a standstill and on the move at carrier speeds of up to 70 km/h , at ranges up to 5000m.

The complex was created at the Instrument Design Bureau (Tula), successfully passed tests and was put into service in 1985.

Building on the progress made in electronics and rocketry Over the decade that has passed since the start of work on the Cobra, KBP designers have managed to significantly reduce the weight and dimensions of the new missile by fitting it into the contours of a conventional 3VOF26 high-explosive fragmentation projectile for a 125-mm cannon. There was no need to operate the rocket in the form of two blocks and, accordingly, the problems associated with their automated docking disappeared. The new complex can be used on fourth-generation tanks, regardless of the automatic loader circuit.

Work on modernizing the 9K119 complex began almost simultaneously with its adoption into service. As a result of the work carried out, the complex was equipped with a tandem cumulative warhead. The designers managed to increase the missile's combat capabilities with virtually no change in the weight and size characteristics of the new ZUBK20 guided round compared to the previously created ZUBK14. The modernized complex received the designation 9K119M.

Currently, the complex is part of the standard armament of the T-80U, T-80UD, T-84, T-72AG, T-90 tanks and is offered for export.

In the west, the complex received the designation AT-11 "Sniper" (9K119M - AT-11 "Sniper-B").

Hermes anti-tank missile system

The long-range ATGM "Hermes" is a promising complex precision weapons a new generation - multi-purpose reconnaissance and fire ATGM, combining the properties of artillery and anti-tank systems. The complex is designed to destroy modern and future armored vehicles, unarmored vehicles, stationary engineering structures, surface targets, low-flying low-speed air targets, and manpower in shelters.

The complex was developed at the Instrument Design Bureau (Tula) under the leadership of A.G. Shipunov.

"Hermes" opens up new areas for the combat use of anti-tank weapons - transferring their fire into the depths of the enemy units' operating zone and the ability to repel an attack in any sector of the defense without changing the firing position. This will prevent the advance and deployment of enemy armored units to attack lines while reducing their own losses. The use of such tactics poses the task of radically expanding the range of reconnaissance and destruction of armored units with promising anti-tank systems, which should be able to cover the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bresponsibility of their units for reconnaissance and destruction of the enemy to the full depth of the near tactical zone (25 - 30 km). Moreover, since a modern armored group is a complex mobile system, the destruction of such a group requires comprehensive fire destruction of the entire range of targets included in its composition, as well as other targets of various classes that operate in the offensive zone.

The Hermes ATGM is built on a modular principle, which makes it possible to optimize the composition of the assets involved depending on the tasks being solved, to intelligently combine various guidance methods at different firing ranges, and also to deploy the complex on land, air and sea carriers.

The use of external reconnaissance and target designation means, including those placed on remotely piloted aerial vehicles (RPA), makes it possible to most fully implement the main provisions of the “non-contact war” concept, reduce completion time and expand the range of tasks to be solved with the involvement of minimal required quantity forces and resources, as well as to minimize material costs for operations.

Tests of the aviation version of the Hermes-A complex as part of the armament of the Ka-52 attack helicopter were completed in the summer of 2003. The Hermes-A complex is prepared for mass production.

Complex of aviation guided weapons Threat (S-5kor, S-8kor, S-13kor)

High-precision weapons are increasingly used on the battlefield. However, they require special reconnaissance and target designation systems. The experience of the war in the Balkans shows that even the most modern aerospace reconnaissance systems are not yet capable of Southern Europe) effectively cope with the tasks assigned to them. Thus, as a result of 79 days of air strikes against a group of Serbian troops in Kosovo, numbering more than 300 tanks, the allied forces managed to destroy no more than 13 of them (and some of the equipment, apparently, should be attributed to the militants of the Kosovo Liberation Army).

In these conditions, one cannot underestimate the role of guidance and target designation means placed in combat formations of troops or advanced behind enemy lines as part of special forces groups (it should be noted that during the fighting in Kosovo, the role of such groups interacting with Kosovo separatists constantly increased, although this was accompanied by losses from the “special forces” of NATO countries).

At the international aerospace salon MAKS-99, the Scientific and Technical Center of JSC "AMETECH" ("Automation and Mechanization of Technologies") presented a project for a system of adjustable missile weapons "Threat" (in Western publications the project was called RCIC - "Russian Concept of Impulse Correction")

Aviation complex guided weapons"Threat" includes guided missiles S-5Kor (caliber - 57 mm), S-8Kor (80 mm) and S-13Kor (120 mm). They are created on the basis of unguided aircraft missiles (UAR) of the S-5, S-8 and S-13 types by equipping them with laser semi-active homing systems. These types of rocket launchers are the standard armament of almost all combat aircraft and helicopters of the front-line, army and naval aviation of Russia, as well as the air forces of many foreign countries.

Anti-tank missile system 9K113 Competition

The 9K113 "Konkurs" self-propelled anti-tank system is designed to destroy modern armored vehicles at a distance of up to 4 km. It forms the basis of regimental-level anti-tank weapons and is used in conjunction with portable systems of battalion anti-tank units.

The "Konkurs" complex was developed at the Instrument Design Bureau (Tula) in accordance with Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 30 o dated February 4, 1970. The new ATGM, initially called "Oboe", was later renamed "Konkurs". Constructive decisions, which formed the basis of the complex, basically corresponded to those developed in the "Fagot" complex with significantly larger mass-dimensional characteristics of the missile, due to the need to ensure a greater launch range and armor penetration.

The Konkurs complex was adopted by the Soviet Army in January 1974. The "Fagot" complex was used in motorized rifle battalions, and "Competition" with the 9P148 combat vehicle - in motorized rifle regiments and divisions. Subsequently, the Konkurs-M ATGM was developed on its basis.

In addition to Russia, a complex of various modifications is in service ground forces Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Hungary, India, Jordan, Iran, North Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Nicaragua, Peru, Poland, Romania, Syria, Vietnam, Finland. Own serial production of the 9M113 "Konkurs" anti-tank missile has been launched in Iran. The license to produce the missile was sold to Iran in the mid-90s.

In the west, the complex received the designation AT-5 "Spandrel".

9K112 Kobra guided tank weapon system

The 9K112 "Cobra" guided weapon system is designed to ensure effective fire from a cannon with guided projectiles at tanks and other armored enemy targets moving at speeds up to 75 km/h, as well as for firing at small targets (pillbox, bunker), from a standstill and from on the move, at carrier speeds of up to 30 km/h, at ranges of up to 4000 m, subject to direct visibility of the target through the rangefinder sight.

In addition to its main purpose, the 9K112 complex has the ability to fire at helicopters at ranges of up to 4000m, with target designation at a distance of at least 5000m, while the helicopter speed should not exceed 300km/h, and the flight altitude should not exceed 500m.

The lead developer of the Cobra complex is KB Tochmash (KBTM Moscow).

Tests of the 9K112 "Cobra" complex were carried out in 1975 at object 447 (a converted T-64A tank), equipped with a 1G21 quantum sight-rangefinder, a "Cobra" missile weapon system with a 9M112 missile. The missile was launched from a standard 2A46 cannon. After successful tests in 1976, a modernized tank under the designation T-64B with a 9K112-1 missile system, including a 9M112 guided missile, was put into service. Two years later, the T-80B tank with a gas turbine engine developed by the design bureau of the Leningrad Kirov Plant, equipped with the 9K112-1 missile system (9M112M missile), entered service. Subsequently, the Cobra complex was equipped with the main tanks T-64BV and T-80BV and some other prototypes of experimental or low-volume vehicles: object 219RD, object 487, object 219A, etc.

From 1976 to the present, domestic tanks T-64B, T-80B and others have priority over the main foreign models; they are the only carriers in the world of guided weapons used from standard guns. This gives our tanks an advantage in the fight against enemy tanks at long ranges, where the use of cumulative and sub-caliber projectiles is ineffective or impractical.

To date, the 9K112 "Cobra" complex, although it continues to be in service with the Russian Armed Forces, is morally obsolete. In the eighties, KBTM modernized the 9K112 complex under the name "Agon" using the new 9M128 missile. Based on the results of the work carried out, it was possible to penetrate homogeneous armor up to 650 mm thick. However, by the time development was completed in 1985, the Svir and Reflex complexes with laser-beam guided missiles had already been put into service, so all newly produced tanks of the T-80 family were equipped with these complexes.

In the west, the complex was designated AT-8 "Songster".

Anti-tank complex 9P149 Sturm-S

The 9P149 Shturm-S anti-tank missile system (ATGM) is designed to destroy tanks, armored personnel carriers and heavily fortified point targets. It was created as a single ground-based "Sturm-S" and air-based "Sturm-V" weapon system and was equipped with the first production ATGM with supersonic flight speed. The complex is made in a modular design, which allows it to be placed on any type of infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, tanks and helicopters of both Russian and foreign production. It has a semi-automatic missile control system with transmission of commands via radio link. Original scientific and technical solutions for control equipment made it possible to fire without reducing the probability of hitting the target in conditions of active opposition from the enemy, that is, the key problem for such systems was solved, the problem of noise immunity of complexes from natural and organized radio and IR interference various types.

Developed in the mid-70s at the Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau (KBM). The tests were completed in 1978; in 1979, the self-propelled ATGM "Sturm-S" with the 9M114 missile was adopted by army and front-line units. Serial production was established by the Volsky Mechanical Plant.

Work to improve the combat capabilities of the Shturm ATGM began at the Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau, almost immediately after the complex was put into service. The main direction of modernization was the creation of new missiles with increased power. First of all, the new missiles were planned to increase armor penetration (by equipping them with a tandem cumulative warhead) and launch range. At the same time, the military put forward a mandatory requirement - to ensure the use of new missiles from helicopters of the Mi-24 family and 9P149 combat vehicles that are in service self-propelled complexes. This formulation of the problem practically excluded the possibility of increasing the length of the new rocket compared to the base model. All requirements were successfully implemented in the new 9M120 Ataka missile, the first modification of which was put into service in 1985. The main design difference of the new missile was the use of a more powerful engine, which made it possible to increase the firing range, as well as a new tandem cumulative warhead with greater armor penetration. The improvement of the Sturm complexes continues - a new family of missiles has been created - 9M220, which has significantly increased the combat effectiveness of the complex.

The Shturm ATGM was exported to dozens of countries around the world, including Warsaw Pact, Cuba, Angola, Zaire, India, Kuwait, Libya, Syria, etc. The complex was successfully used during combat operations in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Angola, Ethiopia, etc.

Anti-tank missile system Sturm-V

The Shturm-V complex is designed to destroy modern tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, ATGM and SAM launchers, long-term firing points such as bunkers and bunkers, low-flying low-speed air targets, as well as enemy personnel in shelters.

The aviation anti-tank missile system "Sturm-V" was created on the basis of a ground-based self-propelled anti-tank complex 9K114 "Sturm-S". Both complexes use common weapons - 9M114, 9M114M and 9M114F missiles. Currently, the complex allows the use of improved Attack missiles - 9M120, 9M120F, 9A2200 and 9M2313.

Tests of the Shturm-V complex were carried out on a Mi-24 helicopter from 1972 to 1974. The missile system was put into service on March 28, 1976 and became the main weapon of the serial Mi-24V helicopters (product 242). The developers managed to successfully solve a number of problems related to the effects of vibrations and ensuring the combat use of missiles when a helicopter is flying at speeds of up to 300 km/h. With the weight of the Raduga-Sh equipment being 224 kg, the helicopter “Sturm” practically corresponded to the Phalanga-PV complex with the Raduga-F equipment. Despite the one and a half times increase in the mass of the transport and launch container with the Shturm missile compared to the launch mass of the Phalanx missile, due to the simplification of the launcher and the compactness of the TPK, it was possible to double the ammunition load of the carrier. The Mi-24V helicopter was standardly equipped with four 9M114 missiles. In 1986, tests were carried out on the Mi-24V helicopter with a new multi-lock beam holder, with which the helicopter can be equipped with up to 16 Sturm ATGMs. Later, the Sturm complexes were also used as part of the armament of the Mi-24P (product 243), Mi-24PV (product 258), as well as the Ka-29 helicopters - a transport and combat version of the anti-submarine Ka-27. The new Mi-28 combat helicopter is also equipped with the Shturm missile system, which can carry up to 16 missiles on two launchers.

The Ural Optical-Mechanical Plant, together with the Krasnogorsk Plant and NPO Geophysics, has created a new sighting station for the molarization of Mi-24V helicopters with the Shturm ATGM.

The Ulan-Ude aircraft plant has developed and is offering for export a new attack modification of the Mi-8 transport and combat helicopter - the Mi-8AMTSh helicopter with eight Sturm ATGMs and four Igla anti-aircraft missiles.

Taking into account the operating experience of the Sturm family of complexes, the Shturm shipborne complex with a firing range of up to 6 km is being developed for placement on Project 14310 patrol boats.

In the west, the missile was designated AT-6 "Spiral".

Anti-tank missile system 9K123 Chrysanthemum

The Chrysanthemum complex is designed to destroy modern and future tanks of any type, including those equipped with dynamic protection. In addition to armored vehicles, the complex can hit low-tonnage surface targets, hovercraft, low-flying subsonic air targets, reinforced concrete structures, armored shelters and bunkers.

The distinctive properties of the Chrysanthemum ATGM are:
high noise immunity from radio and IR interference,
simultaneous guidance of two missiles at different targets,
short flight time due to the supersonic speed of the rocket,
Possibility of round-the-clock use in simple and adverse weather conditions, as well as in the presence of dust and smoke interference.

The "Chrysanthemum" ATGM was developed at KBM (Kolomna). "Chrysanthemum-S" is the most powerful of all currently existing ground anti-tank systems. The long range of effective fire in any combat and weather conditions, security, and high rate of fire make it indispensable during both offensive and defensive operations of ground forces.

Man-portable anti-tank system 9K115 "Metis"

The 9K115 complex with a semi-automatic projectile control system is designed to destroy visible stationary and moving armored targets at various heading angles at speeds of up to 60 km/h at ranges from 40 to 1000 m. The 9K115 complex also allows effective shooting at firing points and other small targets.

The complex was developed at the Instrument Design Bureau (Tula) under the leadership of chief designer A.G. Shipunov and put into service in 1978.

In the west, the complex was designated the AT-7 "Saxhorn" missile.

The 9K115 "Metis" complex was exported to many countries around the world and was used in many local conflicts in recent decades.

9K111 portable anti-tank system

The 9K111 "Fagot" portable anti-tank system is designed to destroy tanks and other armored targets, as well as helicopters and enemy firing points.

The development of the Fagot ATGM began in March 1963 at the Instrument Design Bureau (Tula). Full-scale development of work on "Fagot" was started by decision of the Commission on Military-Industrial Issues under the USSR Council of Ministers dated May 18, 1966, No. 119.

Factory tests of the complex, carried out in 1967-1968, were unsuccessful. The last stage of factory testing began in January 1969, but due to the low reliability of the wired communication line, the tests were stopped again. After troubleshooting, they were completed in April-May 1969. And in March 1970, joint (state) tests of the complex were completed. By Decree of the Council of Ministers No. 793-259 of September 22, 1970, the Fagot complex was adopted for service. In 1970 Kirov plant"Mayak" ordered an installation batch of "Fagots" (100 pieces), and the following year their serial production began there. Production of Fagots at the Mayak plant was launched in the fourth quarter of 1971, when 710 shells were delivered. In 1975, a modernized version of the 9M111M missile was created with an increased flight range and increased armor penetration. The modernized model of the complex was named 9M111M "Factoria".

The 9K111 "Fagot" complex was exported to many countries around the world and was used in many local conflicts in recent decades. In addition to Russia, a complex of various modifications is in service with the ground forces of Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Hungary, India, Jordan, Iran, North Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Nicaragua, Peru, Poland, Romania, Syria, Vietnam, Finland.

In the west it received the designation AT-4 "Spigot".

Anti-tank missile system "Kornet"

The second-class portable anti-tank missile system "Kornet" is designed to destroy modern and advanced armored vehicles equipped with dynamic protection, fortifications, enemy manpower, low-speed air and surface targets at any time of the day, in difficult weather conditions, in the presence of passive and active optical interference.

The Kornet complex was developed at the Instrument Design Bureau, Tula.

The complex can be placed on any carrier, including those with automated ammunition racks; thanks to the low weight of the remote launcher, it can also be used autonomously in a portable version. In terms of its tactical and technical characteristics, the Kornet complex fully meets the requirements for a system of modern multi-purpose defensive and assault weapons, and allows you to quickly solve tactical problems in the area of ​​​​responsibility of ground forces units, with a tactical depth towards the enemy of up to 6 km. The originality of the design solutions of this complex, its high manufacturability, effectiveness of combat use, simplicity and reliability in operation contributed to its wide distribution abroad.

The export version of the Kornet-E complex was first presented in 1994 at an exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod.

In the west, the complex was designated AT-14.

The company's scientists and engineers, under the leadership of chief designer Harald Wolf (and then Count Helmut von Zborowski), proactively carried out a number of fundamental studies and research works with a tactical and technical justification for practical military necessity and a feasibility study for the economic feasibility of serial production of controlled wires of feathered anti-tank missiles, according to the findings of which ATGM will help to significantly increase:

• The likelihood of hitting enemy tanks and heavy armored vehicles at distances inaccessible to existing weapons;
• Effective firing range, which will make tank combat at a great distance possible;
• The survivability of German troops and military equipment located at a safe distance from the maximum range of effective enemy fire.

In 1941, as part of factory tests, they carried out a series of development work, which showed that the listed goals can be achieved by successfully solving the problem of guaranteed destruction of enemy heavy armored vehicles at a much greater distance with the already existing level of development of technologies for the production of rocket fuel and rocket engines ( By the way, during the war, BMW chemists synthesized in laboratories and tested more than three thousand different types of rocket fuel using the test-by-wire technology with varying degrees of success. The introduction of BMW developments into practice and their introduction into service was prevented by events of a military-political nature.

Since by the time of the supposed start of state tests of the developed missiles, the campaign on the Eastern Front had begun, the success of the German troops was so stunning, and the pace of the offensive was so rapid that representatives of the army command any ideas incomprehensible to them for the development of weapons and military equipment were completely uninteresting (this applied not only missiles, but also electronic computer technology, and many other achievements of German scientists), and military officials from the Army Weapons Office and the Imperial Ministry of Armaments, who were responsible for the introduction of promising developments into the troops, did not even consider it necessary to consider such an untimely application - party -the state apparatus and officials from among the NSDAP members were one of the first obstacles to the implementation of military innovations. In addition, a number of tank aces of the German Panzerwaffe had a personal battle count of tens and hundreds of destroyed enemy tanks (the absolute record holder is Kurt Knispel with a count of more than one and a half hundred tanks).

Thus, the logic of imperial officials on weapons issues is not difficult to understand: they saw no reason to question the combat effectiveness of German tank guns, as well as others already available and available in large quantities anti-tank weapons - there was no pressing practical need for this. An important role was played by the personal factor, expressed in the personal contradictions of the then Reich Minister of Armaments and Ammunition Fritz Todt and BMW CEO Franz Josef Popp (German), since the latter, unlike Ferdinand Porsche, Willy Messerschmitt and Ernst Heinkel, was not one of the Fuhrer’s favorites, and therefore did not have the same independence in decision-making and influence on the departmental sidelines: the Ministry of Armaments in every possible way prevented BMW management from implementing its own missile development program weapons and equipment, and directly indicated that they should not engage in abstract research - the role of the parent organization in the development program of German infantry tactical missiles was assigned to the metallurgical company Ruhrstahl (German) with much more modest developments in this field and a much smaller staff of scientists for their successful development.

The question of the further creation of guided anti-tank missiles was postponed for several years. Work in this direction intensified only with the transition of German troops to defense on all fronts, but if in the early 1940s this could be done relatively quickly and without unnecessary red tape, then in 1943-1944 imperial officials simply had no time for it, before they faced more pressing issues of providing the army with armor-piercing anti-tank shells, grenades, faustpatrons and other ammunition manufactured by German industry in millions of pieces, taking into account the average tank production rates of the Soviet and American industries (70 and 46 tanks per day, respectively), wasting time on expensive and untested No one was collecting single copies of guided weapons; in addition, in this regard, there was a personal order of the Fuhrer, who prohibited the expenditure of government funds on any abstract research if they did not guarantee a tangible result within six months from the start of development.

One way or another, after Albert Speer took over as Reich Minister of Armament, work in this direction resumed, but only in the laboratories of Ruhrstahl and two other metallurgical companies (Rheinmetall-Borsig), while BMW was assigned only the task of designing and manufacturing missiles. engines. In fact, orders for serial production of ATGMs were placed only in 1944, at the factories of the named companies.

First production samples

1. The Wehrmacht had pre-production or production models of ATGMs ready for combat use by the end of the summer of 1943;
2. This was not about isolated experimental launches by factory testers, but about field military tests military personnel of certain types of weapons;
3. Military tests took place at the forefront, in conditions of intense highly maneuverable combat operations, and not in conditions of trench warfare;
4. The launchers of the first German ATGMs were compact enough to be placed in trenches and camouflaged using improvised means;
5. The activation of the warhead upon contact with the surface of the target under fire led to virtually no alternative to the destruction of the armored target with scattering into fragments (the number of ricochets and cases of warhead failures, misses and emergency situations, as well as any accounting and statistics of cases of the Germans using ATGMs in open Soviet warfare). no military press was given, only a general description by eyewitnesses of the observed phenomena and their impressions of what they saw).

First large-scale combat use

For the first time since World War II, French-made SS.10 ATGMs (Nord Aviation) were used in combat in Egypt in 1956. ATGM 9K11 "Malyutka" (made in the USSR) were supplied armed forces UAR before the Third Arab–Israeli War in 1967. At the same time, the need to manually aim missiles until they hit the target led to an increase in losses among operators - Israeli tank crews and infantry actively fired machine-gun and cannon weapons at the site of the intended ATGM launch; if the operator was injured or died, the missile lost control and began to lay down orbits spiral, with an amplitude increasingly increasing with each revolution, as a result, after two or three seconds it stuck into the ground or went into the sky. This problem was partly compensated by the possibility of moving the operator’s position with the guidance station up to a hundred meters or more away from the missile launch positions thanks to compact portable cable reels that could be unwound to the required length if necessary, which significantly complicated the task of neutralizing the missile operators for the opposing side.

Anti-tank missiles for barrel systems

In the United States in the 1950s, work was underway to create anti-tank guided missiles for firing from recoilless infantry barrel systems (since the development of unguided ammunition had already reached its limit in terms of effective firing range). The management of these projects was taken over by the Frankford Arsenal in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (for all other projects of anti-tank missiles launched from guides, from a launch tube or a tank gun, the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama was responsible), practical implementation went in two main directions - 1) " Gap" (eng. GAP, back from guided antitank projectile) - guidance on the sustaining and terminal sections of the projectile’s flight path, 2) “TCP” (eng. TCP, terminally corrected projectile) - guidance only on the terminal portion of the projectile flight path. A number of weapons created within the framework of these programs and implementing the principles of wire guidance (“Sidekick”), radio command guidance (“Shilleila”) and semi-active homing with radar illumination of the target (“Polcat”), successfully passed tests and were manufactured in pilot batches, but the matter did not reach large-scale production.

In addition, first in the USA and then in the USSR, guided weapon systems for tanks and combat vehicles with barrel weapons (KUV or KUVT) were developed, which are a feathered anti-tank guided projectile (in the dimensions of a conventional tank shell), launched from a tank gun and interfaced with the corresponding control system. The control equipment for such an ATGM is integrated into the tank’s sighting system. American complexes(English) Combat Vehicle Weapon System) from the very beginning of their development, that is, from the late 1950s, they used a radio command guidance system, Soviet complexes from the moment they began development until the mid-1970s. implemented a wire guidance system. Both American and Soviet KUVT allowed the use of a tank gun for its main purpose, that is, for firing ordinary armor-piercing or high-explosive fragmentation shells, which significantly and qualitatively increased the fire capabilities of the tank in comparison with combat vehicles equipped with ATGMs launched from external guides.

In the USSR, and then Russia, the main developers of anti-tank missile systems are the Tula Instrument Design Bureau and the Kolomenskoe Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau.

Development prospects

Prospects for the development of ATGMs are associated with the transition to “fire-and-forget” systems (with homing heads), increasing the noise immunity of the control channel, hitting armored vehicles in the least protected parts (thin upper armor), installing tandem warheads (to overcome dynamic protection), using a chassis with a launcher installation on a mast.

Classification

ATGMs can be classified:

By type of guidance system

• operator-guided (with command guidance system)
• homing

by control channel type

• wire controlled
• laser controlled
• radio controlled

by pointing method

• manual: the operator “pilots” the missile until it hits the target;
• semi-automatic: the operator in the sight accompanies the target, the equipment automatically tracks the flight of the missile (usually using the tail tracer) and generates the necessary control commands for it;
• automatic: the missile automatically aims at a given target.

by mobility category

• portable

• worn by the operator alone
• transferred by calculation

• disassembled
• assembled, ready for combat use

• towed
• self-propelled

• integrated
• removable combat modules
• transported in a body or on a platform

• aviation

• helicopter
• aircraft
• unmanned aircraft;

by generation of development

The following generations of ATGM development are distinguished:

• First generation(tracking both the target and the missile itself) - completely manual control (MCLOS - manual command to line of sight): the operator (most often with a joystick) controlled the flight of the missile by wire until it hit the target. At the same time, in order to avoid contact of sagging wires with interference, it is necessary to be in direct visibility of the target and above possible interference (for example, grass or tree crowns) during the entire long flight time of the missile (up to 30 seconds), which reduces the operator’s protection from return fire. The first generation ATGMs (SS-10, “Malyutka”, Nord SS.10) required highly qualified operators, control was carried out by wire, however, due to the relative compactness and high efficiency ATGMs led to the revival and new flourishing of highly specialized “tank destroyers” - helicopters, light armored vehicles and SUVs.
• Second generation(target tracking) - the so-called SACLOS (eng. Semi-automatic command to line of sight ; semi-automatic control) required the operator to only hold the aiming mark on the target, while the flight of the missile was controlled automatically, sending control commands to the missile via wires, radio channel or laser beam. However, as before, the operator had to remain motionless during the flight, and control by wire forced him to plan the rocket’s flight path away from possible interference. Such missiles were launched, as a rule, from a dominant height, when the target was below the operator's level. Representatives: "Competition" and Hellfire I; generation 2+ - “Cornet”.
• Third generation(homing) - implements the “fire and forget” principle: after the shot the operator is not constrained in movement. Guidance is carried out either by illumination with a laser beam from the side, or the ATGM is equipped with an IR, ARGSN or millimeter-range PRGSN. These missiles do not require an operator to accompany them in flight, but they are less resistant to interference than the first generations (MCLOS and SACLOS). Representatives: Javelin (USA), Spike (Israel), LAHAT (Israel), PARS 3 LR(Germany), Nag (India), Hongjian-12 (China).
• Fourth generation(self-launch) - promising fully autonomous robotic combat systems in which a human operator is absent as a link. Software and hardware systems allow them to independently detect, recognize, identify and make a decision to fire at a target. On this moment are under development and testing with varying degrees of success in different countries.

Variants and media

ATGMs and launch equipment are usually made in several versions:

• portable complex with a rocket launched

• from container
• with guide
• from the barrel of a recoilless launcher
• from the launch tube

• from a tripod machine
• from the shoulder

• installation on a vehicle chassis, armored personnel carrier/infantry fighting vehicle;
• installation on helicopters and airplanes.

The same missile is used, but the type and weight of the launcher and guidance equipment varies.

IN modern conditions Unmanned aircraft are also being considered as ATGM carriers, for example, the MQ-1 Predator is capable of carrying and using the AGM-114 Hellfire ATGM.

Means and methods of protection

When moving a missile (using laser beam guidance), it may be necessary that at least at the final stage of the trajectory, the beam is directed directly at the target. Irradiating a target may allow the enemy to use defenses. For example, the Type 99 tank is equipped with a blinding laser weapon. It determines the direction of the radiation and sends a powerful light pulse in its direction, capable of blinding the guidance system and/or the pilot. The tank took part in large-scale ground forces exercises.

Comments

1. The expression is often found anti-tank guided missile(ATGM), which, however, is not identical to an anti-tank guided missile, since it is only one of its varieties, namely a barrel-launched ATGM.
2. Which in turn was acquired by BMW in June 1939 from Siemens.
3. Harald Wolf headed the missile development division at the initial stage after it became part of BMW, and was soon replaced by Count Helmut von Zborowski, who headed the missile development division at BMW until the very end of the war, and after the war he moved to France and participated in the French missile program , collaborated with the engine-building company SNECMA and the rocket-building division of Nord Aviation.
4. K. E. Tsiolkovsky himself divided his theoretical developments into “ space rockets"for launching a payload into outer space and "terrestrial rockets" as an ultra-high-speed modern vehicle of rail rolling stock. At the same time, he did not intend to use either of them as weapons of destruction.
5. Occasionally, the word “missile” could be used in the specialized military press in relation to foreign developments in this area, usually as a translation term, as well as in a historical context. The first edition of the TSB (1941) contains the following definition of a rocket: “At present, rockets are used in military affairs as a means of signaling.”
6. See, in particular, the memoirs of V.I. Chuikov, at that time commander of the 8th Guards Army, about the Belgorod-Kharkov strategic offensive operation (fragment of the book “The Guardsmen of Stalingrad Go West”): “Here for the first time I saw how the enemy used against our tanks were anti-tank torpedoes, which were launched from the trenches and controlled by wire. When hit by a torpedo, the tank exploded into huge pieces of metal that scattered 10-20 meters away. It was hard for us to watch the destruction of the tanks until our artillery delivered a strong fire strike on the enemy’s tanks and trenches.” The Red Army soldiers failed to obtain new types of weapons; in the case described, they were destroyed by massive Soviet artillery fire. The quoted episode appears in several editions of this book.
7. It would be interesting to note that by 1965, Nord Aviation had become a world leader in the production and sale of ATGMs on the international arms market and practically a monopolist of their production among the countries of the capitalist world - 80% of the ATGM arsenals of capitalist countries and their satellites were French SS.10, SS missiles .11, SS.12 and ENTAC, of ​​which by that time a total of about 250 thousand units had been produced, and in addition to which at the exhibition of weapons and military equipment during the 26th Paris International Air Show in June 10-21, 1965 the joint Franco-German HOT and Milan were presented.

Notes

1. Military encyclopedic Dictionary. / Ed. S. F. Akhromeeva, IVIMO USSR. - 2nd ed. - M.: Military Publishing House, 1986. - P. 598 - 863 p.
2. Artillery // Encyclopedia “Around the World”.
3. Lehmann, Jörn. Einhundert Jahre Heidekrautbahn: eine Liebenwalder Sicht. - Berlin: ERS-Verlag, 2001. - S. 57 - 95 s. - (Liebenwalder Heimathefte; 4) - ISBN 3-928577-40-9.
4. Zborowski, H. von ; Brunoy, S. ; Brunoy, O. BMW-Developments. // . - P. 297-324.
5. Backofen, Joseph E. Shaped Charges Versus Armor-Part II. // Armor: The Magazine of Mobile Warfare. - Fort Knox, KY: U.S. Army Armor Center, September-October 1980. - Vol. 89 - No. 5 - P. 20.
6. Gatland, Kenneth William. Development of the Guided Missile. - L.: Iliffe & Sons, 1954. - P. 24, 270-271 - 292 p.

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During the Second World War, the first anti-tank grenade launchers were created and brought to practical use in several countries around the world. Various weapons of this class used some common ideas, but differed in certain features. One of the most original versions The anti-tank grenade launcher was the PIAT product, created by British gunsmiths. Having noticeable differences from foreign models, such a grenade launcher showed acceptable effectiveness and was of interest to the troops.
The reasons for the appearance of the new model anti-tank grenade launcher were simple. At the initial stage of the Second World War, the British infantry had only two means of combating enemy tanks: the Boys anti-tank rifle and the No. 68 rifle grenade. Such weapons were used quite actively for a long time, but their effectiveness was constantly falling. ...

Just a few years ago, Spain did not have the technical base necessary to create anti-tank missile systems that meet modern requirements. However, the adoption and operation of the Aspide air-to-surface missile from Selenia (Italy) and the Roland missile defense system of the Euromissile association (Germany, France) with its production under license from Santa Barbara (Spain) contributed to the creation of a scientific and technological base that made it possible to start a national development of ATGM. Diagram of Toledo starting motor nozzle; laser beam receiver; low thrust starting engine; tail unit; gyroscope; battery; fuse; shaped charge; lining of cumulative excavation; thrust vector control device; - propulsion engine accelerator fuel; propulsion engine fuel; a two-layer ogive head that activates the fuse. ...

ATGM "Malyutka-2" The anti-tank missile system (ATGM) "Malyutka-2" is a modernized version of the 9K11 "Malyutka" complex and differs from the latter in the use of an improved missile with different types of warheads. Developed at Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau. The complex is designed to destroy modern tanks and other armored vehicles, as well as engineering structures such as bunkers and bunkers in the absence and presence of natural or organized infrared interference. Its predecessor - the Malyutka complex - one of the first domestic anti-tank systems, was manufactured for approximately 30 years and is in service in more than 40 countries around the world. Various versions of the complex were and are being produced in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, China, Iran, Taiwan and other countries. Among such copies one can note the ATGM "Susong-Po" (DPRK), "Kun Wu" (Taiwan) and HJ-73 (China). ATGM "Raad" - Iranian version of the 9M14 "Malyutka" ATGM in production since 1961. ...

ATGM AGM-114L Hellfire-Longbow The anti-tank missile system (ATGM) AGM-114L Hellfire-Longbow with an active radar homing head is designed to destroy enemy tank formations and other small targets at any time of the day, in poor visibility and in difficult weather conditions. The complex was developed by Rockwell International and Lockheed Martin based on the AGM-114K Hellfire-2 missile as part of the AAWWS (Airbone Adverse Weather Weapon System) program for attack helicopters AH-64D Apache and RAH-66 Comanche. The effectiveness of the Apache helicopter equipped with the Longbow complex has increased significantly due to the ability to use missiles in bad weather, the ability to launch a salvo at a concentration of armored vehicles, and also due to a significant reduction in the time the helicopter spends under enemy fire when aiming missiles. The first fire tests of the AGM-114L Hellfire-Longbow ATGM were carried out in June 1994. ...

ATGM NOT The heavy Franco-German anti-tank missile system (ATGM) "NOT" (Haut subsonique Optiquement teleguide tire d"un Tube) is used to arm combat helicopters and placed on self-propelled chassis. Developed by the Euromissile consortium (MBDA France and LFK) on the basis ATGM HOT and entered service in 1974. The "HOT" complex is designed for arming mobile vehicles (cars, infantry fighting vehicles, helicopters) and for stationary underground installations (strong points, fortified areas).The main features of the "HOT" complex: compactness, the ability to quickly replacement of elements of the complex in case of their failure, automatic loading, high rate of fire, large ammunition capacity of missiles. The ATGM "NOT" is capable of hitting highly mobile targets mounted on vehicles of different classes of armored and unarmored, on platforms, platforms and helicopters, ensures the conduct of combat operations as in offensive and defensive battles, fire at a distance of up to 4000m. ...

ATGM HJ-9 One of the latest developments of the Chinese company "NORINCO" (China North Industries Corporation), is the ATGM HJ-9 ("Hong Jian"-9, according to NATO classification - "Red Arrow-9"), designed to combat the main tanks, armored targets and destruction of various types of engineering structures. The all-weather, all-day HJ-9 belongs to the third generation of anti-tank guided missiles adopted by the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China. The development of the HJ-9 ATGM began in the 1980s; the complex was first shown at a military parade among new types of weapons and military equipment in 1999. Compared to its prototype (HJ-8), the new complex has an increased flight range, increased efficiency and flexibility of combat use, a new modern noise-resistant control system, increased armor penetration. ...

ATGM HJ-73 The Chinese anti-tank missile system HJ-73 (Hong Jian - "Red Arrow") belongs to the first generation of anti-tank guided missiles adopted by the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China (PLA). Unsuccessful attempts to develop their own anti-tank missile systems (ATGM) began in China in the 50s of the last century and lasted for two decades. The situation changed in 1971. after several samples of the Soviet 9K11 Malyutka ATGM fell into the hands of Chinese engineers. The result of copying this system was the first anti-tank missile system HJ-73, which was put into service in 1979. The HJ-73 is operated by the PLA as a portable system, and is also used to equip infantry fighting vehicles, light vehicle chassis and other carriers. Over the many years of service, the HJ-73 ATGM has been repeatedly upgraded in order to increase armor penetration and combat effectiveness. ...

Hellfire ATGM AGM-114 "Hellfire" with a laser missile guidance system, was developed taking into account the possibility of its use by various types of aircraft and, mainly, for arming combat helicopters. The development of the first version of the AGM-114A missile was completed by Rockwell International in 1982, and since 1984 the complex has been in service with the US Army and Marine Corps. Based on test results and operational experience, it is characterized as a highly effective anti-tank weapon with high flexibility of use, which can also be successfully used to engage other targets and solve various tactical problems on the battlefield. After the use of the Hellfire ATGM during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, work began on its further modernization. The program was designated HOMS (Hellfire Optimized Missile System), and the upgraded version of the missile was designated AGM-114K "Hellfire-2". ...

EFOGM missile system The EFOGM (Enhanced Fiber Optic Guided Missile) missile system is designed primarily to combat tanks, as well as to destroy air targets (helicopters) flying at extremely low and low altitudes using the camouflage properties of the terrain and other features terrain. The maximum firing range at air and ground targets, according to tactical and technical requirements, must be at least 10 km. According to reports in the foreign press, two design options for the complex are envisaged: based on the M988 "Hammer" multi-purpose off-road vehicle for light divisions (8 missiles per launcher) and based on a tracked self-propelled chassis of the MLRS multiple launch rocket system (24 missiles per launcher) for "heavy" divisions. Ground forces The United States plans to supply 118 and 285 systems in the first and second versions, respectively, as well as 16,550 missiles. Their cost will be 2.9 billion dollars. ...

At the end of May 1988 The American company Hughes Aircraft signed an agreement with the Spanish consortium Esprodesa to develop, at its own expense, a medium-range anti-tank missile system, which will be a serious competitor to the European wearable medium-range complex AGTW-3MR of the EMDG association. In October 1988 Hughes Aircraft and the Esprodesa consortium, which includes three Spanish firms Ceselsa, Instalaza and Union Explosivos, were to create a new Spanish-American association, the name of which is not yet known, with headquarters in Madrid. The total capital of the joint venture will be $260 million, of which 60% ($160 million) will belong to the Esprodesa consortium and 40% to Hughes Aircraft. The Aries ATGM development project is estimated at $134 million. Hughes Aircraft provides general management of the program, develops a guidance and control system for the missile, and provides technical assistance to its partners. ...

Serial production and deliveries of self-propelled anti-tank missile systems of the 9K123 "Chrysanthemum" family continue. This equipment is capable of carrying several types of guided missiles designed to hit a wide range of targets. In addition, the complex has a number characteristic features, which can significantly increase its combat potential. To date, the troops have already received a certain number of Khrysantema-S ATGMs, and the industry continues to build new combat vehicles.
The development of the Chrysanthemum project began in the mid-eighties. The main task of this project, the creation of which was carried out by specialists from the Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau (Kolomna) under the leadership of S.P. Invincible was the design of a self-propelled missile system capable of destroying various targets, primarily enemy armored vehicles. Soon the main features of the appearance of the new equipment were determined and the composition of the complex was formed. ...