Modern ATGMs are capable of hitting any type of European and American-made vehiclesIn the near future, Russian anti—tank missile systems (ATGMS) should have new targets - Leopard 2, Abrams, Challenger 2 and AMX tanks.
Today, the Russian army is armed with a fairly serious arsenal of anti-tank defense forces and means. Among them are no less sonorous names — "Bassoons", "Cornets", "Whirlwinds" and even "Chrysanthemums". Izvestia understood what advantages modern domestic ATGMs have and how they will cope with Western-made tanks.
Time-tested
Anti—tank missiles now have various guidance systems - from wired control, as 50-60 years ago, to ultra-modern laser homing. Or by the heat spot of armored vehicles — in the infrared range of the homing head. Wired control is simple and reliable — it is extremely difficult to interfere. And even with the development of missile technologies, as well as sighting equipment, such complexes continue to remain quite relevant anti-tank weapons.
A real veteran of the Russian Armed Forces is ATGM 9K111 "Fagot". In its first modification, this complex was adopted by the Soviet Army in 1970. For its time, it was revolutionary — the launch of a rocket from a transport and launch container (TPC), a portable folding launcher on which you can quickly replace the used TPC with a rocket-loaded one.
Before the "Bassoon", the operator of the complex independently controlled the flight of the ammunition. In it, the guidance has become semi—automatic - it is necessary to keep an enemy tank in sight, and the commands for the missile are formed by the automation of the complex. The use of wires for transmitting commands made the system highly reliable and not subject to interference. Of course, if the target tank put light interference or created a smoke screen, then the guidance could fail, but in real life, usually the tank does not have time to counteract the ATGM - from the launch of the missile to the destruction of the target takes a maximum of ten seconds.
A marine shoots from a portable ATGM "Fagot"
Image source: Photo: TASS/Yuri Smityuk
The range of the Fagot, depending on the type of missile, is 2000 m (9M111) or up to 4000 m (9M113). The armor penetration of the tandem cumulative warhead of the most advanced 9M113M missile reaches up to 800 mm of armor behind dynamic protection. The tandem warhead of anti—tank ammunition is equipped with, as it were, two sequentially positioned warheads - the first initiates the dynamic protection of the tank, and the second already penetrates the armor remaining without it. This solution allows you to effectively hit almost any modern tank.
By the way, the maximum reservation of "Leopards", if measured by the frontal part, is about 500 mm for the 2A5 tank model and up to 1200 mm for the most advanced 2A7 model. If we talk about the frontal projection of the tower, then there in front of our ATGM will be from 1200 mm for the Leopard-2A5 tank to 1500 mm for the Leopard-2A7. The figures are indicated in relation to the resistance against shaped charges of anti-tank weapons. And, of course, this is the ideal theoretical value — any armored beast can be hit.
Air superiority
One of the most advanced, high-tech and powerful Russian ATGMS remains the 9K121M "Vortex" complex with 9M127-1 "Vortex-1" missiles, which has been produced by our industry since 2013. The creation of the "Vortex" began in the 1980s in the Instrument Design Bureau under the leadership of A.G. Shipunov. The complex was created just to combat the latest Western tanks of the Abrams and Leopard type, which required the creation of a new generation of anti-tank weapons to defeat.
Guided missiles "Whirlwind" on the reconnaissance and attack helicopter Ka-52 "Alligator"
Image source: Photo: Kalashnikov Concern press service
"Whirlwind" is an aviation ATGM, which is used by attack aircraft and helicopters. The main carrier of the Vortices is the Ka—52 reconnaissance and attack helicopter. Each vehicle carries 12 transport and launch containers with ATGM. The missile is supersonic with laser guidance and a powerful tandem cumulative warhead weighing 12 kg. Armor penetration is at least 1200 mm of armor, that is, for modern tanks, this is a guaranteed defeat when hitting even the most protected parts of the hull.
A tank blown up by a guided missile "Whirlwind"
Image source: Photo: Kalashnikov Concern press service
In addition to tanks and armored vehicles, "Vortices" can also hit air targets that move at speeds up to 800 km/h. So, during the tests, the Tu-16 target aircraft was hit. The range of the Vortices is 10 km longer than the range of many anti-aircraft missile systems that provide air defense of tank formations. This is twice the range of the Stinger MANPADS. And, by the way, we can note the repeated successful use of Ka-52 helicopters with ATGM "Whirlwind" during a special military operation.
Any armor
To replace the reliable and very common "Bassoon" in the Instrument Design Bureau from Tula in the 1990s, an anti-tank missile system 9K135 "Kornet" was created with a laser-guided missile. In its latest modifications, the principle of "shot and forgot" is implemented: it is enough for the ATGM operator to aim at the target and press "capture". After that, the complex performs all operations automatically, and with a high probability the missile hits the target. The munition starts from the transport and launch container and flies to the target at transonic speed. The tandem cumulative warhead, but there are features — in the Kornet rocket, the front and main tandem charges are separated by a solid-fuel engine with side nozzles. In the tail compartment there is a guidance system with laser radiation sensors of the launcher.
The Kornet complex, due to the perfect aiming system, can conduct targeted fire on fast—moving objects - on any ground vehicles, on floating and on most of the flying vehicles. The security of the calculation of the complex is provided by a remote control panel. The Kornet is versatile and can be used from different launch platforms — from a portable tripod in infantry formations, from an infantry fighting vehicle, from a boat or from a special ATGM combat vehicle. Range — up to 5500 m. The penetration of the "Cornet" leaves no chance for tanks: 1300 mm of armor with dynamic protection is the maximum thickness of the latest modifications of modern machines.
Military personnel of the Armed Forces during live firing from the ATGM "Chrysanthemum"
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Vitaly Nevar
But the most powerful modern ATGM of the Russian army was the universal missile system 9K123 "Chrysanthemum" with powerful supersonic missiles and a range of up to 6 km. The combat vehicle of the 9P157 complex was created on the basis of the BMP-3. In fact, it is a robotic ATGM combat platform. A launcher with two missiles in containers, after firing, throws off empty containers and, without the participation of the crew, is recharged from the ammunition in the body of the machine. Missile guidance is combined automatic — by laser beam and by radio beam in the noise-proof millimeter wave range.
The ammunition of the vehicle is 15 missiles. If we consider that the probability of hitting a tank with such missiles is close to one, then with a successful combination of circumstances, one such machine can destroy up to a company of tanks. Penetration — 1250 mm of armor behind dynamic protection. And there are not only missiles with cumulative warheads in the ammunition package — the complex can also use missiles with thermobaric warheads that can destroy small buildings or smoke infantry out of fortifications.
Dmitry Kornev
