The 9K120 Svir, 9K119 Refleks, 9K119M Refleks-M (NATO reporting name AT-11 Sniper)[5] are laser beam riding, guided anti-tank missile systems developed in the Soviet Union. Both are designed to be fired from smoothbore 125 mm tank and anti-tank guns (2A45, 2A46 and 2A46M). The name Svir comes from the River Svir, while Refleks means reflex.
| 9K120 Svir / 9K119 Refleks / 9K119M Refleks-M AT-11 Sniper | |
|---|---|
 Missile 9M119F1 | |
| Type | ATGM |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1985–present [1] |
| Used by | Soviet Union Russia China India Serbia South Korea |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Tula Machinery Design Bureau (Tula KBP) |
| Designed | 1980s |
| Manufacturer | Degtyarev plant |
| Unit cost | $37,500 (2012)[2][3] |
| Produced | 1980s–present |
| Variants | 9M119M |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 16.5 / 17.2 kg[4] |
| Diameter | 125 mm |
| Warhead | Tandem hollow-charge |
| Warhead weight | 4.5 kg |
Operational range | 4,000 / 5,000 m |
| Maximum speed | Supersonic |
Guidance system | Laser beam riding |
Launch platform | 125 mm smoothbore guns |
History
editThe first guided anti-tank missile system fired from smoothbore 125 mm tank guns, the 9K112 Kobra, appeared on Soviet T-64B tanks in 1976. However, they were incompatible with the autoloader of the T-72 tanks (while the T-64 also had an autoloader, it was very different from the one in T-72), so the new missile system was developed for T-72.
9K120 Svir
editThe Svir is used with the T-72B tank series since 1985.
9K119 Refleks
editThe Refleks appeared in 1992 and was installed in T-90 tank series.
It has also been produced by the People's Republic of China for use with its Type 99 tank.[6]
The Indian defence ministry has signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a public sector company under Department of Defence Production, for supplying Invar Anti Tank Guided Missiles to the Indian Army. BDL has been manufacturing these missiles under technical collaboration with Rosoboronexport.[7] It can also be fired from the 2A45 Sprut-B anti-tank gun.[8]
9K119M Refleks-M
edit9M119M "Refleks-M" missiles (GRAU designation: 3UKB20) can be fired from the T-72B, T-80U, and T-90S through the use of a 1K13-49 sight[9], are ejected using the 9Kh949 ejecting mechanism, and the rocket motor ignites as soon as the missile exits the barrel. Ram air collected by the air intakes in the nose is used to provide power to move the control fins.[10] The 17.2 kg (37.8 pound) missile is 690 mm (27.1 inches) long and has pop-out fins (with a 250 mm/69 girth span) that aid in guidance. The missile is guided by the modulated laser beam steered by the tank gunner. The missile has a maximum range of 5,000 meters at a speed of 350 meters per second (17.69 seconds max flight time). The Svir/Reflex enables the tank to hit targets at twice the range of the 125mm shells. The tandem warhead can penetrate up to 900 mm of armor (35.4 inches). Missile 9M119M "Refleks-M" was put into service in 1992, and the modernized variant 9M119M1 in the second half of the 1990s.[11][12] There are also high explosive versions produced named 9M119F and 9M119F1 which are intended to defeat enemy personnel.[13]
Similar weapons
edit- United States: MGM-51 Shillelagh used with the M551 Sheridan light tank, and the short lived M60A2 MBT.
- United States: XM1111 Mid-Range Munition which was attempted to be developed for the M1A2 SEP Abrams MBT.
- Russia: 9K112 Kobra (AT-8 Songster) is also fired through 125-mm smoothbore gun tubes.
- India: SAMHO fired from 120mm main gun of Arjun MBT.
- Israel: LAHAT, used with their 105 and 120-mm gun tubes.
- France: ACRA 142mm anti-tank missile, tested on a version of the AMX-30 MBT.
- Ukraine: Kombat tandem-warhead ATGM with a 5,000-m effective range, fired from 125-mm smoothbore guns. 950 mm penetration.[14]
- Iran: Reversed engineered version of the Svir with max range of 4,000 meters named Tondar.[15]
Specifications
edit- Range:
- Svir: 75 to 4,000 m
- Refleks: 75 to 5,000 m
- Weight (complete round):
- Svir: 28 kg
- Refleks: 24.3 kg
- Missile Weight:
- Svir: 16.5 kg
- Refleks: 17.2 kg
- Warhead: Tandem HEAT
- Penetration: 700–900 mm of RHA
- Time of flight to 4,000 m: 11.7 s
- Time of flight to 5,000 m: 17.6 s
Operators
editCurrent operators
edit
China
Cyprus
Georgia
Iran
India
Morocco: 9K120 variant, used in Moroccan Army T-72Bs.
Pakistan: according to SIPRI Pakistan received 1,920 9M119 from Belarus by 1999 to be used on its T-80UD, although current status uncertain[16][17]
Russia
Serbia
Syria: 9K120 Svir and 9K119 Refleks variants used.[18]
Ukraine: Captured 30 examples from retreating Russian Army positions in Kharkiv oblast September 2022.[19] [better source needed]
Vietnam
Former operators
edit
Soviet Union - Passed on to Russia.
South Korea - Retired in early 2019, with the T-80U Main battle tanks.
Citations
edit- ^ "Refleks". Deagel.com. Deagel. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Индия купит десять тысяч российских противотанковых ракет". Archived from the original on 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
- ^ "Lenta.ru: Оружие: Индия купит десять тысяч российских противотанковых ракет". Archived from the original on 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2012-10-19.
- ^ a b "125mm Guided Rounds". Archived from the original on 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2018-12-11.
- ^ "Russian T-14 Tanks Get Anti-Tank Missile with 7-Mile Range". Archived from the original on 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2018-04-07.
- ^ "Janes Armor and Artillery Upgrades". Archived from the original on 2012-06-30.
- ^ "India signs $471 million contract for Russian Invar missiles | Russia & India Report". Russia Beyond. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Jane's Ammunition Handbook 2003-2004. Janes Information Group. 2003.
- ^ "Modernized main battle tank T-72B (T-72BM, T-72BA)". bastion-opk.ru. Archived from the original on 2020-09-26. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
- ^ "Танки - Т-72, Т-80, Т-90 (Второе издание 19 December 2011)" (in Russian). 19 December 2011. Archived from the original on 29 January 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- ^ "Завод им. В.А. Дегтярева / Выстрел 3УБК20 с управляемой ракетой 9М119М". Archived from the original on 2018-09-26. Retrieved 2014-12-19.
- ^ "Комплекс управляемого вооружения 9К119М «Рефлекс-М»". Archived from the original on 2014-10-26. Retrieved 2014-12-18.
- ^ "Open Joint Stock Company "V.A.Degtyarev Plant" / Anti-tank arms". Archived from the original on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
- ^ Jane's Armour and Artillery 2005–2006, p 133.
- ^ "Modlex product: MXF05-000160 Tondar Anti Armour Guided Missile". modlex.ir. Archived from the original on 13 April 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Transfers of major weapons: Deals with deliveries or orders made for 1999 to 2021", SIPRI Arms Transfers Database.
- ^ Olesya Zagorskaya. "CSTO Countries as Suppliers of Military Equipment". Archived from the original on 2022-07-03. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
- ^ "Syrian Arab Republic (Modern)". Tank Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ @UAWeapons. "Weapons capture during 2022 Ukraine Russia war". Archived from the original on 2022-09-16. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
Bibliography
edit
- Jane's Ammunition Handbook 2003–2004.
- RED THRUST STAR : U.S. Forces Command OPFOR Training Program
- FM 3-19.4 : Weapon Appendix