| Kornet | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Basic data | |
| Function | anti-tank missile |
| Manufacturer | KBP Instrument Design Bureau |
| Entered service | 1994 |
| General characteristics | |
| Engine | solid-fuel rocket |
| Launch mass | 27 kg |
| Length | 120 cm |
| Diameter | 15.2 cm |
| Speed | |
| Range | 0.1 - 5 km |
| Warhead | shaped-charge HEAT tandem warhead, with armour penetration of about 1200 mm of RHA behind ERA. Thermobaric anti-personnel/anti-material warhead is also available. |
| Guidance | SACLOS laser beam riding |
The 9M133 Kornet (Russian for "Cornet") is a Russian anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). "9M133" is the GRAU designation of the missile. Its NATO reporting name is AT-14 Spriggan.
Contents |
Overview
The KBP Instrument Design Bureau unveiled the Kornet in October 1994, and it is believed the missile entered service in the Russian army the same year. It is a heavy ATGM intended to replace the earlier 9K111 Fagot (NATO: AT-4 Spigot) and 9K113 Konkurs (NATO: AT-5 Spandrel) wire-guided ATGMs in both vehicle and tripod mounts. The missile is capable of engaging helicopters. A variant with a thermobaric warhead is produced for use against soft-skinned vehicles, exposed personnel and fortifications.
Combat history
During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Kornets were initially rumoured to have been used by Iraqi forces to destroy American M1 Abrams tanks, but later studies revealed that the tanks had been hit by either friendly fire or Iraqi rocket propelled grenades. No evidence of the use or presence of Kornet missiles in Iraq has been found. GlobalSecurity.org claims that at least two M1 Abrams tanks and one M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle were disabled by Kornets.[1] The US Army however has stated that no Kornet ATGMs were found in Iraq. The first verified episode of Kornet ATGM combat use occurred during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, where the missiles, reportedly supplied by Syria, were successfully used by Hezbollah fighters to destroy Israeli Merkava Mk4 tanks. One of the first detailed accounts of IDF's successful capture of Kornet ATGMs on Hezbollah positions in the village of Ghandouriyeh appeared in the Daily Telegraph article, which also reported that the boxes were marked with "Customer: Ministry of Defense of Syria. Supplier: KBP, Tula, Russia."[2] Several months after the cease-fire, reports have provided sufficient photographic evidence that Kornet ATGMs were indeed both in possession of, and used by, Hezbollah in this area.[3][4] Reports of the Kornet use earlier in the war [5][6] could not be verified and are possibly cases of misidentification. Israel claim that Russian weapons were smuggled to Hezbollah by Syria, and Israel has sent a team of officials to Moscow to show Russia the evidence of what they say can only be Syrian weapons transfers.[7] Despite initial public denials by the Russian officials that any proof of actual use of Kornet by Hezbollah has been presented[8][9], the Russian government in fact has moved to tighten control over the use of Russian-made weapons by the importing states, suggesting that the visit of the Israeli delegation did bear fruit, although it might have nothing to do with Kornet.[10]
Users
Known users include Russia, Algeria, Iran, Greece, South Korea, Morocco, Syria & Hezbollah.
See also
References
- ^ Kornet (AT-14). GlobalSecurity.org.
- ^ "Israel humbled by arms from Iran", The Daily Telegraph, 2006-08-15.
- ^ "Hezbollah's use of Lebanese civilians as human shields: Part Two - Documentation", Center for Special Studies.
- ^ "Kornet ATGMs captured in Ghandouriyeh", Center for Special Studies.
- ^ "4 soldiers killed in Lebanon", Ynetnews, 2006-08-03.
- ^ "15 reservists killed in Lebanon battles", Ynetnews, 2006-08-10.
- ^ "Tough lessons for Israeli armour", BBC News Online, 2006-08-15.
- ^ "Israel never proved use of Russian missiles by Hizbollah - Ivanov", RIA Novosti, 2006-08-25.
- ^ "Russia denies Hezbollah arms link", BBC News Online, 2006-08-25.
- ^ "Provisions for the control of the compliance by foreign states to the rules of use of military equipment supplied by the Russian Federation", Government of the Russian Federation, 2006-10-11.
