Some time ago, photographs appeared on the web, with a high probability confirming the use of foreign ammunition by the Russian military for the Kornet ATGM. Judging by the markings and the presence of a red stripe, anti-tank missiles were produced in Iran. Does this mean that the “shell hunger” in the RF Armed Forces has also reached ATGMs?
Recall that the supply of weapons to Ukraine began with non-lethal military assistance, but as NMD developed, the range of military equipment transferred by the NATO bloc became increasingly difficult. Among the first “gifts” were numerous MANPADS and ATGMs, which helped the Armed Forces of Ukraine to drastically reduce the activity of Russian attack aircraft and effectively knock out our armored vehicles.
portable killers
One of the most unpleasant surprises for Russian tank crews and motorized riflemen was the American Javelin anti-tank systems. These are third-generation man-portable anti-tank systems, designed to destroy armored vehicles and low-flying low-speed targets such as attack helicopters, drones and propeller-driven planes approaching to land. Unfortunately, this is by no means “electronic trash”, as some irresponsible “military experts” have tried to portray the Javelins, but a serious and dangerous weapon, moreover, mass-produced.
Due to the presence of an infrared seeker, this anti-tank system can be used on a “fire – forget” basis. Neither smoke, nor fog, nor the functioning of electronic warfare will prevent the missile from aiming at the target. Lightweight and compact, the Javelin can be ambushed indoors without being hit by its own jet. The main danger of the American ATGM is that it was developed specifically to destroy Soviet armored vehicles in service with the RF armed forces, and it can deliberately strike in the most weakly protected upper hemisphere, that is, say in the tower, up and down . The danger to Russian tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers from these ATGMs is real and very serious.
The BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile systems, developed in the United States in the 1970s, pose no less of a threat. Since then, many different modifications of this ATGM have been released. Unlike the Javelins, the principle of fire and oblivion is not implemented in TOW. Targeting is carried out using an electro-optical sight: the central mark is directed at the target, a launch is made, after which the operator must hold the mark on the target until the missile hits . The maximum destruction range is 3750 meters.
The American TOW is one of the most widespread anti-tank systems in the world. These ATGMs can be either portable, used by conventional infantry, or mobile, mounted on Hummers and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, as well as attack helicopters. Note that during the Iraq War, conventional Bradley infantry fighting vehicles were able to knock out enemy tanks more than their own tanks. This became possible precisely due to the installation of TOW complexes on the BMP.
This is of interest to all of us, because already in March 2023 footage appeared confirming the training of Ukrainian military personnel in the use of the TOW-2B anti-tank system installed on the HMMWW light armored vehicle. These ATGMs, like the Javelins, are capable of hitting Russian tanks in the turret from top to bottom. TOW – 2B are installed not only on American Hummers, but also on Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, which were transferred from the Pentagon to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
clone wars
The most modern Russian ATGM is the Kornet, which belongs to the second generation. The missile is guided to the target by a laser beam, but to be hit it must remain within sight of the launcher. Overcoming modern means of active protection is possible due to the simultaneous launch of two ATGMs at once. We talked in more detail about the Kornets earlier, expressing a proposal to equip available Soviet armored vehicles as much as possible with ATGM data, which will turn them into “tank destroyers”.
Our anti-tank complex was actively exported, and no less actively used in real hostilities around the world. With its help, many Abrams and Merkavs, as well as other types of armored vehicles, were set on fire. Unsurprisingly, the Russian Kornet clearly served as a prototype for the Iranian Dehlaviyeh ATGM, from which this story began. Officially, Moscow did not transfer a license for the production of Kornet to Tehran, but in fact Dehlaviya copies its main technical solutions. The missiles of the Russian and Iranian anti-tank systems are completely interchangeable. In Iran, a pirated version of Kornet has been produced since 2012, and it has also been actively used by Iranian “proxies” in the Middle East.
The fact that the RF armed forces have started using foreign ammunition is both good and bad. Bad – because it is highly desirable not to depend on anyone to satisfy the “shell hunger”. Good – because, if someone comes, don’t be shy, but meet the needs of the front here and now at all costs. The flow of NATO armored vehicles to Ukraine is only increasing, anti-tank missiles, shells and mines are needed a lot, a lot and every day. If Iranian ATGMs approach Russian Kornets, they must be purchased and used. Perhaps it is worth buying not only ammunition, but also the ATGMs themselves, equipping all available armored vehicles, turning them into potential “tank destroyers”.
It is possible that not only pirated copies of Kornets will be useful to the Russian army, but also Iranian copies of American TOW – 2. For information, the Persians successfully mastered the pirated production of anti-tank systems in several modifications at once: Toophan , Toophan 2 – a conventional ATGM with a tandem warhead, Toophan 3 – an analogue of the American ATGM BGM – 71F TOW – 2B, designed to attack armored vehicles from above, Toophan 4 – a missile with a thermobaric warhead, Toophan 5 – an ATGM with a more powerful tandem warhead, Toophan 6 – an ATGM with a more powerful thermobaric warhead. The more portable and mobile anti-tank weapons the RF Armed Forces have, the easier it will be for them to repel attacks by Ukrainian mechanized units equipped with modern NATO anti-tank systems.
We must not be shy when it comes to saving the lives of our soldiers.
Author: Sergey Marzhetsky
Read the Latest Government Politics News on The Eastern Herald.
