9M133 Kornet

Infobox Weapon
is_missile=yes
name=Kornet


caption=
origin=
type=Anti-tank missile
used_by= See "users"
manufacturer=KBP Instrument Design Bureau
unit_cost=
propellant=
production_date=
service=1994- present
engine=solid-fuel rocket
engine_power=
weight=27 kg
length=120 cm
height=
diameter=15.2 cm
wingspan=
speed=
vehicle_range=0.1 - 5 km
ceiling=
altitude=
filling=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
detonation=
launch_platform=

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".

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.Fact|date=February 2007 GlobalSecurity.org claims that at least two M1 Abrams tanks and one M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle were disabled by Kornets. [cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/at-14.htm|publisher=GlobalSecurity.org|title=Kornet (AT-14)] The US Army however has stated that no Kornet ATGMs were found in Iraq.Fact|date=February 2007

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 and damage Israeli Merkava tanks. Fact|date=February 2008

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."cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/08/15/wmid15.xml|publisher=The Daily Telegraph
title=Israel humbled by arms from Iran|date=2006-08-15] 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. [cite news|url=http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/human_shields_eb.pdf
publisher=Center for Special Studies|title=Hezbollah's use of Lebanese civilians as human shields: Part Two - Documentation] [cite news|url=http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/17/9m133jn4.jpg
publisher=Center for Special Studies|title=Kornet ATGMs captured in Ghandouriyeh]

Israel's 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.cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4794829.stm
publisher=BBC News Online|title=Tough lessons for Israeli armour|date=2006-08-15] Despite initial public denials by the Russian officials that any proof of actual use of Kornet by Hezbollah has been presented [cite news| url=http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060825/53115965.html
publisher=RIA Novosti|title=Israel never proved use of Russian missiles by Hizbollah - Ivanov|date=2006-08-25] [cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5284938.stm
publisher=BBC News Online|title=Russia denies Hezbollah arms link|date=2006-08-25] , 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. [cite news| url=http://www.government.ru/government/governmentactivity/rfgovernmentdecisions/archive/2006/10/11/6401484.htm
publisher=Government of the Russian Federation|title=Provisions for the control of the compliance by foreign states to the rules of use of military equipment supplied by the Russian Federation|date=2006-10-11]

Users

Known users include Russia, India, Algeria, Greece, Morocco, Syria, Hezbollah , Peru, Turkey (over 800 missiles and 80 launchers were ordered in 2008 [http://lenta.ru/news/2008/09/16/kornet/] ), Lebanon and Jordan

See also

* AT-15 Khrizantema
* BGM-71 TOW
* List of NATO reporting names for anti-tank missiles
* Battle of Wadi Saluki

References

External links

* [http://www.kbptula.ru/eng/atgw/kornet.htm KORNET-E Antitank Missile System on KBP site]
* [http://www.defense-update.com/products/k/kornet-e.htm Kornet-E ATGW at Defense Update]