Kornet E Anti-Tank Missile

Kornet-E is an export version of the Russian Kornet man-portable anti-tank missile system (ATGM).

First shown in 1994, the system was developed by the KBP Instrument Design Making Bureau, Tula, Russia, and is in production and service with the Russian Army. The missile has been exported to Syria, Jordan, the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, Morocco, Algeria and Greece.

Kornet is a third-generation system, developed to replace the Fagot and Konkurs missile systems in the Russian Army. It is designed to destroy tanks, including those fitted with explosive reactive armour (ERA), fortifications, entrenched troops as well as small-scale targets. The system consists of combat assets, maintenance facilities and training assistance.

The system can be fitted to a variety of tracked and wheeled vehicles, including the BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle, as well as serving as a standalone, portable system. The self-propelled Kornet missile system is manufactured by the Volsk Mechanical Plant, Volsk, Russian Federation.

In 2012, Kornet-EM, an advance version of the Kornet-E missile, was introduced with improved range and warhead capabilities.

Kornet-E missile system orders and deliveries

It was reported in April 2005 that the Kornet-E missile system had been ordered by the Government of Eritrea.

In March 2009, it was announced that 244 Kornet E missiles had been ordered by Peru under a $25m contract. The missile systems were delivered in January 2010.

Pakistan purchased undisclosed number of Kornet-E missiles during 2017-18.

Kornet anti-tank missile

The launcher fires Kornet missiles with tandem shaped charge HEAT warheads to defeat tanks fitted with ERA or with high explosive / incendiary (thermobaric effect) warheads, for use against bunkers, fortifications and fire emplacements.

Armour penetration for the HEAT warhead is stated to be 1,200mm. The range is 5km.

The missile has semi-automatic command-to-line-of-sight (SACLOS) laser beamriding guidance, flying along the line of sight to engage the target head on in a direct attack profile.

The SAGER thermal sight is being used with Kornet-E ATGM. The thermal view of SAGER is observed inside the same viewing channel of the direct viewing optics of Kornet-E through the optical collimator supplied by SAGER.

Tripod launcher

The tripod launcher includes optical sight, thermal sight, laying drives, missile launch mechanism and missiles kept in storage and transport containers. The operator uses either optical or thermal sight to detect and track the target. The thermal sight is designated 1PN80 and is produced by the State Institute of Applied Optics (NPO GIPO) of Kazan, Russia.

Vehicle mounts

The Kornet anti-tank guided weapon system is mounted on a cross-country, armoured chassis based on the BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle, which entered production in the late 1980s and is in service with the Russian Army. BMP-3 is a tracked, armoured, amphibious vehicle. It has a 500hp diesel engine, weighs 18.7t and is capable of a maximum speed of 70km/h and range of 600km. The vehicle is equipped with night vision devices.

The self-propelled Kornet missile system has the capability for automatic loading and the simultaneous launching of two missiles at a single target, and 16 missiles can be carried. It has a crew of two.

Kliver missile / gun turret

Based on the Kornet missile system, the KBP Instrument Design Making Bureau developed the Kliver missile / gun turret, which can be mounted on a variety of vehicles including the Russian Army’s BTR-80 armoured personnel carrier and BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle. It can also be installed on small ships such as coastal patrol boats.

The Kliver turret carries four Kornet missiles and a 30mm 2A72 gun. The gun has a range of 4,000m and can fire at the rate of 350-400 rounds a minute. There is also a 7.62mm PKT machine gun. Total weight of the turret is around 1,500kg, including ammunition and missiles.

The automatic fire control system includes ballistic computer, thermal sight, laser rangefinder and stabilisation system. The turret has a 360° traverse and an elevation of -15° to +60°.