The 9K115 Metis (;
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are code names for military equipment from Russia, China, and historically, the Eastern Bloc (Soviet Union and other nations of the Warsaw Pact). They provide unambiguous and easily understood English words in a uniform manne ...
AT-7 Saxhorn) is a man-portable, tube launched,
SACLOS
Semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) is a method of missile command guidance. In SACLOS, the operator has to continually point a sighting device at the target while the missile is in flight. Electronics in the sighting device and/or th ...
wire-guided
anti-tank guided missile
An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily armored military vehicles. ATGMs range in size from shoulder ...
of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. It is considered the Soviet counterpart to the American
M47 Dragon
The M47 Dragon, known as the FGM-77 during development, is an American shoulder-fired, man-portable anti-tank guided missile system. It was phased out of U.S. military service in 2001, in favor of the newer FGM-148 Javelin system.
The M47 Drago ...
ATGM.
The relatively small 9K115 missile was generally underpowered compared to contemporary armored threats, and consequently it was little-exported and little used in combat.
Development
The missile was developed by the
Tula KBP. It is very similar to the
9K111 Fagot
The 9K111 ''Fagot'' (russian: Фагот; "bassoon") is a second-generation tube-launched semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) wire-guided anti-tank missile system of the Soviet Union for use from ground or vehicle mounts. The 9K111 Fa ...
in external appearance (having three main fins); however, the missile is much lighter—primarily because of the reduced fuel load, which reduces the maximum range to .
During the 1980s, an upgraded version of the missile was developed—the ''Metis-M'' 9M131 (sometimes labelled ''Metis-2''). Fired from the same launcher, the new missile is much larger and heavier, with an increased range and a larger warhead. The NATO designation for this missile is AT-13 Saxhorn-2.
History
The missile was introduced into the
Soviet Army
uk, Радянська армія
, image = File:Communist star with golden border and red rims.svg
, alt =
, caption = Emblem of the Soviet Army
, start_date ...
in 1979 to supplement the
9K111 Fagot
The 9K111 ''Fagot'' (russian: Фагот; "bassoon") is a second-generation tube-launched semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) wire-guided anti-tank missile system of the Soviet Union for use from ground or vehicle mounts. The 9K111 Fa ...
at company level. The system is lighter than the Fagot system, due to a less complicated tripod launcher and a lighter missile.
In Russian service, the Metis is deployed with
motor rifle companies, with three launchers per company. The missile is operated by a two-man team; the gunner carries the 9P151 launching post and one missile, his assistant carries an additional three missiles. The AT-7 can be operated by one man if needed.
The export prices of the missile and firing post in 1992 were:
* 9M131 Missile $13,500
* 9P151 Firing post $70,000
Models
* 9K115 (NATO: AT-7 ''Saxhorn'') – Entered service in 1979.
*
9K115-2 Metis-M
The 9K115-2 Metis-M (NATO reporting name AT-13 Saxhorn-2) is a Russian portable anti-tank guided missile system. "9K115-2" is the GRAU designation of the missile system. The Metis-M1 is the latest upgraded variant of Metis-M. The system is designe ...
(NATO: AT-13 ''Saxhorn-2'')
Description
The missile is fired from the 9P151 launching post, which has a simple tripod for support. It can also be fired from the shoulder, but this apparently requires more skill on the part of the operator. The launching post weighs . The missile is launched from the tube by a booster rather than the gas generator used on the
9K111 Fagot
The 9K111 ''Fagot'' (russian: Фагот; "bassoon") is a second-generation tube-launched semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) wire-guided anti-tank missile system of the Soviet Union for use from ground or vehicle mounts. The 9K111 Fa ...
system, despite both missiles being designed by the same design bureau. The 9S816 guidance system is powered by a thermal battery attached to the launch tube shortly before launch and the missile itself is remotely powered along the guidance wires.
The missile can be launched from an enclosed space, such as a building or cave, but requires at least behind the launcher, and a total internal volume of at least . The missile has a short minimum range of and can engage targets moving at up to .
The missile's warhead is a single
HEAT
In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is al ...
shaped charge
A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to form an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Different types of shaped charges are used for various purposes such as cutting and forming metal, init ...
that can penetrate 460 mm of armor.
Metis
– Military-Today.com
Operators
Current operators
*
* Metis-M1
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* (Luhansk People's Republic
The Luhansk or Lugansk People's Republic (russian: Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика, Luganskaya Narodnaya Respublika, ; abbreviated as LPR or LNR, rus, ЛНР) is a disputed entity created by Russian-backed ...
)
*
*
* (Houthis
The Houthi movement (; ar, ٱلْحُوثِيُّون ''al-Ḥūthīyūn'' ), officially called Ansar Allah (' ''Partisans of God'' or ''Supporters of God'') and colloquially simply Houthis, is an Islamist political and armed movement that ...
)
Former operators
*
*
* – Retired.
*
*
References
* Hull, A.W., Markov, D.R., Zaloga, S.J. (1999). ''Soviet/Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices 1945 to Present''. Darlington Productions. .
External links
AT-7 & AT-13 at FAS.org
{{Russian and Soviet missiles, ATM
Anti-tank guided missiles of the Cold War
Anti-tank guided missiles of the Soviet Union
Anti-tank guided missiles of Russia
KBP Instrument Design Bureau products
Military equipment introduced in the 1970s