9M119 Svir/Refleks


The 9M119 Svir, 9M119M Refleks and AT-11 Sniper by NATO[5] are laser beam riding, guided anti-tank missiles developed in the former Soviet Union. The two missiles are similar, but vary in range and launch platform. Both are designed to be fired from smooth bore 125 mm tank and anti-tank guns (2A45, 2A46 and 2A46M). Their NATO reporting name is AT-11 Sniper. The name Svir comes from the River Svir, while Refleks means reflex. The 9M119 replaces, or supplants, the 9K112 Kobra.

The Refleks is launched through cannons of T-90 and Serbian M-84AS and some versions of the T-80 and T-84 tanks. It has also been produced by the People's Republic of China for use with its Type 99 tank.[6] The Indian defence ministry has signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a public sector company under Department of Defence Production, for supplying Invar Anti Tank Guided Missiles to the Indian Army. BDL has been manufacturing these missiles under technical collaboration with Rosoboronexport.[7] It can also be fired from the 2A45 Sprut-B anti-tank gun.[8]The Invar 9M119M and Invar 9M119M1 (Invar-M) are fired from a 125 mm gun. It is ejected by the 9Kh949 ejecting device and the rocket motor is ignited after the missile leaves the barrel. Ram air collected by the air intakes in the nose is used to provide power to move the control fins.[citation needed] The 17.2 kg (37.8 pound) missile is 690 mm (27.1 inches) long and has pop-out fins (with a 250 mm/69 girth span) that aid in guidance. The missile is guided by the modulated laser beam steered by the tank gunner. The missile has a maximum range of 5,000 meters at a speed of 350 meters per second (17.69 seconds max flight time). The Invar enables the tank to hit targets at twice the range of the 125mm shells. The tandem warhead can penetrate up to 900 mm of armor (35.4 inches). Missile 9M119M "Invar" was put into service in 1992, and the missile 9M119M1 "Invar-M" in the second half of the 1990s.[9][10] There are also high explosive versions produced named 9M119F and 9M119F1 which are intended to defeat enemy personnel.[11]