2K15 Schmel

2K15 Schmel
3M6 Schmel anti-tank missiles
General Information
Type	Anti-tank guided missile
Local name	2K15 Schmel
NATO designation	AT-1 snapper
Country of origin	Soviet Union
development	1955-1958
Technical specifications
length	1.15 m
diameter	136 mm
Combat weight	22.5 kg
drive	Solid
speed	110 m / s
Range	2300 m
Furnishing
Warhead	HEAT
Weapon platforms	UAZ-69 or BRDM
Lists on the subject

The 2K15 Schmel ( NATO code name AT-1 Snapper ) is an anti-tank guided missile from Soviet production. The GRAY index of the entire weapon system is 2K15, that of the guided missiles 3M6 . In addition, the weapon system is called Schmel ( Russian Шмель Hummel ). The weapon system was developed by the special design office for smooth- barreled cannons under Boris Iwanowitsch Schawyrin . It was introduced in the Soviet Army in 1960, demonstrated publicly for the first time in 1963, and was used in the Soviet Union until around the mid-1970s. The successor 2K8 Falanga was developed as early as 1964 .

technology

The complex 2K15 is heavily inspired by the French anti-tank guided missile SS.10 , but is significantly larger. The 3M6 is a wire-guided missile that is manually steered towards the target with a joystick . It is driven by a solid motor. At 22.5 kg, the weight is too great to be carried by soldiers. The guided missile is therefore brought into battle mounted on vehicles. The warhead contains a 5.4 kg shaped charge . The guided missile is spin stabilized, small spoilers provide the necessary steering impulses (see projectile stabilization # steering )

There were two weapon platforms; 2P26 with off-road vehicle GAZ-69 and 2P27 with reconnaissance vehicle BRDM-1 . In the 2P26, the launcher for four guided missiles was mounted on the rear loading area . During the journey, the guided missiles were set up vertically; the entire launcher was covered with a tarpaulin , which gave the vehicle the look of a pram . In order to ensure readiness for fire, the tarpaulin had to be rolled down and the launcher rotated horizontally. The shooter could start the gun from the cab or with a wired remote control near the vehicle. Since the GAZ-69 is a relatively small vehicle, no reserve missiles were carried. The 2P26 was very inexpensive, but had no armor , so the armored personnel carrier variant 2P27 was developed. There was a launching device for three guided missiles in the rear of the vehicle. The launcher was covered with an armored cover until the weapon system was made operational. The launcher had to be raised from the armored area. Remote control was also possible with the 2P26, but this was generally not used.

distribution

In addition to the Soviet army, the guided missile complex was also used by the Warsaw Treaty armies , including Bulgaria , Czechoslovakia , East Germany , Hungary , Poland and Romania , and also exported to Afghanistan , Cuba , Egypt , Yugoslavia , Mongolia and Syria . It is also believed that the anti-tank guided missile was also manufactured in North Korea since the 1970s .

The first combat mission took place in 1967 in the Six Day War on the side of the Egyptian Army on 2P26 weapon platforms. Only a few were actually used; only one shot down of an Israeli tank was known. In this conflict, the hit probability was less than 25%, which was due to the complicated manual controls.

Web links

Commons : 2K15 Schmel  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Weapon Systems

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Marine Corps Intelligence Activity : Soviet / Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices: 1945-1995. , 1995, pp. II.6-II.7
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Chris McNab: Sagger Anti-Tank Missile vs M60 Main Battle Tank: Yom Kippur War 1973 , Osprey Publishing , 2018, ISBN 9781472825797 , p. 11 [1]
3. ↑ ^{a b c d} AT-1 SNAPPER in: GlobalSecurity.org
4. ↑ ^{a b c} Bill Gunston: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rockets and Missiles , Salamander Books Ltd, 1979, p. 246
5. ↑ Kim Jung-Ik: The Future of the US-Republic of Korea Military Relationship , Verlag Springer , 2016, ISBN 9781349139101 , p. 95 ( Google Books )