9K111 bassoon

9K111 bassoon
General Information
Type	Anti-tank missile
Local name	9K111 bassoon
NATO designation	AT-4 spigot
Country of origin	Soviet Union
Manufacturer	Design office for device construction
development	1962
Commissioning	1973
Working time	in service
Unit price	Launch Unit: $ 85,000 Missile: $ 10,000
Technical specifications
length	0.863 m
diameter	120 mm
Combat weight	11.3 kg
span	708 mm
drive	Solid rocket engine
speed	186 m / s
Range	2,000 m
Furnishing
steering	SACLOS via wire
Warhead	1.8 kg shaped charge
Detonator	Impact fuse
Weapon platforms	Portable, vehicles
Lists on the subject

The 9K111 Fagot ( NATO code name AT-4 Spigot ) is an anti-tank guided missile made in Russia . The GRAY index of the missile is 9M111 .

development

The weapon system was developed in 1962 in parallel with the 9K113 bankruptcy . While the 9M113 was designed as a heavy rocket for launching vehicles, the 9M111 was intended to be used as a portable anti-tank weapon by the infantry , replacing the 9K11 Maljutka . Both systems were developed by the Tula- based design office for device construction . In 1972 the first systems were delivered to the Soviet Army . The AT-4 Spigot system is very similar to the western MILAN anti-tank guided missile system.

technology

The 9M111 guided missiles are delivered from the factory in sealed GRP transport and launch containers. The loaded transport and start container weighs around 13 kg and is placed on the 9P135 start unit. This weighs 22.5 kilograms and consists of the 9P56 - mount , the 9S451 -Lenkeinheit with 9Sh119M1 -daylight target optics with four times magnification. These can 1PN65 - thermal imaging device to be connected. This allows target acquisition at distances of up to 2,500 m. The transport and launch container with the missile is placed on the launch unit next to the steering unit. Once the shooter has aimed at the target, he actuates the trigger and thus ignites the ejection charge, which the guided weapon ejects from the barrel at 80 m / s. At a safe distance, the solid-fuel march engine ignites and accelerates the guided weapon to 240 m / s. The missile achieves a stable flight path through its rotation . The weapon needs around 11 seconds to fly through the entire range of 2,000 m. The average flight speed is 180 m / s. During the flight the missile unwinds a wire through which it receives steering commands. The AT-4 works according to the SACLOS steering principle (semi-automatic command steering). The 9S451 steering system tracks the missile via an infrared radiator attached to the missile . Steering commands are calculated in the 9S474 device block and transmitted to the missile via the wire connection. During the flight the shooter only had to keep the target in the crosshairs . The 9M111 guided weapon is equipped with a shaped charge warhead. This has a penetration capacity of 400 mm armor steel . With the modified 9S451M starter unit, the 9M113 guided missiles of the 9K113 bankruptcy can also be fired. The 9P135 launch unit can be modified so that it can be used on the turrets of armored vehicles BMP-1 , BMP-2 and BMD .

According to the operational doctrine of the troops of the Warsaw Pact decreed each battalion of motorized infantry over two or three groups with AT 4th They each consisted of two squads . Each of these squads consisted of three men, in addition to the shooter who carried the launching device and the associated tripod, two men each with two transport and launching containers for one 9M111 each. A trained squad can fire up to three missiles per minute.

Missiles

• 9M111 (NATO: AT-4A Spigot-A ): First production version from 1973; with a 1.8 kg shaped charge , armor penetration 400 mm RHA .
• 9M111-2 (NATO: AT-4B Spigot-B ): Second production version from 1975, with improved electronics and a 2.5 kg shaped charge, armor penetration 460–480 mm RHA.
• 9M111M (Nato: AT-4C Spigot-C ): With new tandem shaped charge , armor penetration 550–600 mm RHA. Extended range of 2,500 m.

commitment

The 9K111 Fagot were used in various armed conflicts: Lebanon War , First Afghanistan War , First Gulf War , in the Yugoslav Wars as well as in conflicts on the African continent and in the former Soviet republics .

distribution

•  Afghanistan
•  Algeria
•  Angola
•  Armenia
•  Ethiopia
•  Bosnia and Herzegovina
•  Bulgaria
•  German Democratic Republic
•  Finland
•  Georgia
•  Greece
•  India
•  Iraq
•  Iran
•  Yemen
•  Kazakhstan
•  Croatia
•  Cuba
•  Kuwait
•  Libya
•  Moldova
•  Mozambique
•  North Korea
•  Poland
•  Romania
•  Russia
•  Serbia
•  Slovakia
•  Slovenia
•  Syria
•  Czech Republic
•  Ukraine
•  Hungary
•  Vietnam
•  Belarus

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{A b} Richard D. Jones: Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group ; 35 edition (January 27, 2009), ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5 .
2. ↑ PALR-Raketenkomplex 9K111 Fagott Raketen- und Waffentechnischer Dienst in Kdo.MB III, accessed: May 27, 2013
3. ↑ Переносный противотанковый комплекс 9К111 new-factoria.ru, accessed on May 27, 2013
4. ↑ ПТРК 9К111 «ФАГОТ» btvt.narod.ru, accessed on May 27, 2013
5. ^ ^{A b c} Threat Support Directorate: OPFOR Worldwide Equipment Guide (WEG) , TRADOC DCSINT, Fort Leavenworth, Sept 2001.
6. ↑ ^{a b} A.W. Hull, DR Markov, SJ Zaloga : Soviet / Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices 1945 to Present. Darlington Productions, 1999, ISBN 1-892848-01-5 .
7. ↑ ^{a b} Michal Fiszer: Russia's Tank Stoppers, Part 1 & 2. Journal of Electronic Defense (JED), Nov 2004.

Web links

Commons : 9K111 Fagot  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

• Manufacturer design office for device construction (KBP)
• Description at army-guide.com