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AT-3 Sagger

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AT-3A Sagger missile
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AT-3A Sagger missile

The AT-3 Sagger is the NATO reporting name for the 9M14 Malyutka (little or tiny baby) MCLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile of the Soviet Union. It was the first man portable anti-tank missile of the Soviet Union and is probably the most widely produced ATGM of all time—with Soviet production peaking at 25,000 missiles a year during the 1960s and 1970s in addition copies of the missile have been manufactured under various different names by at least 5 countries.

Contents

Development

Development began in July 1961 with the government assigning the project to two design teams: Tula and Kolmna. The requirements were: The designs were based on the western ATGM's of the 1950's such as the French Entac and the Swiss Cobra. In the end the prototype developed by the Kolmna Machine Design Bureau, who were also responsible for the AT-1 Snapper, was chosen. Initial tests were completed by 20 December 1962, and the missile was accepted for service in 16 September 1963.

History

In Soviet service the manportable version was deployed as part of the anti-tank platoon of motor rifle battalions. Each platoon has two Malyutka sections, each with two teams. Each team has 2 launcher stations. One assistant gunner in each team serves as a RPG-7 gunner. The RPG-7 is needed to cover the 500 m deadzone created by the minimum range of the missile. It is also an integrated part of the BMP-1, BMD-1 and BRDM-2 vehicles.

It was used with some success by the North Vietnamese forces against ARVN forces from 1972 during the Vietnam War.

It was used successfully in the 1973 Yom Kipur War by the Syrian and Egyptian armies. On average each missile team expended 20 rounds—or about 2000 rounds per division during the war. Soviet sources claim that the missile accounted for 800 Israeli tank losses (out of action for at least 24 hours) during the war, though some sources report as high as 1063—but this probably includes tanks that were out of action for less than 24 hours.

Description

A 9S415 control box for the Sagger missile
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A 9S415 control box for the Sagger missile

The missile can be fired from a portable suitcase launcher (9P111), ground vehicles (BMP-1,BRDM-2) and helicopters (Mi-2,Mi-8,Mi-24). The missile takes about 5 minutes to deploy from its 9P111 fibreglass suitcase, which also serves as the launching platform.

The missile is guided to the target by means of a small joystick (9S415), this requires some skill on the part of the operator. The operator's adjustments are transmitted to the missile via a thin 3 strand wire that trails behind the missile. The missile climbs into the air immediately after launch, this prevents the missile hitting obstacles or the ground immediately after launch. In flight the missile spins at 8.5 revolutions per second—it is initially spun by its booster, the spin is maintained by the slight angle of the wings. The missile uses a small gyroscope to orient itself relative to the ground. As a result the missile can take some time to bring back in line with the target, this gives it a minimum range of somewhere between 500 m and 800 m. For targets under 1000 m the operator can guide the missile by eye, for targets beyond this range the operator uses the 8x power, 22.5 degree field of view 9Sh16 periscope sight.

The engagement envelope is a 3 km 45 degree arc centered on the missiles launch axis. At ranges under 1.5 km this arc reduces, until at 500 m range the missile can only hit targets 50 m either side of the center line. It should be noted that accuracy falls off away from the launch axis—falling to approximately half its optimal accuracy at the extremes.

While early estimates of the missile hitting the target ranged from 90% to 60% experience has shown that it is really between 25% and 2% depending on the situtation and skill of the operator. MCLOS requires considerable skill on the part of the operator: reportedly it takes 2,300 simulated firings to become proficient with the missile as well as 50 to 60 simulated firings a week to maintain the skill level.

One problem with the missile is the amount of time it takes to reach maximum range—around 30 seconds—giving the intended target time to take action, either by retreating behind an obstacle, laying down a smoke-screen or firing on the operator.

Later version of the missile address these problems by implementing the much easier to use SACLOS guidance system as well as increasing the average flight speed.

General characteristics (AT-3 Sagger A)

Models

Users

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, India, North Korea, Libya, Mozambique, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Syria, Taiwan, Uganda, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zambia.

See also

References

External links

 

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