“Rosoboronexport” JSC (part of “Rostec” corporation) is demonstrating at the IDEX 2025 exhibition a whole series of military products that have received high praise from military units and are mass-produced by the defence industry. Among those we find the Kornet-EM anti-tank missile system (ATGM)
A high-precision, long-range laser beam-riding missile, according to the company it is fully immune to all types of enemy electronic jamming and optical interferences.
The Kornet-EM ATGM is produced and supplied in two versions. The first transportable version of the system has an automated launcher with a sighting and launching module. It is equipped with a TV-thermal imaging sight and an automatic optical target tracking system. The latter allows implementing the “fire and forget” principle, Rosoboronexport claiming a nearly 100% hit probability at maximum range. While in service since some time, the Kornet-EM recently received a number of upgrades, that allow it to effectively engage air targets, including reconnaissance and reconnaissance-strike type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); The system now allows to engage two different targets at the same time using a salvo firing significantly increasing the rate of fire and fire productivity due to simultaneous salvo firing at two targets, while the missile has now an increased speed and a range nearly the double of the original Kornet-E ATGM. Moreover guidance accuracy is increased up to 5 times. The automatic engagement mode allows considerably reducing the operator workload, thus reducing both the requirements for their qualifications and the time needed to train them.
The second portable-transportable version of the system is based on the upgraded Kornet-E ATGM launcher. This version increases the maximum firing range of the system to 10 km during the day and to 8 km at night, and improves targeting accuracy by increasing the sighting channel magnification.
The system fires all Kornet-E/EM family of missiles: the 9M133FM-3 which features a light HE/fragmentation warhead; the 9M133M-2 fitted with an improved tandem shaped charge warhead; and the new 9M134 Bulat, much lighter than the 9M133, with a shorter range and also fitted with a tandem HEAT warhead. Automated launchers can be mounted on various types of carriers.
The control system ensures a firing range of 150-10,000 metres for the missile with a high-explosive warhead and 150-8,000 metres for the missile with a tandem cumulative warhead. Armour penetration behind explosive reactive armour (ERA) is 1,100-1,300 mm. The missile can also use a thermobaric (high-explosive) warhead, that version being known as 9M133FM. The firing system allows firing two missiles against a single target, the sight being fitted with a thermal imager.
As previously said, the Kornet-EM launcher can fire 9M134 Bulat guided missiles; these have an 82 mm calibre and are designed to destroy medium-armoured targets, including those equipped with active protection, as well as lightly armoured and unarmoured vehicles.
As a representative of the Instrument Design Bureau (KBP, part of the High-Precision Complexes holding) told EDR On-Line, the remote control system allows firing three Kornet-EM launchers located up to 100 metres from each other.
The 9M134 guidance is also of the beam-riding type, its maximum range being of over 3,500 metres. Its tandem cumulative warhead ensures an average armour penetration of 250 mm, with or without ERA. The length of the container with the missile is 831 mm. The mass of the missile in the container is 6.5 kg. The operating temperature range is from -50 0C to +50 0C.
Photos by N. Novichkov