Russians install Kornet anti-tank missiles on a tracked drone
23 February, 2025 Okhotnik turret on the Varan tracked platform. Source: Russian media Russians have developed a self-propelled anti-tank missile system based on a ground tracked platform.
The Russian specialized media outlet reported on this. The system consists of two separate components - a remotely controlled Okhotnik turret with three Kornet missiles and a Varan unmanned platform. The turret can operate separately in stationary mode and can be mounted on a mobile platform if necessary.
There are two types of system control: wired and radio. Ukrainian engineers have long used the same principle of combining two off-the-shelf products into one combat system.
For example, the Defense Forces operate the ShabRys system, which consists of the ShaBlia machine gun turret and the Rys wheeled drone. In addition, TheMIS drone with Tamara machine gun turret, Wolly and Buria grenade launcher is used.
Ukrainian Droid TW ground drone. July 12, 2024, Ukraine. Photo credits: dev.ua
Kornet ATGM
The 9K135 Kornet is a second-generation Russian man-portable and easel-mounted anti-tank missile system designed to engage armored targets, including those equipped with active protection, as well as fortifications, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
It has a semi-automatic laser beam guidance system and provides a range of 100 to 5,500 meters in the basic version and up to 10,000 meters in the upgraded Kornet-M version. After overcoming dynamic protection, armor penetration reaches 1,200 mm in the standard version and up to 1,300 mm in the Kornet-M version. The missile has a velocity of 250-300 m/s and a rate of fire of up to two rounds per minute.
Launching a guided missile from the Kornet ATGM. Photo from open sources
The system can be used both in a portable version on a tripod and on armored vehicles, which expands its combat capabilities. Its mass without a missile is 26 kg, the launcher (9P163M) weighs 23 kg, and the transport-launch container with a rocket weighs 29 kg.
The system uses various types of missiles, including the 9M133 with a tandem-charge warhead, the 9M133-1 with improved armor penetration, the 9M133F with a thermobaric warhead for defeating manpower and fortifications, the 9M133FM with a high-explosive fragmentation charge, and the 9M133FM-3 with an increased range of up to 10 km.
The Okhotnik turret on the Varan tracked platform. Source: Russian media
Varan platform
Varan is a multi-purpose unmanned tracked platform that has been put into mass production. It can operate on batteries for up to 8 hours, reach speeds of up to 50 km/h, and carry loads weighing up to 200 kg.
Varan platform.
Photo from open sources
The range of the transponder is up to 4 km, and with a repeater - up to 10 km.
The platform can be used for both logistics and strike operations and can be equipped with a variety of combat modules.