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Ukraine Unveils Upgraded Soviet Era Anti-Tank Missile System

Ukraine Unveils Upgraded Soviet Era Anti-Tank Missile System

Anti-Tank Missile System

The Ukrainian state design bureau Luch demonstrated its upgraded version of the Soviet-era Shturm-S self-propelled anti-tank missile system at the Arms and Security expo. The new anti-tank missile system, called the Barrier-S, is equipped with a semi-automatic command to line-of-sight anti-tank missiles. It has a high rate of fires, a variety of 6 km, and is protected against ECM. The upgraded combat vehicle is meant to destroy advanced main battle tanks, light armored vehicles, small ships, low-flying aerial targets, and other cavalry. The basic Barrier-S guided weapon parts include a combat vehicle, anti-tank guided missiles (RK-2P, RK-2POF), modern guidance device on a gyro-stabilized platform.

Luch says the new combat vehicle is meant to destroy advanced armored targets with combined, carried, or monolithic armor, especially with explosive reactive armor (ERA). Barrier-S has already attracted the Ukrainian defense forces and various potential buyers who are still using old Soviet armament. Currently, Ukraine uses the Skif missile system in its inventory. The Skif is a Ukrainian anti-tank missile (ATGM) system developed by the Luch Design Bureau. Its guidance system (ПН-С) is developed and made by Belarusian design bureau Peleng based in Minsk. The name means “Scythian.” The Skif is meant to destroy modern armored targets with combined carried or monolithic armor, including explosive reactive armor (ERA). Skifs can attack both stationary and moving targets.

They will attack from both far range (up to 5km within the daytime) and shut range (100m). They will attack pinpoint targets like weapon emplacements, lightly armored objects, and hovering helicopters. Additionally to manual operation, the Skif has an automatic fire and forget targeting mode that doesn’t require manual tracking of the target. In 2018, an advanced export type of the Skif was tested by the Ukrainian troops.

 

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