Russia attracts Iraqi Special Forces interest with new Typhoon Kornet-EM anti-tank missile system at IQDEX 2025.

At the IQDEX 2025 exhibition in Baghdad, the Russian company Rosoboronexport presented the Kornet-EM anti-tank guided missile system, developed and produced by High-Precision Systems of Rostec. The system was one of the most prominently featured exhibits at the event, drawing substantial attention from attendees. According to Rosoboronexport, the display received the attention of the commander of Iraq’s Special Operations Forces. His visit first focused on the Kornet-EM system, after which he examined the small arms produced by Kalashnikov Concern and the Strelok combat gear ensemble, presented along with combat uniforms on the Innokenty mannequin.
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The Kornet-EM system was displayed in two main configurations: mounted on a KamAZ-53949 Typhoon-K Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle and in a portable or vehicle-transported version. (Picture source: Rosoboronexport)

The Kornet-EM is designed as a precision-guided, long-range ATGM system capable of operating in environments where optical and electronic countermeasures are present. It uses a laser beam–riding guidance system that is resistant to jamming. The system is produced in two configurations: a self-propelled vehicle-mounted version equipped with an automated launcher, thermal imaging, and TV sight, and a tripod-mounted man-portable version. The automated launcher includes four ready-to-fire missiles and can track targets automatically, allowing for fire-and-forget capability. It can simultaneously engage two targets using two automated launchers. The man-portable version is compatible with both Kornet-E and Kornet-EM missiles and features a thermal imaging sight.

The Kornet-EM’s maximum firing range is up to 10,000 meters. It uses an automatic or semi-automatic laser beam–riding guidance system and has an armor penetration capability of 1,100–1,300 mm behind explosive reactive armor. Its thermobaric warhead contains no less than 7 kg of TNT equivalent. The system can target low-speed aerial threats such as tactical UAVs and hovering helicopters, as well as ground-based targets. The vehicle-mounted launcher, weighing approximately 400 kg with four missiles, is designed to be integrated onto tracked or wheeled platforms of both domestic and foreign origin, including BMP, Tiger-M, KAMAZ, and Typhoon-K vehicles.

The Kornet-EM introduces an automated firing mode, replacing the semi-automatic guidance used in earlier versions like the Kornet-E. In previous systems, the operator was required to manually maintain the crosshair on the target during missile flight. With the Kornet-EM’s automated tracker, the operator designates a target and the system handles guidance and tracking independently, allowing the operator to shift focus to other targets. This reduces physical and mental strain on personnel, shortens training requirements, and lowers the operational threshold for system use.

The system’s design allows for preemptive engagement of armored threats at extended ranges. Its range and accuracy exceed those of earlier Kornet models. Developers state that targets can be detected at distances up to 12 km and engaged up to 10 km. This extended range allows for engagement outside the effective firing distance of conventional tank armament, which typically reaches up to 2 km. A vehicle equipped with two automated launchers and a full set of 16 missiles—eight of which are immediately ready to fire—can engage multiple targets efficiently. With a rate of fire of 2–3 rounds per minute and simultaneous dual-target engagement capability, the system can target and neutralize a significant portion of an advancing armored unit before it reaches return-fire distance.

At the same event, Rosoboronexport also presented the 9M134 Bulat guided missile. First introduced at the Army-2024 forum by High-Precision Systems, the Bulat is a compact, multi-purpose missile designed for engaging lightly and moderately armored targets, including those equipped with explosive reactive armor. The missile is compatible with both portable and vehicle-mounted Kornet-family launchers. It uses a laser beam–riding guidance system with teleorientation, similar to other guided munitions in the family.

According to exhibition data, the Bulat has a minimum effective range of 3,500 meters and is equipped with a tandem cumulative warhead. It has a caliber of 82 mm, a container length of 831 mm, and a total container weight of 6.5 kg. The packaging unit 9Ya534, designed to transport and store two missiles, measures 926 x 334 x 273 mm and weighs 26.5 kg in total. The warhead itself is estimated to weigh approximately 1.6 kg. While initial information on the Bulat missile was released in 2018, its combat readiness was declared in autumn 2024.

The Bulat’s armor penetration is approximately 250 mm behind ERA, significantly lower than the 1,300 mm penetration capability of the Kornet-EM’s 9M133M-2 missile. Due to this limitation, the Bulat is suitable for targeting tanks only from side and rear angles. It is also applicable against infantry fighting vehicles such as the CV90, M2A2 ODS-SA, and Marder 1A3, except in areas protected by advanced reactive armor systems like BRAT-2. According to defense expert Evgeniy Damantsev, the missile follows a design similar to the heavier 9M133M-2 used in Kornet systems but offers reduced penetration in exchange for lighter weight and a smaller footprint.