Breaking News
Russia Relies on Modernized Kornet-EM to Neutralize Armored Vehicles and Drones at IDEX 2025.
Rosoboronexport, a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned corporation Rostec, presented an upgraded version of the Kornet-EM anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system at the IDEX 2025 exhibition in Abu Dhabi. This modernization, based on combat experience, incorporates a remote-control system designed to enhance operator safety against enemy retaliatory fire. The Kornet-EM is now compatible with the Bulat guided missiles, capable of penetrating armor up to 250 mm behind explosive reactive armor (ERA).
Recent improvements allow the Kornet-EM to engage aerial targets, including reconnaissance and strike drones (Picture source: Army Recognition)
The Kornet-EM utilizes laser beam riding guidance, ensuring high accuracy and resistance to electronic and optical countermeasures. It is available in two configurations: transportable and portable-transportable. The transportable version features an automated launcher with an integrated sighting and launch module, including a TV sight with thermal imaging and an automatic target-tracking system. This technology enables a "fire-and-forget" capability, with Rosoboronexport claiming a near 100% hit probability at maximum range. Recent improvements allow the Kornet-EM to engage aerial targets, including reconnaissance and strike drones. The salvo fire mode enables simultaneous engagement of two targets, enhancing the system’s rate of fire and combat effectiveness. The missile's range has nearly doubled compared to the original Kornet-E, while guidance accuracy has increased fivefold. The reduced cognitive load for operators lowers training requirements, making the system more accessible to a broader range of users.
The portable-transportable version features an upgraded Kornet-E launcher, extending the system's maximum range to 10 km during the day and 8 km at night. Enhanced magnification in the sighting channel improves targeting precision. This version is compatible with the entire Kornet-E/EM missile family, including the 9M133FM-3 with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, the 9M133M-2 with an improved tandem HEAT warhead, and the 9M134 Bulat, a lighter, shorter-range missile also equipped with a tandem HEAT warhead. The Kornet-EM’s adaptability allows integration onto various vehicles, providing operational flexibility.
The Kornet-EM control system ensures an engagement range between 150 and 10,000 meters for high-explosive warheads and between 150 and 8,000 meters for tandem HEAT warheads. It is designed to penetrate between 1,100 and 1,300 mm of armor behind ERA. A thermobaric warhead variant, designated 9M133FM, is also available, enhancing effectiveness against lightly armored targets and infrastructure. The Kornet-EM can engage a single target with two missiles simultaneously using a thermal imaging sighting system. The 9M134 Bulat missile, with an 82 mm caliber, is designed to counter medium-armored targets and systems with active protection. It uses laser beam riding guidance, offering a range of over 3,500 meters. Its tandem HEAT warhead ensures an average penetration of 250 mm of armor, with or without ERA. The missile container is 831 mm in length and weighs 6.5 kg, facilitating transportation and deployment in combat.
At IDEX 2025, a representative from the Instrument Design Bureau (KBP), part of the High-Precision Complexes holding, stated that the Kornet-EM can be remotely operated, allowing up to three launchers to be positioned within 100 meters of each other. This capability provides greater tactical flexibility while enabling dispersed deployment to reduce vulnerability to countermeasures.
Alongside this presentation, Russia announced the deployment of a remote-controlled version of the Kornet-EM for units engaged in the "special military operation." High Precision Systems, the manufacturer, confirmed that this version has completed all required tests and is combat-ready. The automated detection and targeting system enhances engagement capabilities against both moving and stationary targets. This follows a trend in Russian weapons development, including Kalashnikov’s remote-controlled Konkurs-M launcher, which allows three launchers to be managed from a single control station up to 100 meters away, reducing setup time to under 20 minutes.
The Kornet, designated by NATO as AT-14 Spriggan, was developed by KBP and entered service in 1998. It was designed to replace Soviet-era wire-guided systems such as the 9K111 Fagot and 9K113 Konkurs, offering extended range, improved accuracy, and greater armor penetration. While requiring line-of-sight operation, its laser beam riding guidance ensures high precision against moving targets.
Since its introduction, the Kornet has been used in multiple conflicts, including in Syria and Ukraine, where it has been employed against Western-supplied tanks such as the British Challenger, the American Abrams, and the German Leopard 2. Its effectiveness against these advanced armored platforms has been documented in several engagements.
The export of the Kornet-EM reflects continued interest in this type of system among international armed forces. The Kornet-E, developed for foreign markets, has been widely adopted in various configurations to meet different operational requirements. Its integration into multiple combat vehicles, combined with its reliability and ease of use, positions it as one of the most versatile anti-tank missile systems available. The system’s proliferation highlights its role in Russian arms strategy, balancing technological upgrades with accessibility in the global defense market.