Missile 9M117 Bastion (AT-10 Stabber)

Development of laser-guided tube-fired anti-tank projectiles began in the late 1970s to replace earlier radio-command systems. The 9M117 Bastion entered service in 1981, initially deployed with the 9K116 Kastet system for towed smoothbore anti-tank guns. The system was subsequently adapted to enhance the long-range firepower of armored vehicles, entering service for T-55 tanks as the 9K116-1 Bastion and for T-62 tanks as the 9K116-2 Sheksna in 1983. A variant designated 9K116-3 was commissioned in 1987 for infantry fighting vehicles, including the BMP-3 and BMD-4.

The 9M117 is integrated into a gun cartridge and launched using a reduced propellant charge, with its rocket motor igniting after leaving the barrel. Flight control relies on a laser beam-riding guidance system. The launch platform projects a sector-divided laser beam with varied modulations. A rear-mounted sensor on the missile detects these light modulations, allowing internal flight controls to keep the projectile centered within the beam as it travels toward the target. The guidance system maintains a constant beam diameter over the flight path and is immune to radio and optical jamming. Operational constraints require the target to be continuously tracked by the launcher's laser sight, preventing reliable employment while the launching vehicle is on the move. The missile incorporates an automatic self-destruction mechanism.

Warhead configurations include baseline high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) models, the 9M117M Kan tandem-charge HEAT variant, and the extended-range 9M117M1 Arkan tandem-charge HEAT variant, both designed to defeat armor protected by explosive reactive armor.

The 9M117 Bastion system is operated by Russia and Cyprus.