Missile 9K114 Shturm (AT-6 Spiral)

Development of the 9M114 Kokon began in 1967 to provide an anti-tank capability for the Mi-24 helicopter. Testing was completed in 1974, and the system entered service in 1976.

The 9K114 Shturm utilizes Semi-Automatic Command to Line of Sight (SACLOS) guidance via a radio command link. This VHF system employs five frequency bands and two codes to resist jamming. The missile is stored in and launched from a glass-reinforced plastic tube using a solid-rocket sustainer and a booster stage. The guidance system includes a daylight-only direct vision sight with an integrated laser rangefinder. To clear ground obstacles, the missile flies above the line of sight and descends to the target just before impact. Target engagement is possible against armored vehicles and low-altitude, slow-moving helicopters. Standard warheads include High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) and thermobaric types. The 9K132 Shturm-SM variant, adopted in 2014, incorporates a television and thermal imaging sight and a high-explosive fragmentation warhead with a proximity fuze. A Ukrainian upgrade, the Barrier-S, replaces the original radio-guided missiles with newer anti-tank guided missiles and updated guidance hardware.

The system is deployed on the Mi-24V helicopter, the MT-LB-based 9P149 tank destroyer, and naval vessels. The first combat application occurred during the Soviet-Afghan War, where it was used for standoff strikes. The system has also been used in the War in Donbas and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. During the 1980s, the Soviet Union limited exports to Warsaw Pact members. The 9K114 is widely deployed and remains in service with countries including Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, India, Kazakhstan, Serbia, and Turkmenistan. Former operators include Brazil, Croatia, Moldova, and Poland. In 1995, demonstration flights in Sweden showed the system could strike targets while the launching helicopter was in level flight at high speeds.