Missile 9K115 Metis (AT-7 Saxhorn)

The 9K115 Metis, designated by NATO as the AT-7 Saxhorn, is a Soviet man-portable, tube-launched anti-tank guided missile system. It entered service in 1979 to supplement the 9K111 Fagot at the company level. The system was developed as a lighter alternative to contemporary anti-tank weapons, utilizing a simplified tripod and a missile with a reduced fuel load.

The system employs Semi-Automatic Command to Line of Sight (SACLOS) wire guidance. It is operated from the 9P151 launching post, which provides a tripod for stability, though the missile can be fired from the shoulder. A booster charge ejects the missile from the launch tube, a departure from the gas generator systems used in earlier Soviet designs. The 9S816 guidance system utilizes a thermal battery attached to the launch tube for initial power, while the missile receives electrical power via guidance wires during flight. The 9K115 is capable of being fired from enclosed spaces, such as buildings or caves, provided specific internal volume and rear clearance requirements are met. The missile is equipped with a single High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) shaped charge warhead and can engage moving targets. An upgraded variant, the Metis-M (NATO: AT-13 Saxhorn-2), was developed during the 1980s featuring a larger warhead.

In Russian service, the 9K115 is deployed within motor rifle companies. The system is typically operated by a two-man team consisting of a gunner and an assistant, though it is capable of single-operator use. The system has been exported to numerous countries and non-state actors across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Current operators include Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, North Korea, and Syria. It is also utilized by Hezbollah and Houthi forces. The missile has seen combat service in the Syrian Civil War and the Yemeni Civil War, including during the Saudi Arabian-led intervention. Early in its service history, the system was considered underpowered against contemporary armored threats, which influenced its initial combat employment and export volume.

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan • 🇧🇩 Bangladesh • 🇧🇬 Bulgaria • 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina • 🇧🇾 Belarus • 🇩🇪 Germany • 🇭🇷 Croatia • 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan • 🇱🇾 Libya • 🇲🇾 Malaysia • 🇰🇵 North Korea • 🇷🇺 Russia • 🇸🇸 South Sudan • 🇸🇾 Syria • 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan • 🇺🇦 Ukraine • 🇾🇪 Yemen