Missile 9M120 Ataka (AT-9 Spiral 2)

The 9M120 Ataka, designated AT-9 Spiral-2 by NATO, was developed as a successor to the 9K114 Shturm system. Design work commenced in the mid-1980s, and the missile entered service with the Soviet armed forces in 1985. It was engineered to provide improved resistance to electronic countermeasures and higher hit probability compared to its predecessor.

The system utilizes Semi-Automatic Command to Line of Sight (SACLOS) radio command link guidance and beam-riding technology. The missile is housed and launched from a glass-reinforced plastic tube. Several warhead configurations are available for different mission profiles. The primary variant features a tandem HEAT warhead designed to defeat armored fighting vehicles equipped with composite or explosive reactive armor. The 9M120F variant carries a thermobaric warhead for use against infantry positions, buildings, and bunkers. The 9M220O variant is equipped with an expanding rod warhead and a proximity fuse for surface-to-air engagement of low-flying aircraft and helicopters. Modernized versions include the 9M120M, which features improved armor penetration, and the 9M120D. The system is integrated onto various platforms, including attack helicopters such as the Mi-28, Mi-35, and Ka-52, as well as ground-based systems like the BMPT and 9P149.

The 9M120 is widely deployed within the Russian Armed Forces and has been exported to several countries. Current operators include Algeria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Serbia, and Venezuela. It is also used by Syrian forces on the BMPT. Slovenia operates the system in a naval capacity, with launchers mounted on patrol boats. Iran received shipments of the system between 2000 and 2003. The missile was utilized during the military operation in Syria, the outcomes of which led to the development of subsequent guided missile variants. Brazil is a former operator of the system.