Munitions

9M120 Ataka

Also known as
  • Ataka
  • AT-9 Spiral-2
  • 9M120
  • 9M120 Ataka-V
  • 9M120-1
  • 9M120M
  • 9M120F
  • 9M220O
  • 9A220O
  • Spiral-2/AT-9

The 9M120 Ataka is a Soviet/Russian anti-tank guided missile family developed from the 9M114 Shturm for helicopter and vehicle launch. Its radio-command SACLOS guidance, 6 km baseline range, tandem HEAT and specialist warhead options place it between legacy Shturm missiles and newer Russian helicopter-launched weapons; documented use includes Russian helicopter employment in Ukraine and Syria.

9M120 Ataka, Radio-command anti-tank guided missile, Munitions
Image source: File:9M120 Ataka.jpg

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union / Russia
Built in
Russia
Type
Radio-command anti-tank guided missile
Service note
Late Cold War / post-Soviet service
Designer
Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau
Designed
Late 1980s
Produced
1992-present
Developed from
9K114 Shturm

Specifications

Designations
9K120 Ataka system; 9M120 missile; AT-9 Spiral-2 NATO reporting name
Guidance
Radio-command SACLOS, with laser beam-riding receiver noted on later 9M120-1 missiles
Range
400 m minimum to 6 km maximum for 9M120; 800 m minimum to 8 km maximum for 9M120M
Warhead
Tandem HEAT, with thermobaric and anti-helicopter variants available
Penetration
Over 800 mm RHA after explosive reactive armor for 9M120; about 950 mm for 9M120M
Launch platforms
Mi-28 attack helicopter, Mi-24 and Mi-17 upgrades, BMPT-72, and ship-launched versions
Weight
48.5 kg for 9M120; 49.2 kg for 9M120M; 49.5 kg for 9M120F; about 50 kg for 9A220O
Caliber
130 mm
Missile length
1,830 mm in transport-launch container; about 2,100 mm in flight
Maximum speed
550 m/s
9M120-1 envelope
0.4-6.0 km range and at least 800 mm penetration behind ERA in the ATAKA-T guided weapon system
Launch altitude
Up to 4,000 m
Designation And Warheads

Ataka designations separate the missile family from later range, warhead, and launcher-control branches. Public references vary on the anti-helicopter index, so the anti-air branch is best read as a grouped 9A220O/9M220O-style designation rather than separate catalog weapons.

9M120-1

Modernized ATAKA-T missile listed by KBM with semiautomatic laser beam-riding guidance, 0.4-6.0 km range, and at least 800 mm penetration behind ERA.

Sources: ATAKA-T Guided Weapon System; Anti-Tank Guided Missiles 9M120-1.

9M120M

Extended-range anti-armor member, listed by Missilery with an 800 m to 8 km range and about 950 mm penetration.

Source: Missilery Ataka-V Aircraft Missile System.

9M120F

Thermobaric branch for unarmored targets, bunkers, sheltered personnel, and structures; TASS reported this variant used near Palmyra in Syria.

Sources: Missilery Ataka-V Aircraft Missile System; TASS Mi-28N Syria Combat Debut.

9M120-1F / 9M120-1F-1

Modernized high-explosive branches listed by KBM as ATAKA-T components; Rosoboronexport describes fuel-air and fragmentation warhead options for ATAKA-type missiles.

Sources: ATAKA-T Guided Weapon System; Anti-Tank Guided Missiles 9M120-1.

9M220O / 9A220O

Anti-helicopter branch with an expanding-rod or continuous-rod warhead and a proximity fuse for low-speed air targets.

Sources: GICHD Explosive Ordnance Guide for Ukraine 2025; 9M120 Ataka.

Carrier Helicopters

Sources place Ataka-family missiles on Russian attack helicopters and selected upgraded transport/assault helicopter configurations.

LauncherLauncher typeLaunch evidence
Mi-28, Attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsMi-28Attack helicopter

WeaponSystems.net says the 9M120 is mainly used on the Mi-28, and Rosoboronexport lists 9M120-1 Ataka-type missiles with the Mi-28NME.

Sources: 9M120 Ataka, Mi-28NME

Mi-24/Mi-35, Attack helicopter and armed assault transport, Aircraft & UAVsMi-24/Mi-35Attack and combat-transport helicopter family

WeaponSystems.net places Ataka on some Mi-24 upgrades, while Rosoboronexport lists 9M120-1 Ataka-type missiles with the Mi-35M.

Sources: 9M120 Ataka, Mi-35M

Mi-8/Mi-17, Medium twin-turbine utility transport helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsMi-8/Mi-17Transport and assault helicopter family

WeaponSystems.net lists Ataka on some Mi-17 upgrades; this relationship is upgrade-specific and does not imply every Mi-8/Mi-17 variant carries it.

Sources: 9M120 Ataka

Ka-52, Attack and reconnaissance helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsKa-52Scout-attack helicopter

Rosoboronexport lists 9M120-1 Ataka-type missiles with the Ka-52E combat scout-attack helicopter.

Sources: Ka-52E

Ground Launch Systems
LauncherLauncher typeLaunch evidence
9K114 Shturm, Radio-command anti-tank guided missile system, Infantry Weapons9K114 ShturmSelf-propelled ATGM system

Army Recognition, citing the KBM developer catalog, says the 9P149 Shturm-S and upgraded Shturm-SM fire 9M120 Ataka missiles.

Sources: Russian Army Widens Targets for Shturm-S

Timeline

9M120 Ataka Key Events

  1. Ataka family follows Shturm

    GICHD describes the 9M120 Ataka as the 9M114 Shturm successor and dates the system to the 1980s.

    Sources: GICHD Explosive Ordnance Guide for Ukraine 2025

  2. Shturm-SM modernization accepted

    TechInsider, citing Rostec context, reported that the modernized Shturm-SM complex was accepted with a newer Ataka missile, a laser-beam control channel, and expanded warhead options.

    Sources: Shturm-SM Ataka Adoption Report

  3. Mi-28N combat debut in Syria reported

    TASS reported Russian Mi-28N use of 9M120 and 9M120F Ataka missiles near Palmyra during fighting against Islamic State targets.

    Sources: TASS Mi-28N Syria Combat Debut

  4. GICHD guide documents Ukraine use

    The third edition of GICHD's Ukraine explosive-ordnance guide lists the 9M120 Ataka as used extensively in Ukraine.

    Sources: GICHD Explosive Ordnance Guide for Ukraine 2025

Media

9M120 Ataka Images

9M120 Ataka, Radio-command anti-tank guided missile, Munitions - view 1
Source: File:9M120 ATGM Ataka.jpg
9M120 Ataka, Radio-command anti-tank guided missile, Munitions - view 2
Source: File:Mi-28 armament.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
9K114 Shturm, Radio-command anti-tank guided missile system, Infantry WeaponsInfantry Weapons9K114 ShturmRadio-command anti-tank guided missile systemThe 9K114 Shturm is a Soviet radio-command anti-tank guided missile system built around the 9M114 Kokon missile and known to NATO as AT-6 Spiral. Designed by KBM Kolomna for attack helicopters and the MT-LB-based 9P149 Shturm-S carrier, it combines SACLOS guidance, a fast missile, and a 5 km baseline range, with later missile variants reaching 6-7 km. In the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, Russian 9P149 vehicles have been lost or captured, while Ukrainian units have shown Shturm-S training and Shturm-SM modernization work using domestic sights and RK-2P missiles.
9M113 Konkurs, SACLOS wire-guided anti-tank guided missile, Infantry WeaponsInfantry Weapons9M113 KonkursSACLOS wire-guided anti-tank guided missileThe 9M113 Konkurs, NATO reporting name AT-5 Spandrel, is a Soviet wire-guided anti-tank guided missile family built for infantry launchers, BMP-series vehicle mounts, and the BRDM-2-based 9P148 carrier. Its SACLOS guidance, 135 mm missile body, and 4 km class engagement range kept the family useful after the Cold War, while the Konkurs-M modernization added tandem-HEAT and thermobaric options and remains in Russian export and Indian BDL production context.
9M311 surface-to-air missile, Two-stage command-guided surface-to-air missile, MunitionsMunitions9M311 surface-to-air missileTwo-stage command-guided surface-to-air missileThe 9M311 is a Soviet two-stage, radio-command guided surface-to-air missile family developed for the Tunguska gun-missile air-defense system and adapted for naval Kortik/Kashtan installations. Sources describe a detachable booster, an unpowered missile stage guided by radio commands, and a continuous-rod warhead. Open reporting also documents Ukrainian Tunguska use with a 9M311-series missile firing during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.
9K115 Metis, Man-portable anti-tank guided missile system, Infantry WeaponsInfantry Weapons9K115 MetisMan-portable anti-tank guided missile systemThe 9K115 Metis is a Soviet/Russian man-portable, wire-guided anti-tank guided missile family developed for company-level infantry anti-armor fire. The original AT-7 Saxhorn used a lightweight launcher and 94 mm missile for short-range engagements, while the Metis-M and Metis-M1 upgrades moved to larger 130 mm missiles with tandem HEAT and thermobaric options. Its documented conflict use spans Russian and Ukrainian Metis-M fielding in Ukraine, Houthi use in Yemen, Syrian rebel use, and Hezbollah's anti-tank missile threat in the 2006 Lebanon War.

Sources

9M120 AtakaPublisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports the Ataka family's improved performance over 9M114, baseline range, penetration, and family variants. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Anti-Tank Guided Missiles 9M120-1Publisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Supports ATAKA-type missile mission set, launch-platform context, and official product-background information. | Accessed: 2026-07-01File:9M120 Ataka.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing for the 9M120 missile image used on this page. | Accessed: 2026-07-01File:9M120 ATGM Ataka.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing for the 9M120 ATGM gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-01File:Mi-28 armament.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain status for the Mi-28 armament gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-01GICHD Explosive Ordnance Guide for Ukraine 2025Publisher: Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining | Note: Supports the 9M120 Ataka as explosive ordnance used extensively in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Popular Mechanics Russian Airpower CounteroffensivePublisher: Popular Mechanics | Note: Supports Russian helicopter use of 9M120 Ataka missiles during the full-scale Ukraine phase of the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War. | Accessed: 2026-07-01TASS Mi-28N Syria Combat DebutPublisher: TASS | Note: Supports Russian Mi-28N use of 9M120 and 9M120F Ataka missiles near Palmyra during the 2011 Syrian Civil War. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Missilery Ataka-V Aircraft Missile SystemPublisher: Missilery.info | Note: Supports Ataka-V variant structure, launch-platform context, range values, and missile dimensions. | Accessed: 2026-07-01ATAKA-T Guided Weapon SystemPublisher: Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau via Internet Archive | Note: Supports ATAKA-T components, 9M120-1 and 9M120-1F missile designations, laser beam-riding guidance, range, penetration, and carrier compatibility. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Shturm-SM Ataka Adoption ReportPublisher: TechInsider | Note: Supports the 2014 Shturm-SM adoption timeline, Kolomna KBM origin, 6 km range, 550 m/s maximum speed, and added laser-beam control channel. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Mi-28NMEPublisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Supports Rosoboronexport listing 9M120-1 Ataka-type missiles with the Mi-28NME attack helicopter. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Mi-35MPublisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Supports Rosoboronexport listing 9M120-1 Ataka-type missiles with the Mi-35M attack and combat-transport helicopter. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Ka-52EPublisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Supports Rosoboronexport listing 9M120-1 Ataka-type missiles with the Ka-52E scout-attack helicopter. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Russian Army Widens Targets for Shturm-SPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports the 9P149 Shturm-S and Shturm-SM as launch systems for 9M120 Ataka missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-01