Infantry Weapons

9M133 Kornet

Also known as
  • AT-14 Spriggan
  • 9K135 Kornet
  • Kornet-E
  • Kornet-EM
  • Kornet-T
  • 9M133-1
  • 9M133M-2
  • 9P163M-1
  • 9P163M-1 Kornet-T
  • 9P162 Kornet-T

The 9M133 Kornet is a Russian heavy anti-tank guided missile system using laser beam-riding guidance and tandem HEAT or thermobaric warheads. Developed by KBP as a portable, vehicle-integrated, and self-propelled ATGM family, it appears in recent conflicts as a Russian-origin anti-armor weapon documented with state forces and non-state armed groups, including captured launchers and destroyed 9P163M-1 Kornet-T vehicles in Ukraine.

9M133 Kornet, Laser beam-riding anti-tank guided missile system, Infantry Weapons
Image source: File:9M133 Kornet.JPG

Role in Conflicts

2006 Lebanon War
Role in conflict
Hezbollah anti-armor ambush weapon

The U.S. Army Combat Studies Institute study of the 2006 war identifies AT-14 Kornet-E missiles among Hezbollah's anti-tank stocks and describes a Kornet hit during the Wadi al-Saluki ambush against Israeli armor.

2013 War in Iraq
Role in conflict
Popular Mobilization anti-armor guided weapon

Amnesty International documented 9K135 Kornet and Dehlavieh 9M133-type guided weapons among Popular Mobilization Unit militia arsenals during 2015-2016 operations in Iraq against Islamic State.

2023 Israel-Hezbollah Conflict
Role in conflict
Border anti-armor and standoff attacks

During the post-October 2023 Israel-Hezbollah fighting, INSS identified the Kornet or upgraded versions as Hezbollah's main anti-tank weapon in the north, while Israeli reporting documented Kornet missiles in Hezbollah weapons recovered in southern Lebanon.

2011 Sinai Insurgency
Role in conflict
Militant anti-armor and coastal attack weapon

Carnegie's North Sinai operations chronology cites a September 2015 militant video of major attacks on Egyptian military forces, including a Kornet missile attack on a navy ship.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Russia
Type
Laser beam-riding anti-tank guided missile system
Service note
1990s-present service
Designer
KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Designed
Late 1980s-1990s

Specifications

Guidance
Automatic or semi-automatic laser beam-riding guidance
Range
100-5,500 m for Kornet-E missiles; up to 8,000 m anti-tank or 10,000 m thermobaric for Kornet-EM missiles
Warhead
Tandem HEAT or thermobaric missile options
Armor penetration
About 1,000-1,200 mm RHA behind ERA for Kornet-E; about 1,100-1,300 mm for Kornet-EM
Crew
Typically 2-3 soldiers for portable operation
Launcher weight
About 26 kg for the Kornet-E launcher unit
Kornet-T chassis
BMP-3-based tracked anti-tank missile carrier
Kornet-T missile load
16 Kornet missiles reported on the vehicle, with two retractable launchers and automatic reload
Designation And Launcher Split

The Kornet family is easiest to read as a missile-and-launcher system rather than a single round. Open-source references use Kornet-E for the export baseline, Kornet-EM for later extended-range missiles and launchers, and separate 9P163 launcher designations for portable, vehicle-mounted, and self-propelled firing units.

DesignationConfigurationCatalog note
9M133-1 / Kornet-EExport anti-tank missileBaseline export missile family associated with the portable Kornet-E system.
9M133F-1Thermobaric missileAlternate warhead option for targets such as field fortifications and firing points.
9M133M-2 / Kornet-EMLater missile familyExtended-range family member with longer published engagement ranges in Rosoboronexport material.
9P163-1Portable launcherTripod launcher configuration for crew-served infantry use.
9P163-2Vehicle-mounted launcherLauncher configuration associated with mounted combat-module installations.
9P163M-1 / Kornet-TSelf-propelled launcherBMP-3-chassis anti-tank missile carrier documented as a distinct Kornet launcher configuration.
Variants

Kornet records mix missile rounds, export names, and launcher configurations; the family includes portable tripod launchers, vehicle-mounted launchers, and later extended-range Kornet-EM missiles.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
9M133-1 Kornet-EExport anti-tank missile

Army Recognition identifies the Kornet-E as the export form associated with the 9M133-1 missile and 9P163-1 launcher.

Sources: AT-14 Spriggan 9M133 Kornet-E Kornet-EM

9M133F-1Thermobaric missile

Reference data for the family separates the tandem-HEAT anti-armor missile from a thermobaric missile option for use against field fortifications and similar targets.

Sources: AT-14 Spriggan 9M133 Kornet-E Kornet-EM

9M133M-2 Kornet-EMExtended-range missile

Rosoboronexport lists Kornet-EM as a later anti-tank guided missile system with longer engagement ranges than the baseline Kornet-E family.

Sources: KORNET-EM Anti-Tank Guided Missile System

9P163-1Portable launcher

Army Recognition describes the 9P163-1 launcher as the portable firing unit for the Kornet-E system.

Sources: AT-14 Spriggan 9M133 Kornet-E Kornet-EM

9P163-2Vehicle-mounted launcher

Army Recognition describes the 9P163-2 as a vehicle-mounted launcher associated with turret or combat-module installations.

Sources: AT-14 Spriggan 9M133 Kornet-E Kornet-EM

9P163M-1 Kornet-TSelf-propelled tank-destroyer launcher

ODIN identifies Kornet-T as a BMP-3-based anti-tank missile carrier, while Army Recognition lists the 9P162 Kornet-T as a BMP-3 anti-tank variant with the 9M133 Kornet missile system. Defence Blog reporting on an April 2022 loss describes the carrier with two retractable launchers, an automatic loader, and 16 Kornet missiles carried in the vehicle.

Sources: Kornet-T Anti-Tank Missile Carrier, BMP-3 IFV, Russia's newest anti-tank missile carrier confirmed destroyed in Ukraine

Dehlaviyeh anti-tank guided missile, Laser-guided anti-tank guided missile, Infantry WeaponsDehlaviyehIranian derivative

DIA describes Dehlavieh-2 as an Iranian copy of the Russian Kornet-EM and documents its family relationship through maritime interdiction evidence.

Sources: Seized At Sea: Iranian Weapons Smuggled to the Houthis

BMP-3 Chassis Integration

The Kornet family includes self-propelled launcher configurations in addition to portable and turret-mounted firing units.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
BMP-3, Tracked amphibious infantry fighting vehicle, Armored VehiclesBMP-3Tracked armored chassis

The 9P163M-1 Kornet-T uses the BMP-3 chassis as a self-propelled anti-tank missile carrier for Kornet-family missiles, separate from the baseline BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle's own gun-launcher armament.

Sources: Kornet-T Anti-Tank Missile Carrier, BMP-3 IFV

Kornet-T Carrier Layout

The Kornet-T branch turns the missile family into a dedicated tracked anti-tank carrier rather than a dismounted launcher. Sources describe it as a BMP-3-chassis vehicle with retractable launch rails, automatic reload, and a protected two-person crew, which separates its battlefield role from portable Kornet teams and turret-mounted upgrade packages.

Chassis

BMP-3-based tracked missile carrier identified as 9P162 or 9P163M-1 Kornet-T in open references.

Launcher fit

Two retractable launchers are carried under armor when moving, with automatic reload from the vehicle's missile stowage.

Missile load

Defence Blog describes 16 Kornet missiles carried on the vehicle, split between the autoloader and additional hull stowage.

Timeline

9M133 Kornet Key Events

  1. Kornet-E documented in the Lebanon War

    The U.S. Army Combat Studies Institute study identifies AT-14 Kornet-E missiles among Hezbollah's anti-tank weapons and describes Kornet use during the Wadi al-Saluki ambush.

  2. Sinai militants use a Kornet at sea

    Carnegie's North Sinai chronology cites a militant video showing a Kornet attack on an Egyptian navy ship during the Sinai insurgency.

  3. Ukrainian marines capture a Kornet launcher

    Ukrainska Pravda reported that Ukrainian marines seized a Kornet anti-tank guided missile system abandoned by Russian forces in southern Ukraine.

  4. Kornet-T losses documented in Ukraine

    Defence Blog reported a destroyed Russian 9P162/9P163M-1 Kornet-T in Ukraine in April 2022, and Oryx later visually documented two Russian 9P163M-1 Kornet-T anti-tank missile carriers destroyed during the full-scale war.

    Sources: Russia's newest anti-tank missile carrier confirmed destroyed in Ukraine, Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine

  5. Hamas claims Kornet fire during Gaza fighting

    The Times of Israel reported Hamas claims that anti-tank Kornet rockets were used during the Israeli ground incursion into northern Gaza.

Media

9M133 Kornet Images

9M133 Kornet, Laser beam-riding anti-tank guided missile system, Infantry Weapons - view 1
Source: File:AT-14 Kornet-E.jpg
9M133 Kornet, Laser beam-riding anti-tank guided missile system, Infantry Weapons - view 2
Source: File:Kornet-EM at Engineering Technologies 2012 Missile Launcher.jpg
9M133 Kornet, Laser beam-riding anti-tank guided missile system, Infantry Weapons - view 3
Source: File:Kornet-EM anti-tank vehicle at Engineering Technologies 2012.jpg
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Sources

KORNET-EM Anti-Tank Guided Missile SystemPublisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Official export page supporting Kornet-EM family background, guidance method, range, armor-piercing capability, thermal sight, and launcher configuration claims. | Accessed: 2026-06-20AT-14 Spriggan 9M133 Kornet-E Kornet-EMPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Reference page supporting KBP manufacturer attribution, Kornet-E role, variants, crew, launcher weight, warhead, penetration, and range details. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Kornet-T Anti-Tank Missile CarrierPublisher: ODIN OE Data Integration Network | Note: U.S. Army ODIN reference page supporting the 9P163M-1/9P162 Kornet-T self-propelled anti-tank missile carrier identity and BMP-3 chassis relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-02BMP-3 IFVPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Reference page supporting the BMP-3 family context and listing 9P162 Kornet-T as an anti-tank BMP-3 variant with the 9M133 Kornet missile system. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Further evidence of 9K135 Kornet ATGWs found in UkrainePublisher: Armament Research Services | Note: Direct 2014 Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use source documenting 9K135 Kornet ATGWs and 9M133 missile remnants associated with pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of UkrainePublisher: Oryx | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct-use context by visually documenting Russian 9P163M-1 Kornet-T anti-tank missile carrier losses during the full-scale invasion. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Russia's newest anti-tank missile carrier confirmed destroyed in UkrainePublisher: Defence Blog | Note: Directly supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War context for a destroyed Russian 9P162/9P163M-1 Kornet-T in Ukraine and supports Kornet-T carrier-layout details including BMP-3 chassis basis, automatic loading, two launchers, and 16 carried missiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Marines capture Russia's Kornet ATGM in Ukraine's SouthPublisher: Ukrainska Pravda | Note: Directly supports the October 2022 2014 Russia-Ukraine War note that Ukrainian marines seized a Kornet ATGM abandoned by Russian forces. | Accessed: 2026-06-20The Efficiency of the Syrian Armed ForcesPublisher: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Note: Directly supports 2011 Syrian Civil War use of Kornet anti-tank systems by Syrian government forces as heavy infantry and multipurpose support weapons. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Kornet anti-tank guided weapon captured by Syrian Islamist rebelsPublisher: Armament Research Services | Note: Directly supports 2011 Syrian Civil War conflict-use context by documenting Kornet launcher and missile crates reportedly captured by a Syrian Islamist rebel group in Daraa city. | Accessed: 2026-07-05Seven Years of War: Documenting Syrian Rebel Use of Anti-Tank Guided MissilesPublisher: Bellingcat | Note: Directly supports 2011 Syrian Civil War use by identifying the Kornet as operated by the Syrian Arab Army and documenting rebel ATGM use, including a Kornet prepared to fire at Abu Duhur Air Base and later Kornet shipments to rebels. | Accessed: 2026-07-05Syrian helicopter destroyed by Anti-Tank Guided MissilePublisher: The Aviationist | Note: Directly supports 2011 Syrian Civil War use by reporting a Kornet ATGM reportedly fired by Sham Legion militants at a Syrian Mi-8 helicopter near Idlib in September 2014. | Accessed: 2026-07-05We Were Caught UnpreparedPublisher: Combat Studies Institute Press | Note: Directly supports 2006 Lebanon War use by identifying AT-14 Kornet-E missiles among Hezbollah anti-tank stocks and describing a Kornet hit during the Wadi al-Saluki ambush. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Iraq: Turning a Blind EyePublisher: Amnesty International | Note: Directly supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State and 2013 War in Iraq direct-use context by documenting 9K135 Kornet and Dehlavieh 9M133-type guided weapons used by Popular Mobilization Unit militias in 2015-2016. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Seized At Sea: Iranian Weapons Smuggled to the HouthisPublisher: Defense Intelligence Agency | Note: Supports the linked Dehlaviyeh derivative row by describing Dehlavieh-2 as an Iranian copy of the Russian Kornet-EM and documenting Dehlaviyeh-family interdictions. | Accessed: 2026-06-30The Anti-Tank Missile Threat: No Longer Only Against TanksPublisher: Institute for National Security Studies | Note: Directly supports 2023 Israel-Hamas War and 2023 Israel-Hezbollah Conflict direct-use context by identifying Kornet or upgraded Kornet missiles as the main anti-tank weapon used by Hamas in the south and fielded by Hezbollah in the north. | Accessed: 2026-06-20IAF strikes 150 Hamas tunnels, bunkers; tanks in Gaza; GallantPublisher: The Times of Israel | Note: Directly supports 2023 Israel-Hamas War use by reporting that Hamas said it used anti-tank Kornet rockets and mortar shelling to repel the 2023-10-28 ground incursion. | Accessed: 2026-06-20IDF finding far more Russian arms in Hezbollah's possession than expectedPublisher: The Times of Israel | Note: Directly supports 2023 Israel-Hezbollah Conflict direct-use context by reporting Kornet anti-tank missiles fielded by Hezbollah and recovered from Hezbollah weapons caches during the southern Lebanon ground operation. | Accessed: 2026-06-20The Egyptian Military's Terrorism Containment Campaign in North SinaiPublisher: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Note: Directly supports 2011 Sinai Insurgency direct-use context by citing a militant video of a Kornet missile used by Islamic State Sinai Province-linked militants against an Egyptian navy ship. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Islamic State attacked Egyptian Coast Guard Swiftships 26m patrol craft with Kornet ATGMPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Directly supports 2011 Sinai Insurgency direct-use context by identifying the guided missile fired by Islamic State Sinai Province-linked militants at an Egyptian patrol craft as most likely a Russian-made 9M133 Kornet ATGM. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Maritime Interdictions of Weapon Supplies to Somalia and YemenPublisher: Conflict Armament Research | Note: Directly supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct-use context: CAR documented a Russian-manufactured 9M133-1 Kornet ATGW reportedly fielded by Houthi-Saleh forces in Taiz and matching Kornets seized from a dhow cargo assessed as destined for Yemen. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:9M133 Kornet.JPGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the Kornet-E photograph; listed as own work under CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:AT-14 Kornet-E.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the AT-14 Kornet-E gallery photograph. | Accessed: 2026-06-21File:Kornet-EM at Engineering Technologies 2012 Missile Launcher.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and CC BY-SA 3.0 licensing page for a Kornet-EM launcher view. | Accessed: 2026-06-21File:Kornet-EM anti-tank vehicle at Engineering Technologies 2012.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and CC BY-SA 3.0 licensing page for the Kornet-EM anti-tank vehicle gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21