Profile
- Type
- Man-portable anti-tank guided missile
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Origin
- France / Germany
- Service note
- Cold War design, in service from 1972 into the Russia-Ukraine War
Infantry Weapons
MILAN
MILAN is a Franco-German, wire-guided anti-tank guided missile built around a reusable launch post and disposable missile round. Designed for infantry anti-armor teams, the SACLOS system requires the operator to keep the sight on target while guidance commands travel through a wire link. France has documented MILAN systems among the anti-tank weapons delivered to Ukraine for the Russia-Ukraine War.
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Built by
- EuromissileMBDA
Service History
- In service
- Entered service in 1972
- Used by
- Ukrainian Armed Forces, French Army, German Army
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- Euromissile
- Designed
- 1960s-early 1970s
- Built by
- EuromissileMBDA
- Unit cost
- Not consistently published
- Produced
- 1972-present
- Number built
- About 350,000 missiles and 10,000 launch posts reported in reference sources
- Variants
- MILAN 1, MILAN 2, MILAN 2T, MILAN 3, MILAN ER
Specifications
- Guidance
- Semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS), wire-guided
- Range
- About 200 m to 2,000 m for common MILAN variants; MILAN ER extends to about 3,000 m
- Warhead
- HEAT or tandem HEAT anti-armor warhead depending on variant
- Missile length
- About 0.75-0.77 m for MILAN 1/2/2T; ER references list a longer missile and tube assembly
- Missile speed
- About 200 m/s
- Launch platform
- Tripod infantry launch post or vehicle mount
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Ukraine
French Ministry of Armed Forces delivery reporting lists MILAN systems, with missile quantities withheld, among equipment supplied to Ukraine after Russia's full-scale invasion.
Related Weapon Systems
BGM-71 TOWHeavy anti-tank guided missileThe BGM-71 TOW is a U.S. heavy anti-tank guided missile built around tube launch, optical tracking, and command guidance through a wire or later radio-frequency link. Developed by Hughes and now produced and upgraded by Raytheon, it can be fired from dismounted launchers, HMMWVs, Bradley and Stryker vehicles, light armored vehicles, and helicopters, giving infantry and vehicle crews a long-range precision anti-armor weapon. In the Russia-Ukraine War, U.S. security assistance packages sent TOW missiles to Ukraine as part of the anti-armor mix used to offset Russian armored forces.
BrimstoneAnti-tank guided missileBrimstone is a British MBDA precision-guided anti-armor missile built around millimetric-wave radar guidance, with later variants adding semi-active laser and inertial navigation options. In Ukraine it has been adapted from its original air-launched role into a donated ground-launched anti-tank capability for striking Russian armor and formations.
9K111 FagotMan-portable anti-tank guided missile systemThe 9K111 Fagot, known to NATO as the AT-4 Spigot, is a Soviet man-portable SACLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile system built around the 9P135 tripod launcher and 9M111 missile family. Its compact launcher, vehicle-mount compatibility, and 2 to 2.5 km range kept it relevant for legacy users, including Russian anti-tank teams documented in the Russia-Ukraine War.
9K115 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 system emphasized a light launcher and short-range portability, while the later 9K115-2 Metis-M and Metis-M1 variants use larger 130 mm missiles, tandem HEAT or thermobaric warheads, and ranges up to 2 km. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Russian forces have been documented using the upgraded AT-13 Saxhorn-2 / Metis-M variant against Ukrainian armor.
9M113 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 and vehicle mounts such as BMP-series vehicles and the BRDM-2-based 9P148. Its SACLOS guidance, 135 mm missile body, and 4 km class engagement range kept it useful after the Cold War, including documented employment in the Russia-Ukraine War by Ukrainian-aligned forces and Russian units.
9M133 KornetLaser beam-riding anti-tank guided missile systemThe 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 and vehicle-integrated ATGM family, it appears in the Russia-Ukraine War as a Russian-origin system documented with pro-Russian forces and also captured by Ukrainian troops.Sources
MILAN 2T French Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)Publisher: U.S. Army TRADOC ODIN | Note: Supports MILAN family background, anti-tank role, guidance, warhead, and performance context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20MILANPublisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports origin, producer lineage, service-entry, variants, and technical specification context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Liste des equipements livres a l'Ukraine - mise a jour mai 2024Publisher: French Ministry of Armed Forces | Note: Directly supports French delivery of MILAN systems and missiles to Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine War. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:MILAN-IWM PR 27-IMG 6500-white.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a MILAN missile launcher photo by Rama, available under Creative Commons share-alike licensing. | Accessed: 2026-06-20