Russian state-controlled media claims the Russian military plans to develop its first true fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), this after the United States deployed its combat-proven FGM-148 Javelin man-portable fire-and-forget ATGM 20 years ago.

Infantry of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation still rely on wire-guided ATGMs such as the laser and radar-guided 9M123 Khrizantema ATGM system deployed in 2005 and the 9K114 Shturm radio guided ATGM system that entered service in 1976.

Like Us on Facebook

While both these ATGMs have been combat tested in Middle East conflicts such as those in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, they still rely on the operator keeping still while manually steering the wire-guided ATGM onto its target.

In contrast, the fire-and-forget Javelin allows its crew to immediately seek cover elsewhere after firing the missile. No eyes-on-target or active control of the missile is needed.

The army is considering a next generation self-propelled ATGM system, said Lt. Gen. Mikhail Matveyevsky, Commander, Missile Troops and Artillery.

"The planning of a next-generation advanced self-propelled anti-tank missile system operating on the 'fire-and-forget' principle has already been planned," said Gen. Matveyevsky.

Gen. Matveyevsky said the new ATGM system's development focuses on improving the missile's efficiency; warhead; resistance to enemy countermeasures and further automating missile control.

Missile Troops and Artillery is the arm of the Ground Force of the Russian Federation that delivers conventional and nuclear artillery and missile fire and at the enemy during the conduct of combined-arms operations.

It consists of missile, rocket and artillery brigades, including high-power mixed, artillery battalions; rocket artillery regiments; separate reconnaissance battalions, as well as artillery of combined-arms brigades.

Gen. Matveyevskyalso also said the 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled gun armed with a 152 mm howitzer will become operational with the Russian Army in the future.

He said Koalitsiya-SV is unique with its multi-round simultaneous impact firing system in which several rounds fired from one gun at different angles simultaneously hit the target. This technique is known as MRSI for Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact in the U.S. Army and has been employed by the Americans for decades.

TagsRussia, anti-tank guided missile, ATGM, FGM-148 Javelin man-portable fire-and-forget ATGM, 9M123 Khrizantema, 9K114 Shturm, Lt. Gen. Mikhail Matveyevsky, Missile Troops and Artillery