The Russia’s Airborne Forces, commonly referred to by the acronym VDV, plans to receive new BMD-series airborne anti-tank system, according to TASS.
Citing a report from Russia’s largest state-owned defense industry holding Rostec, TASS reported that the latest Kornet-D1 air-droppable self-propelled anti-tank missile system based on the chassis of the BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicle intended for Russia’s Airborne Force has entered the final stage of firing tests.
“The High Precision Weapons Group has switched to the final stage of firing tests and the vehicle is also undergoing laboratory and road tests,” Rostec said.
The Kornet anti-tank missile system engineered by the Shipunov Design Bureau of Instrument-Making (part of the High Precision Weapons Group) is designated to strike tanks and other armored targets, including vehicles outfitted with reactive armor. The state-of-the-art Kornet-D system is also capable of striking aerial targets. The missile is directed by a laser beam. The Kornet-D anti-tank missile system’s firing range has been extended to 10 km whereas its previous versions have an engagement range of 5.5 km.
As TASS reported earlier, the Kornet-D1 will be capable of striking two different targets at a time and delivering automatic fire.
The Kornet-D1 is being developed for two types of carriers: the wheeled chassis of the Tigr-M armored vehicle and the tracked platform of the BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicle. The Kornet-D1 has been engineered for anti-tank squads of the Airborne Force’s artillery.