Profile
- Type
- Man-portable anti-tank guided missile system
- Conflict side
- Russia
- Origin
- Soviet Union / Russia
- Service note
- Late Cold War baseline system with post-Soviet Metis-M and Metis-M1 upgrades
Infantry Weapons
9K115 Metis
The 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.
- Conflict side
- Russia
- Built by
- KBP Instrument Design Bureau
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
Service History
- In service
- 1979-present for the baseline family; Metis-M and Metis-M1 remain in service
- Used by
- Russian Armed Forces
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- KBP Instrument Design Bureau
- Designed
- 1970s baseline; Metis-M upgrade developed later
- Built by
- KBP Instrument Design Bureau
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
- Produced
- 1978-present for the family; Metis-M from the post-Soviet period
- Variants
- 9K115 Metis / AT-7 Saxhorn, 9K115-2 Metis-M / AT-13 Saxhorn-2, Metis-M1
Specifications
- Guidance
- SACLOS command guidance via wire link
- Range
- 40-1,000 m for the original 9K115; 80-2,000 m for Metis-M1
- Missile caliber
- 94 mm for original 9M115; 130 mm for Metis-M / Metis-M1
- Warhead
- HEAT on the original missile; tandem HEAT or thermobaric missiles on Metis-M1
- Armor penetration
- Metis-M1 averages 900-950 mm behind explosive reactive armor
- Weights
- Metis-M1 launcher 9.5 kg, containerized missile 13.8 kg, thermal imager 6.5 kg
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Russia
Russian forces have been documented fielding the upgraded AT-13 Saxhorn-2 / 9K115-2 Metis-M in Ukraine as a portable anti-tank weapon against Ukrainian armored vehicles.
9K115 Metis Images
Related Weapon Systems
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.
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.
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.
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.
FGM-148 JavelinAnti-tank guided missileA portable anti-armor missile known for top-attack profiles and fire-and-forget guidance. It became a symbol of early international military support to Ukraine.
MILANMan-portable anti-tank guided missileMILAN 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.Sources
METIS-M1 Anti-Tank Guided Missile SystemPublisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Official export product page supporting Metis-M1 role, guidance, range, warhead, penetration, caliber, and component weights. | Accessed: 2026-06-209K115-2 Metis-M (AT-13 Saxhorn-2)Publisher: U.S. Army ODIN Worldwide Equipment Guide | Note: Supports general system background, Russian designation, manufacturer context, and upgraded Metis-M characteristics. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Russian Forces Intensify Use of Advanced AT-13 Saxhorn-2 Anti-Tank Guided Missiles in UkrainePublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Directly supports Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use context for Russian Metis-M / 9K115-2 employment in Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Antitank missile system Metis-M1.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Primary image provenance; Vitaly V. Kuzmin photograph of a Metis-M1 missile, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 with VRT permission noted on Commons. | Accessed: 2026-06-209K115 Metys.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Gallery image provenance for the baseline 9K115 Metis in Polish service, attributed to the Polish Ministry of National Defence under the Commons permission statement. | Accessed: 2026-06-20