Profile
- Type
- 73 mm tripod-mounted recoilless gun
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Origin
- Soviet Union
- Service note
- 1960s Cold War design; still in service in the Russia-Ukraine War
Infantry Weapons
SPG-9
The SPG-9 is a Soviet 73 mm tripod-mounted recoilless gun that fires rocket-assisted HEAT and fragmentation projectiles from a crew-served launcher. Though designed as an infantry anti-armor weapon, Ukrainian units have documented its continued use in the Russia-Ukraine War as a flexible fire-support system against trenches, infantry groups, and light armored vehicles.
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Built in
- Soviet UnionBulgariaRomania
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Service History
- In service
- Entered Soviet service in 1962; produced and exported widely
- Used by
- Ukrainian Armed Forces
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- TsKIB SOO; Silin and Alekseev
- Designed
- Late 1950s
- Built in
- Soviet UnionBulgariaRomania
- Produced
- 1962-present
- Variants
- SPG-9, SPG-9M, SPG-9D, AG-9, ATGL
Specifications
- Caliber
- 73 mm smoothbore
- Crew
- 2 operators minimum; 4 recommended
- Weight
- 47.5 kg gun plus 12 kg tripod
- Ammunition
- PG-9 HEAT-FS and OG-9 HE-fragmentation rocket-assisted projectiles
- Rate of fire
- 5-6 rounds per minute
- Effective direct fire range
- 800 m
- Indirect fire range
- About 1.3 km with HEAT-FS and up to about 4.5 km with HE-fragmentation
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Ukraine
Ukrainian forces, including the 95th Air Assault Brigade, have used SPG-9M "Spys" recoilless guns for direct and indirect fire against Russian infantry positions and light armored vehicles.
Related Weapon Systems
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.
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.Sources
SPG-9 KopyePublisher: U.S. Army ODIN | Note: Supports baseline identification of the SPG-9 as a Soviet 73 mm tripod-mounted recoilless gun. | Accessed: 2026-06-20SPG-9 (& Close Derivatives)Publisher: Small Arms Survey | Note: Supports weapon identification, variants, anti-armor role, 73 mm ammunition, and indirect-fire range context. | Accessed: 2026-06-2073mm SPG-9Publisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports development, producer countries, service entry, variants, crew, weight, ammunition, rate of fire, and range data. | Accessed: 2026-06-20They Do "Impossible" With This Weapon: the Ukrainian Military Told How Destroy Russians With the "Spear"Publisher: Defense Express | Note: Supports Ukrainian SPG-9M use during the Russia-Ukraine War by the 95th Air Assault Brigade against Russian infantry positions and light armored vehicles. | Accessed: 2026-06-20SPG-9 Russian Recoilless RiflePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY-SA 2.0 licensing for the primary SPG-9 image. | Accessed: 2026-06-20