While Western-made anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) like the FGM-148 Javelin and Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapon (NLAW) have made headlines for the critical role they are playing in Ukraine, one homegrown missile system often goes unnoticed. The Stugna-P ATGM sports some smart design features that have made the weapon a true asset for Ukrainian defenses.
Earlier this month, Ukraine Weapons Tracker uploaded footage depicting the destruction of a Russian T-72 main battle tank (MBT) in the Donbas region to Twitter. The footage allegedly revealed the Ukrainian 10thMountain Assault Brigade destroyed the armored vehicle with a Stugna-P ATGM strike.
Moscow’s armada of MBTs have not fared well in the last year of battle, in part due to Ukraine’s arsenal of anti-tank missiles like its homegrown Stugna-P.
A brief overview of the Stugna-P ATGM
Ukrainian armed forces first adapted the Stugna-P man-portable ATGM in 2011. Designed by the Luch Design Bureau, the missile uses a domestic Ukrainian guidance device. The Stugna, also referred to as Skif, was developed to take out modern armored targets, including explosive reactive armor (ERA).
Perhaps the ATGM’s greatest quality is its user-friendliness. The Stugna can be set up on a tripod and camouflaged as its operators are able to hide up to 164-feet away from the launcher.
This capability allows for greater crew survivability, since operators can remain unscathed in covered and concealed positions. Additionally, each Stugna-P costs roughly $20,000 per shot, significantly lower than its more advanced American counterparts. Since the Ukrainian ATGM is less pricey, it can be used to take out lower-value targets including personnel and trucks without heavy budgetary consequences.
The Stugna-P has its advantages and disadvantages
Unlike the extremely lightweight Javelin ATGM, its Ukrainian counterpart weighs around 60 pounds apiece, making it a less portable option. Additionally, the Stugna is less advanced than the Javelin and is probably more comparable to the Russian Kornet and the American-made TOW ATGMs.
The Stugna is also relatively slow compared to its near-peers. The ATGM takes about 25 seconds to reach its target at a maximum range of 5 kilometers, which is a lengthy time frame.
The standard missile is the RK-2S, which has taken out a variety of Russian armored vehicles in the last year. According to Forbes, the Stugna-P has destroyed Russia’s T-72, T-80 and T-90 MBTs. Although there is less use for anti-tank weapons in certain battlespaces in Ukraine, “a version of the missile known as RK-2OF has also been reported in which the 18-pound shaped-charge warhead is replaced with a blast/fragmentation charge which is more effective against personnel. Again, it is impossible to confirm, but it seems likely that this type is also now in the field.”
Since the Ukrainian ATGM uses a remote-control system to launch, operators can use its video feed to record the destruction of Russian armored vehicles for propaganda purposes. Social media has played a critical role in Moscow’s ongoing military intervention in Ukraine, and the footage provided by these ATGM shots have bolstered these efforts.
Maya Carlin, a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.