The first photograph of a new guided weapon system for Russian tanks, “Sokol-V (3UBK25),” has emerged. Currently, it exists only in trials with a modified T-80 and in the ammunition load of the latest Russian Tank T-14 Armata, which has yet to see combat. A key feature is its fully autonomous control system, implementing the “fire-and-forget” principle, which ensures the destruction of both line of sight and indirect targets, including from concealed firing positions. It employs inertial guidance using modern components and has a backup control mode (laser-guided as before). It uses a multifunctional warhead capable of engaging various types of targets.
The next-generation missile is being developed by the Joint Stock Company “Konstruktorskoe Byuro Tochnoi Mashinostroeniya imeni A.E. Nudelman” (KBP Nudelman).
The missile is known to be undergoing testing. When completed, this will be the first missile in Russia with autonomous self-guidance and entirely new combat capabilities. The advanced guided missile is equipped with a passive electro-optical seeker head (SH), an onboard inertial navigation system (BINS) integrated with satellite navigation equipment (SNE), and a laser-beam control channel (LBCC). The passive SH consists of an information channel for visible (VD) and infrared (IR) ranges, a gyroscopic stabilization system, and a three-stage tracking system.
The missile is intended for engaging ground targets and low-speed aerial targets, implementing modern principles of guided weaponry, including self-guidance in the final segment of the trajectory, attacking ground targets in the less-protected upper hemisphere, hitting targets beyond direct line of sight, use of multiple spectral ranges for passive target coordinate determination, and an Inertial Trajectory Segment including a trajectory segment corrected by satellite navigation signals.
