The Stugna-P (Skif) is a Ukrainian anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system developed within the 2010s by the Luch Design Bureau. Its steerage gadget (??-?) is developed and manufactured by Belarusian design bureau Peleng based mostly in Minsk. Skif is the Ukrainian phrase for Scythian and Stuhna (Stugna) is the identify of an area river. The Skif is designed to destroy fashionable armored targets with mixed carried or monolithic armor, together with explosive reactive armor (ERA). Skifs can assault each stationary and transferring targets. They will assault from each lengthy vary (as much as 5 km within the daytime) and shut vary (100m). They will assault level targets reminiscent of weapon emplacements, flippantly armored objects, and hovering helicopters.
The Skif consists of a tripod, missile container, PDU-215 distant management panel, steerage gadget, and thermographic digicam (thermal imager). The PDU-215 management panel is a briefcase-like laptop computer laptop with a management panel, holding a small joystick and a flat-panel show, that’s related to the firing unit by a cable, permitting or not it’s used at distances as much as 50 metres away. Two firing modes can be found: handbook, and fire-and-forget. Fireplace-and-forget gives computerized management of the missile flight utilizing a concentrating on laser beam. A 3 to four-person workforce is perfect for deploying the Skif. The Skif’s system has a shelf lifetime of 15 years. The missiles have a 10-year shelf life.
Commercial
Operators require specially-made backpacks. As soon as the missile is fired, the operator controls the Skif and corrects the intention when wanted, through the use of the joystick on the distant management. The system comes full with 130 mm and 152 mm caliber missiles in transport and launching containers. Tandem cost high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) RK-2S warheads would possibly have the ability to counter medium weight major battle tanks such because the T-90A with penetration of 800 mm behind ERA. RK-2M-Okay warheads would possibly have the ability to counter heavy major battle tanks reminiscent of M1A2 Abrams with their penetration of 1100 mm behind ERA. The system additionally contains excessive explosive (HE) fragmentation RK-2OF and RK-2?-OF warheads to assault infantry positions and lightweight armored autos.
The missile system was used throughout the pre-2022 Russo-Ukrainian Conflict by Ukrainian forces following first deliveries in 2018. Nevertheless, it gained wider prominence towards Russian Military forces throughout the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine starting in February alongside anti-tank techniques offered by NATO nations such because the FGM-148 Javelin (US), NLAW (UK), and Panzerfaust 3 (Germany). On April 5, 2022, Ukrainian forces used the missile system to down a Russian Kamov Ka-52 assault helicopter. Because the battle has moved to the Donbas and preventing has modified from wooded areas to open plains, the missile has been fitted to mild autos to make it cell. The Stugna-P is being utilized in the identical means US forces used the TOW missile system within the Nineteen Eighties and the Gulf Conflict Desert Patrol Car.
