State tests of the Shturm-SM mobile anti-tank missile system are completed as of January 2024, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reports. This Ukrainian development is a deep upgrade to the Soviet 9P149 Shturm-S system on an armored tracked chassis with new domestically produced missiles featuring several types of interchangeable warheads
The combat vehicle has also received a code (or index) within the military documentation, which makes it eligible for procurement by the defense ministry, Lt. Gen. Ivan Havryliuk told Ukrainska Pravda.
Read more: Shturm/Storm-SM – Comprehensive Upgrade to Soviet-Developed ATGM Vehicle
On the part of Defense Express, we should note that the Shturm-SM project began long before russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. All the known data about the development and its capabilities were relevant to the time prior to the wider war, so there might be some novel details missing.
Still, even according to the old data, Shturm-SM should be a potent weapon. When the missile system was presented to the public in 2021, there were already two noteworthy key points about the project.
First is that Shturm-SM introduces a new electro-optical targeting system from SE Izium Instrument-Making Plant. Second is that Soviet-made 9M114 Kokon missiles were replaced with integrated RK-2P missiles designed by the Luch Kyiv State Design Bureau.
Archive video from Shturm-SM live firing tests in 2020
The combination of these upgrades enables Shturm-SM to launch strikes regardless of the time of the day at a distance of up to 6 to 7 kilometers. The missiles can penetrate and destroy targets protected with up to 800 mm of homogeneous armor. For comparison, the old Shturm-S could fire up to 4 km far and only in daylight.
Quite possibly, the ongoing war against russia prompted the manufacturer to update the system according to the needs of the military and the acquired knowledge on how Ukrainian forces have utilized similar systems in the warzone.
In practical terms, if the developer managed to preserve the main feature — a firing range of at least 6 km day and night — or even enhance it, this could significantly increase Ukraine's capability to take down russian tanks which are often used as makeshift "assault guns" for fire support of allied infantry during the offensive.
For comparison, Ukraine's most well-known anti-tank weapon, the Stuhna-P (a.k.a. Skif) man-portable missile, can hit targets at ranges up to 5 km, the farthest recorded hit was from 5.3 km afar. It's usually carried on pickup cars or light mobility vehicles, whereas Shturm-SM is an armored vehicle with better clearance thanks to the tracks.
Read more: Ukrainian Stugna vs U.S. Javelin – Longer Firing Range, Lesser Vulnerability to Detection by Enemy Sensors
