Ukraine uses domestically-produced Stugna-P against Russia; here's everything about it

In 47 days of the Russia-Ukraine war since the conflict started in late February, both sides have been seen using a range of high-tech weapons systems. The Ukrainian armed forces have shot down at least four Alligator helicopters, including one last week which was downed by an unusual Stugna-P Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM).  A video has also emerged on social media showing two Ukrainian soldiers handling a battlefield laptop monitor which had the ATGM launcher, at a distance, connected with 50-meter cable.

In the video, the Ukrainian soldiers can be seen cheering after the ATGM knocked one of the most feared and modern helicopter gunships, the Ka-52 Alligator which was flying low and slow. Reports have stated that the Ukrainian personnel was believed to be attached to the 95th Air Assault Brigade. The Russia-Ukraine war has also witnessed unique ways of shooting down enemy weapons. 

Another recent video from March showed Ka-52 Alligators and Mi-28 Havoc firing rockets in a ballistic parabolic trajectory. It can also be inferred that the Ukrainian side used Stugna-P to shoot down an Aligator which was on a mission other than Close Air Support (CAS). While the war continues, Stugna-P has managed to grab attention across the globe due to its efficacy in military encounters.

What is Stugna-P anti-tank guided missile?

Stugna-P which is also known as Skif in export modification is an anti-tank missile system developed and manufactured entirely by Ukraine. It has now emerged as one of the most strong contenders to foreign munitions in the same class. The design, manufacturing and production of the missile are handled by Kyiv-based Luch Design Bureau (LDB). The company has also been posting videos of Stugna-P being used on the battlefield against Russian troops. 

The anti-tank guided missile was developed by Luch in the mid-2000s and initially, it was named ‘Skif’. However, several tests and trials later, the system was adopted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2011 as the Stugna-P ATGM. 

In 2019, the Ukrainian army successfully got the ordered 50 launchers and 50 new ATGMs. Eventually, the Stugna-P missile system became available for export by Ukroboronprom as Skif. When Russia announced its so-called “special” military operation in Russia, some of the ‘Skif’ launchers that were originally manufactured for customers in the Middle east were delivered to the Ukrainian armed forces. 

These anti-tank missiles have now destroyed a number of Russian tanks and armoured vehicles and have proven to be a key system for combat situations. 

What is the missile’s capability?

As per the statistics available on the official website of its manufacturer, the Stugna-P missile system can hit targets from 100 metres, its maximum range reaches about 5,000 metres, which at night can be limited to 3,000 metres. It can be used against any target including a tank, an APC or even a fortification in just 10 seconds. It is said that the total flight time covering the maximum distance is 25 seconds for Stugna-P. 

Notably, the system is designed to destroy “while firing from the tank T-55 or antitank artillery gun MT-12, stationary and moving modern armoured targets with combined, carried or monolithic armour, including ERA (explosive reactive armour), as well as against pinpoint targets like weapon emplacements, a tank in a trench, light-armoured objects and helicopters,” stated Luch.

(Image: AP/Facebook)