What We Know About Russia’s New Generation “Tank-Killer” Hermes

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What We Know About Russia's New Generation "Tank-Killer" Hermes

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The Hermes high-precision guided missile system with over-the-horizon range of up to 100 km was presented by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau, at the Army-2020 forum in Moscow.

The guided weapon system is composed of a combat vehicle, command vehicle, load transporting vehicle, guided missiles and reconnaissance drones.

Hermes has an autonomous missile guidance system of the fire-and-forget type. Hermes guided missiles are capable of being fired from aerial (including drones), land-based and naval platforms.

The system features the salvo launch mode at several (up to six) scattered targets and automated synchronization of laser guidance for striking targets with a high-precision projectile with miss distance not exceeding 0.5 meters.

It is specifically designed to engage single and multiple targets of various types but mainly battle tanks, other armored vehicles, fortifications, naval surface targets and high-speed flying vehicles. It is a sort of precision one-size-fits-all weapon, that predominantly serves as an anti-tank guided missile.

ATGMs are the most significant tool of the Russian ground troops, as they can successfully counter an adversary’s main battle tanks, as well as other armored vehicles, as mentioned above.

A representative of the Tula Instrument Design Bureau said at the forum that the Hermes anti-tank guided missile is capable of almost 100% certain destruction of any Western tank.

Experts from the American magazine The National Interest said that this is the new Russian “tank killer”, compared to which the infamous American anti-tank missile FGM-148 Javelin looks outdated.

As mentioned above, a Hermes missile may deviate only by 50 cm from the target even when it is fired to a maximum range of 100 km, with the munition flying at four times the speed of sound (Mach 4).

What We Know About Russia's New Generation "Tank-Killer" Hermes

Click to see the full-size image

The Hermes anti-tank guided weapon system comprises several reconnaissance and guidance drones that help detect and illuminate the target, the company’s representative said.

The system features a compact combat module with launchers for six missiles.

This module can be mounted on any chassis, including armored vehicles.

The Hermes can deliver salvo fire against six targets at a time.

Apart from the enemy armor, the system’s missiles are effective against command or staff vehicles, communications centers and depots.

Each missile carries a high-explosive fragmentation warhead with 20 kg of TNT.

The entire Hermes weapons complex includes:

  • a stabilized day-night optoelectronic system with television and thermal imaging channels (information exchange standard MIL STD 1553);
  • an associated computer system with a two-channel laser designator and automatic target tracking;
  • additional equipment – multifunctional color liquid crystal display and control panel, display and documentation facilities.

The combat vehicle could be equipped with 6-12-24 missiles ready for launch.

It is not known which missiles will be used by Hermes during launches. Even its GRAU index is not disclosed. Two calibers of the accelerator are presumed, depending on the flight range – 170 or 210 mm.

The guidance system is combined, at the stage of reaching the target it is carried out using inertial or radio command guidance, and at the final stage using the seeker, including the laser one.

All of this, of course, makes the missile cost more, but at the same time, it is still nothing in comparison to how much a Western tank costs.

Even if more than one missile strikes a tank, if they destroy it, that is a sort of profit.

The cost, for example, of the new German Leopard 2A6 main battle tank is $6.79 million, and the American M1A2 SEP Abrams – at least $8.6 million. It is unlikely that an ATGM missile costs anywhere near that.

In addition to the accuracy and sufficient power of the Hermes ATGM missile (18–20 kg of explosive), the biggest plus in the effectiveness of this complex is the range of destruction. However, the question involuntarily arises, how will control be carried out at a distance of 100 km?

Especially when it comes to moving targets – tanks do not always stand in place, but they will be the main target. And one multifunctional radar can hardly be enough. More information is needed to come to a definite conclusion.

It could potentially be a game-changer in the anti-tank field, and is comparable if not better than the Israeli Spike missiles, and is clearly superior to the American Javelin missiles, as mentioned above.

According to the National Interest, Russian sent the weapon system to Syria.

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Servet Köseoğlu

looks like a deadly opponent to spike nlos

Rangel

And the GLSDB, with range of 150 km.

HiaNd

That is multiple rocket launcher ammunition and not guided missile isn’t it?

Rhodium 10

You launch a barrage of them…Glonass and INS take the rocket to the target…optoelectronic system correct the final course…and Boom!..similar to Iran ballistic missile attack to Assad& Erbil base..but in this case the final stage can do maneuvers in the air like an ATGM

HiaNd

Yeah genius, except that “barrage” boom costs much more than tank at the end.

Rangel

Its a SDB missile with a booster, fired from a MRLS, same as the Hermes, an original Hermes missile with a booster, the GLSDB is fire and forget, with GPS for static target, and láser, radar or infrared for moving target.

Rhodium 10

No because with the barrage you are attacking many incoming or deployed tanks, artillery and APC

HiaNd

I was talking about destruction of one tank only.
Today in the times of drones the most stupid thing that can be done is to pile up the armory in one place. Last example was when hole battalion of Ukrainian tanks was destroyed with one minute “barrage” artillery, MLRS fire near the Donbass.

Servet Köseoğlu

sweden sanctioning us at all levels so all products related with sweden fades away from my mind unconciously…

Lone Ranger

Pretty impressive range for such a small rocket.

HiaNd
René Artois

Impressive.

Andreas

Cite the source.

RD-180

Probably this was done by a russian Kornet.

MeMad Max

No US domestic abrams tank has been lost in combat.

The picture shows a saudi abrams lost in yemen during the early months of that war.

Scaathor

Its an Iraqi Abrams lost to IS.

MeMad Max
HiaNd

HERMESis NEW missile and this is just illustrative example for missile that has 97 to 98% efficacy…Or you think that Abarms will look better than on the photo after HERMES?

LaRata

2003 second Iraq war photo….

MeMad Max

Pretty sure its a saudi abrams lost in yemen….

Servet Köseoğlu

lol he is a fat liar…

HiaNd

OK and? It was illustrative example about NEW deadly missile can’t you deduce that?!
Where was I suppose to find photo?

Or you think that US tanks will look much better afer hit by this missile that are declared with 98 to 99% efficacy?!?

Servet Köseoğlu

puhaha that guy is miracle….

HiaNd

That was just illustrative example of what will happen with 98 to 99% kill efficacy of the missile against Western tanks.
Since the missile is new where do you expect anybody to have photo of destroyed Abrams already without even being deployed in Syria and Iraq?!

Davki

How well would such a system do against active armour?

HiaNd

They claim in TASS description that can destroy literally any tank with 100% efficacy
HERE
Russia’s latest Hermes supersonic missile can wipe out any Western tank, designer says
A supersonic missile of Russia’s latest Hermes long-range guided weapon system will be able to destroy any Western tank with an almost 100% guarantee

https://tass.com/defense/1194307

Icarus Tanović

It would blow tank entirely.

PZIVJ

High-explosive fragmentation warhead with 20 kg of TNT with speed up to Mach 4.
Indeed this would be overkill if the top of the tank was hit. !

Icarus Tanović

Even hull and sides if hit.

Антон С

Power of 152 mm frag shell. Even more. Weight of a shell is ~40 kg with 7-8 kg of explosives inside.

Icarus Tanović

This one have way more power and warhead of 25kg. That is seriously strong.

Servet Köseoğlu

Fun fact: German Leopard 2A6 main battle tank is $6.79 million,18 MK-48 Mod 6 Advanced Technology (AT) Heavy Weight Torpedoes (HWT) to Taiwan for an estimated cost of $180 million. Thats why mighty greek submarines were floating without hwt like pelamides.

RD-180

Wow! So the Turkish Navy got scared of a few greek submarines without torpedoes? Why?

Servet Köseoğlu

lol its my opnion..scared of afew greek submarines?? hell no but underestimating any army is also wrong military attitude…

ΠΑΡΜΕΝΙΩΝ

Because we have torpedoes !!!

Rancilio

Ahahahahahah. It was as if the Russians were starving. Westerners and cowboys have become just embarrassing clowns

Sauron

junk

cechas vodobenikov

your CIA feminine envy is tiresome

Sauron

junk is the most masculine pair you could find

Scaathor

Her avatar isn’t Saurons Eye but her own inflamed vulva.

AM Hants

Love to see it having trials in Eastern Ukraine and Syria.

Dick Von Dast'Ard

Possibly another reason why the British have decided to retire it’s Armies [sic] heavy armor. (i.e Challenger 2)

Phoron

Send a bunch to Idlibistan for active trials kthx

verner

a few of those in the hands of hezbollah and ditto for syria and the jews will soil their pants and cry for mamma.

MeMad Max

Mmm, not even close.
First, the picture says 28kg warhead, but the article says 18-20 kg of TNT…

So which is it?

Also, it had better not be TNT cause that stuff has been obsolete for combat since WW1 lol.

No, all the numbers are BS… most likely the actual whatever it is is very much higher or lower… Either way, ur gonna need something with alot more kick against the US domestic abrams tank, or any tank for that matter lolololol….

Антон С

Warhead consists not from explosives only. Usually it’s near 2/3 mass of warhead.

Антон С

“However, the question involuntarily arises, how will control be carried out at a distance of 100 km?”

For ground version (20 km) – via UAV, for CAS planes version (100 km) – via on-board radar like for any other missiles.

https://sun9-65.userapi.com/1xuh5iOSsufmfs4-OfxgcArKWXR2tJBK0x0Wnw/t9alif8OQns.jpg

cechas vodobenikov

many here are more aware of weapons than me; I suspect that many nations have advanced weapons…Russia obviously does…for all the money US spends they produce inferior incompetent weapons, airplanes, helicopters, tanks, etc….they waste money on irrelevant carriers to intimidate Dominican Republic—half r being repaired…their own seaman destroy them by arson…..now ISIS/Antifa is burning their forests and BLM has transformed their cities into plywood villages….in Vietnam their soldiers killed their own officers…today 22 US veterans suicide each day…..I suspect their raping and murdering in Afghanistan, Iraq, etc can only be addressed w heroin and antidepressant for a limited period of time