MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. The Tula Arms Plant (part of Precision Systems Group within the state hi-tech corporation Rostec) is set to launch the serial production of missiles with the thermobaric high-explosive warhead for anti-tank systems, the enterprise said in its quarterly report on Tuesday.
The first batch of munitions produced on the premises of the Lipetsk-based 63 Arsenal enterprise is undergoing qualification tests, the report says.
"In the second quarter, the 63 Arsenal enterprise [the Lipetsk-based facility engaged in military security activity according to the data of the SPARK system of companies’ monitoring] organized the process of assembling and charging the item 9M133F-1 [the missile with the thermobaric high-explosive warhead]," according to the report.
"The enterprise produced the first batch of munitions for qualification tests and switched to holding them. The company plans to complete the tests and switch to the serial production of 9M133F-1 items in the third quarter of 2019," the report says.
9M133F-1 missiles are fired by Russia’s Kornet anti-missile systems. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported in January 2019 that another combat vehicle armed with the Kornet anti-tank missile system was undergoing state trials for the Airborne Force. The vehicle is the Kornet-D1 self-propelled anti-tank missile system mounted on the chassis of the BMD-4M airborne assault vehicle.
The data posted on the website of the Tula Arms Plant says that the company also produces 9M113M missiles that make part of the Konkurs-M anti-tank missile system.
The Tula Arms Plant is one of Russia’s largest small arms producers. The enterprise manufactures souvenir, hunting and combat guns and also anti-tank missiles.