9M117 Bastion The 9M117 Bastion is a Russia n laser beam - riding anti - tank missile . It is used in a number of separate weapon systems including the 9K116 - 1 Bastion missile system ( AT - 10 Stabber ) , 9K118 Sheksna ( AT - 12 Swinger ) , Kastet and the 3UBK12 fired from the BMP - 3 . The 100 mm projectile entered service in 1981 . Development . The 9K112 Kobra ( AT - 8 Songster ) was the first Soviet tube fired anti - tank missile to enter service , however it was only deployed in limited numbers to front line units . Development work began in the late 1970s on a third generation of guided projectile s that would use laser guidance rather than radio command links . The guidance system was developed by Igor Aristarkhov , and the missile was developed by Petr Komonov . The Bastion was developed firstly as a relatively cheap missile fired from towed 100 mm smoothbore AT - guns MT - 12 . The missile 9M117 was a part of 3UBK10 round and a whole weapon system was designated 9K116 Kastet . A laser guidance device was seated on a tripod next to the gun . The system was commissioned in 1981 . During development of the 9K116 system it was recognized , that it could enhance the long range firepower of the older T - 55 and T - 62 tanks . The system for 100 mm rifled gun D - 10T of T - 55 was designated 9K116 - 1 Bastion ( 3UBK10 - 1 round ) , and for 115 mm smoothbore gun U - 5TS of T - 62 - 9K116 - 2 Sheksna ( 3UBK10 - 2 round ) . The missiles 9M117 were identical , as in the towed version , only the 115 mm version had additional guiding rings . They were commissioned in 1983 . Then , 9K - 116 - 3 system was developed for 100 mm rifled gun of the BMP - 3 infantry fighting vehicle , commissioned in 1987 . Similar systems , with larger caliber missiles 9M119 Svir , were developed for 125 mm guns of T - 72 and T - 80 tanks . Description . The 100 mm round resembles a normal 100 mm anti - tank round , and is loaded and fired in the same fashion . The round uses a reduced explosive charge to launch the projectile out of the barrel of the gun at around 400 to 500 m / s . After leaving the barrel of the gun , a small cover falls away from the window on the rear of the missile . The rocket motor ignites 1 . 5 seconds after firing the missile , and it burns for 6 seconds . The projectiles use laser guidance . A cone of laser light divided into sectors is projected from the launching tank / vehicle / gun , each sector having a different frequency or modulation . The missile has a small window in the rear with a sensor to detect the modulation of the light . Using this modulation , the missile steers itself , maintaining its position in the cone . The laser beam - riding guidance system is less spacious than a radio command one , and cheaper and simpler than semi - active laser guidance . The missile is also not prone to radio or optical jamming . On the other hand , a target has to be tracked by laser sight all the time , and the system can not be used on the move . The missile ' s flight time to 4 , 000 meters is approximately 12 seconds . After 26 to 41 seconds the missile self - destructs . Variants . Ammunition firing the 9M117 " Bastion " missile ; average armour penetration 550 mm Rolled homogeneous armour equivalency after ERA Ammunition firing the 9M117M " Kan " Tandem HEAT missile ; average armour penetration 600 mm RHAe after ERA Ammunition firing the 9M117M1 " Arkan " Tandem HEAT missile with extended range of 100 – 6 , 000 m ; average armour penetration 750 mm RHAe after ERA