[Development] 9P157-2 Khrizantema: why not both? (8 - Page) ) - News

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9P157-2 Khrizantema: why not both?

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20 May 2020 Development

This tank destroyer is mounted on a BMP-3 chassis, equipped with a radar, thermal imaging and extremely powerful missiles and capable of simultaneously firing two ATGM’s at two different targets!

Fun fact: the chief executive of the KB Mashinostroyeniya in Kolomna who supervised the development of the Khrizantema was a fantastic engineer with a really cool surname – Sergey Nepobedimy (translates as “Invincible” from Russian).

9P157-2 Khrizantema, SPG, USSR, rank VII

Pros

Unique enemy-detection system that operates at all visibility levels
Devastatingly powerful missile
Capable of simultaneously firing two anti-tank guided missiles at two different targets
Thermal vision

Cons

Moderate armour
Unable to fire on the move
No specialized missiles with a proximity fuse for taking down airborne targets
No smoke grenades

In the eighties, the KB Mashinostroyeniya in Kolomna began work on an all-weather anti-tank missile system capable of efficiently detecting and destroying ground armoured vehicles, helicopters and other units at any time of day and any visibility level.

The system was chosen to be mounted on the BMP-3 chassis – a highly mobile, all-terrain platform that could even navigate water. That is how the 9P157-2 Khrizantema came to be – it became a unique unit capable of simultaneously following targets on two separate channels – on its radar system and through visual contact.

Moreover, the abovementioned radar can detect and take aim at targets at any time of day and visibility level (be it night, smoke or sandstorm).

The system’s missiles are capable of penetrating tank ERA along with over another 1,000 mm of armour beneath it. The Khrizantema was put into service by the Russian army in 2004 and has since undergone modernisation several times. The missile system has also been exported abroad and deployed by other countries.

In our game, the 9P157-2 Khrizantema will become a top-ranked tank destroyer in the USSR tech tree. Powerful ATGMs geared with a dual guidance system that uses both radio signals and laser beams for tracking the target will serve as the unit’s base. Aiming through the commander’s or gunner’s crosshairs may be a feature every War Thunder tanker is very familiar with, but using the Khrizantema’s radar, on the other hand, will become a whole new experience for the players. What we essentially get is an all-purpose and practically faultless means of detecting and neutralizing enemy tanks even in minimal visibility, be they concealed behind a smokescreen or in the dark of the night. That’s practically the same as the aircraft equipped with a radar that detects enemy aircraft! The dual guidance system allows the player to launch two missiles at once – the target that the radar locks on to is hit automatically, while the second missile travels toward the enemy unit in the gunner’s crosshairs by following the path set by, as one would expect, the laser beam. In the game, the missiles are launched in sequence. The first projectile is controlled by the radar system, and should the necessity arise, you can fire an ATGM that you’ll have to guide manually using the crosshairs.

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In addition to its one-of-a-kind guidance system, the Khrizantema also boasts excellent missiles. Commanders will have a choice of two ATGM types – the former has a thermobaric warhead that equates to over 10 kg of TNT in power, while the latter is essentially a high-explosive dual-purpose projectile that can make short work of ERA. The dual-purpose projectile has truly impressive combat potential – it can penetrate a whopping 1,200 mm of armour hidden beneath the ERA! However, it’s important to remember that the Khrizantema has no specialized missiles with a proximity fuse for neutralizing airborne targets, so if you want to take down a helicopter with an ATGM, you’ll have to be really accurate.

The vehicle’s chassis comes from the BMP-3 that you’re familiar with, which has its pros and cons. Pros include great speed and all-terrain capabilities, as well as the ability to swim and shoot from the water. The light armour and low reversing speed comprise the cons. As far as everything else is concerned, tank commanders will find controlling the new ATGM carrier rather intuitive – stay away from the front lines, watch out for tank and automatic fire, switch positions as often as you can and... shoot! Shoot without restraint, shoot on target, shoot as much as your heart desires!

The Khrizantema will make you experience high-rank combat in ways you’ve never experienced before. For instance, picture the following scenario in your head: a missile controlled by a radio signal is flying towards a tank guarding a capture point and surrounded by a smokescreen, while you are guiding the second ATGM through your crosshairs right into its ally’s frontal hull. All in all, you need to research and test the Khrizantema in combat as soon as the opportunity presents itself. It’s a new high-rank ace up Russia’s/the USSR’s sleeve that is practically guaranteed to stay in your top setup for a long time. When will this unit become available? Once War Thunder: Starfighters major update is out, so very soon! See you later!

The War Thunder Team