The missile is stored and carried in a container/launch tube. It is fired from a
9P135 launcher post, a simple tripod. A
9S451 guidance box is fitted to the tripod with the missile sitting just above. The
9Sh119 sight is fitted to the left side (from the gunner's point of view). The complete launcher system weighs . The gunner lies prone while firing. The system can engage moving targets travelling at less than . The launcher post can traverse through 360 degrees horizontally, and ±20 degrees in elevation. The sight has a magnification of 10× and a 5 degree field of view. Up to three missiles a minute can be fired from a launcher post. The system uses a gas generator to push the missile out of the launch tube, with the gas exiting the rear of the launch tube in a manner similar to a
recoilless rifle. The missile leaves the launch tube at , and is then quickly accelerated to by its solid fuel motor. This initial high speed reduces the missile's
deadzone, since it can be launched directly at the target, rather than in an upward arc. The launcher tracks the position of an incandescent
infrared bulb on the back of the missile relative to the target and transmits appropriate commands to the missile via a thin wire that trails behind the missile. The SACLOS guidance system has many benefits over
manual command to line of sight (MCLOS), with the accuracy of the system stated as 90% in some sources, though its performance is probably comparable to the
TOW or the later SACLOS versions of the
9M14 Malyutka. ==Models==