Army of the Czech Republic SAMs
SA-2 Guideline SAM
Description:
SA-2 GUIDELINE Medium-to-High Altitude Surface-to-Air Missile System The SA-2 (V-750) is a medium to high altitude surface-to-air missile system. It is a two-stage weapon with a large solid propellant booster stage fitted with four very large delta fins. The missile itself has a storable liquid fuel sustainer rocket motor which uses an inhibited red fuming nitric acid/kerosene fuel mix. Towards the mid-section is a set of four cropped delta-shaped wings with a second in-line set of small fixed fins at the nose and a third in-line set of slightly larger powered control fins at the tail. The warhead of the SA-2a/b/c/d/f weighs 195 kg (130 kg of which is HE) and is an HE internally grooved fragmentation type with proximity, contact and command type fusing available. The 295 kg nuclear warhead for the SA-2e variant is believed to have a yield of 15 kT. The conventional warhead weighs the same. The warhead of the SA-2a/b/c/e/f models is fitted forward of the main fins and behind the nose-mounted guidance assembly. Maximum blast radius against a high altitude target such as a U-2 is around 244 m due to the rarefied atmosphere. At medium to low levels against fighter sized targets the kill radius is about 65 m and the blast radius for severe damage is 100-120 m. The weapon has a CEP figure of 75 m with the large blast radius compensating for any system inaccuracies. The whole V-75 system, including the launcher, is designed to be simple and easy to operate with the minimum of specialized training. In practically all user countries the pattern of a battalion site is as follows: six semi-fixed trainable single rail launchers are deployed in a hexagon arrangement, about 60-100 m apart. They can either be dug into pits, left at ground level or hardened by being dug in and surrounded by concrete revetments. In the center of the launchers is the battery command post with the fire control team and its computer, the Fan Song missile control radar, the P-12 (NATO designation Spoon Rest-A truck-mounted or Spoon Rest-B) early warning radar and usually six reload rounds on their articulated trailers. The battalion's early warning and target acquisition Spoon Rest A-band radar has a range of 275 km using a large Yagi antenna array. At regimental HQ there is a fourth Spoon Rest, a van-mounted P-15 (NATO code name Flat Face) 250 km range C-band search and tracking radar with two elliptical parabolic reflectors and a PRV-11 (NATO code name Side Net) 180 km range E-band nodding height-finder radar mounted on a box-bodied trailer. There is also a radar control truck and a Mercury Grass truck-mounted command communications system for linking the HQ to the three battalions. Maximum radar range of the E-band Fan Song A/B/F models varies between 60-120 km depending upon target type, altitude and operating conditions. The G-band Fan Song D/E maximum range is extended to between 75-145 km under the same parameters. In some countries which only deploy early versions of the SA-2, the elderly ground-mounted P-8 Dolphin (NATO code name Knife Rest-A) or truck-mounted P-10 (NATO code name Knife Rest-B/C) radars may be used in lieu of Spoon Rest. They are A-band sets and have an operating range in the order of 150-200 km. VARIANTS: The People's Republic of China has developed its own modified version of the V-750 under the designation HQ-2, details of which appear earlier in this section. The license-built version was the HQ-1. Arab British Dynamics reverse engineered the V-750 'Guideline' to meet the requirements of the Egyptian Air Defense Command, but it was not placed in production. It had the local name Early Bird. A navalized version, the M-2 (US designation SA-N-2), was tried from 1961 onwards, but proved unsuccessful. Iraq has modified some of its SA-2 stockpile to accept an infra-red homing seeker.
 
 
SA-3 Goa SAM
Description:
SA-3 GOA Medium Altitude Surface-to-Air Missile System The SA-3 (S-125) GOA is a two-stage, solid-fuel, low to medium-altitude SAM. Two ready missiles travel in tandem on a modified truck or tracked vehicle from which the crew loads the missiles onto a ground-mounted, trainable launcher for firing. Both twin and quadruple launchers are in use. The SA-3 has a large 2.6 second burn jettisonable solid fuel Isayev OKB booster section fitted with rectangular fins that rotate through 90º at launch. The smaller missile body has an 18.7 second burn Isayev OKB solid fuel sustainer rocket and is fitted with four fixed fins aft and four movable control surfaces forward. After booster jettison the second stage is captured in the radar beam and guidance signals are sent via antenna on the rear fins to place the missile on an intercept trajectory. In the initial 1961 version, US designation SA-3a (NATO designation GOA Mod 0), guidance is by command throughout the flight, while in the definitive version introduced into service in 1964 and known by the US designation SA-3b (NATO designation GOA Mod 1), this has been improved. Long-range early warning and target acquisition is usually handled by a van-mounted P-15 (NATO designation FLAT FACE) radar. In many SA-3 battalions the P-15 has been replaced by the P-15M set (NATO designation SQUAT EYE) which has approximately the same performance but has had its antenna mounted on a 20-30 m mast to improve the low altitude coverage. A PRV-11 (NATO designation SIDE NET) 180 km range 32000 m altitude E-band height-finder radar is also used. All target data generated is passed onto the SA-3 battalion's organic trailer-mounted fire control radar known by the NATO designation LOW BLOW. Maximum acquisition range is 110 km and tracking range of the I-band system is between 40-85 km depending on the target size, altitude and operational conditions. It can track six aircraft simultaneously and guide one or two missiles at once. For operating in a heavy ECM environment, late production LOW BLOW radars have been fitted with 25 km range TV cameras to give the fire control team the same data as from the emitting radar and allow a command guidance interception only to be performed. If the missile fails to intercept, another signal is sent to either change the trajectory or self-destruct. The trainable launchers are ground-mounted but can be relocated. SA-3s are normally transported in pairs from battalion storage areas on modified ZIL-131 (6 x 6) or ZIL-157 (6 x 6) trucks and loaded onto the launchers with the aid of a conveyor. It takes only a minute to load the missiles onto the rails, but the duration between missile launches is about 50 minutes due to missile preparation, truck transit and other reloading procedures. The missile's ability to dive also allows it to be used against surface targets and naval vessels.
 
 
SA-6 Gainful SAM
Description:
SA-6 GAINFUL Low-to-Medium Altitude Surface-to-Air Missile System The SA-6 GAINFUL is a two-stage, solid-fuel, low-altitude SAM. It has radio-command guidance with semi-active radar terminal homing. The SA-6 TEL (Industrial Index designation 2P25) is all-welded with the crew compartment at the front, missiles on the turntable immediately behind the crew compartment and the engine at the rear. The engine and transmission are at the rear of the hull. The torsion bar suspension system consists of six rubber-tired road wheels with the drive sprocket at the rear and the idler at the front. There are no track return rollers. The SA-6 vehicle has an air filtration and overpressure NBC system and infra-red night vision equipment fitted as standard but the vehicle has no amphibious capability. Three SA-6 missiles are carried on a turntable which can be traversed through a full 360º with the missiles elevated on their launchers to a maximum of +85º. When traveling the turntable is normally traversed to the rear and the missiles are horizontal to reduce the overall height of the vehicle. It is estimated that the SA-6a (NATO designation GAINFUL Mod 0) missile has a length of 5.7 m, body diameter of 0.335 m, wing span of 1.245 m, tail span of 1.524 m and has a launch weight of 599 kg with a 56 kg HE-fragmentation warhead. The proximity and contact fuses are armed after some 50 m of flight. The basic SA-6a has a maximum effective range of 24000 m and a minimum effective range of 3000 m, the minimum engagement height is 100 m when using the STRAIGHT FLUSH fire control radar and 80 m when in the optical tracking mode, the maximum effective altitude is about 11000 m. Reload missiles are carried on modified ZIL-131 (6 x 6) trucks and are loaded manually onto the launcher by a crane carried on the rear of the loader vehicle. Reloading an TEL takes approximately 10 minutes. STRAIGHT FLUSH has a similar chassis to that of the SA-6 with a range of 55 to 75 km and a 10000 m altitude capability depending upon conditions and target size, and performs limited search, low altitude detection/acquisition, pulse Doppler IFF interrogation, target tracking and illumination, missile radar command guidance and secondary radar missile tracking functions. The vehicle also carries the fire control computers for the missile battery. Some modified STRAIGHT FLUSH vehicles have been observed with a TV camera of 30 km range to enable the battery to remain in action even if the vehicle's radars are jammed or forced to shut down because of the threat of anti-radiation missiles. STRAIGHT FLUSH can also be linked to the launch vehicles by either a radio data link or a 10 m long cable for direct data input to the launcher's systems. The data link antenna is carried on the right forward hull corner of the TEL. The upper foldable STRAIGHT FLUSH 28 km range dish antenna is of the conical scanning type and is used for low altitude H-band sector search scans, target tracking and target illumination. The lower parabolic antenna is of the G-band 55 to 75 km range medium altitude target acquisition and early warning radar type, with the lower feed for medium to high altitude coverage and the upper feed for low altitude coverage. The STRAIGHT FLUSH can begin target acquisition at its maximum range of 75 km, and begin tracking and illumination at the 28 km mark. The STRAIGHT FLUSH can only illuminate a single target and control three missiles at any one time so normal practice when a target track has been initiated is to normally order the launch of two and sometimes three weapons from one or more TELs. With radars up, reaction time from a dormant condition through the target acquisition, IFF interrogation and lock-on phases to missile launch is about three minutes. If the radar vehicle is already active then the time taken for the sequence is reduced to between 15 to 30 seconds. A battery is able to become mobile and relocate to an alternate firing position in approximately 15 minutes from systems being shutdown.
 
 
SA-7 Grail SAM
Description:
SA-7 GRAIL Man-Portable Surface-to-Air Missile System The SA-7 GRAIL (Strela-2) is a man-portable, shoulder-fired, low-altitude SAM system similar to the US Army’s REDEYE. The missile had a HE warhead and passive infrared homing guidance. The system comprises the missile (9K32 & 9K32M), a reloadable gripstock (9P54 & 9P54M), and a thermal battery (9B17). There are two versions: the SA-7a (9K32) and SA-7b (9K32M). The SA-7a (Strela-2) was introduced for service in 1968, but was quickly replaced by the SA-7b (Strela-2M) which became the most common production model. The SA-7a has a slant range of 3.6 km and a kill zone between 15 and 1500 meters in altitude. Its speed is about 430 meters per second (Mach 1.4). The SA-7b, differs from the SA-7a primarily by using a boosted propellant charge to increase range and speed. This gives the SA-7b a slant range of about 4.2 km, a ceiling of about 2300 meters, and a speed of about 500 meters per second (Mach 1.75). Both the SA-7a and SA-7b are tail-chase missile systems, and its effectiveness depends on its ability to lock onto the heat source of targets, usually low-flying fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. Although the SA-7 is limited in range, speed, and altitude, it forces enemy pilots to fly above minimum radar limitations which results in detection and vulnerability to regimental and divisional air defense systems. An identification friend or foe (IFF) system can be fitted to the operator’s helmet.
 
 
SA-8 Gecko SAM
Description:
SA-8 GECKO Low Altitude Surface-to-Air Missile System The SA-8 GECKO is a single-stage, solid-fuel, short-range, low-altitude, all-weather SAM system. The TELAR (transporter erector launcher and radar) vehicle is a six-wheeled design designated BAZ-5937. The driver's compartment at the front of the vehicle has accommodation for two, the driver and commander, with access to it via a hatch in the roof. The engine is at the very rear. Four command-guided missiles are carried ready to launch, two either side. The main fire control radar is at the rear of a one-man gunner-radar operator position and folds back 90º to reduce the overall height of the vehicle for air transport and during high speed road travel. It is known that the radar operates in the H-band with a 360º traverse and has a maximum range of 35 km. The complete conical-scan radar installation of the GECKO has been assigned the NATO code name LAND ROLL. Each battery also has two missile transloaders based on the same chassis with a long coffin-like blunt pointed tarp roofed structure covering the cargo space and crane. When operating, the blunt point area is raised and the tarped structure is slid to the rear. A total of 18 reloads in boxed sets of three are transferred to the TELARs by the hydraulic crane mounted centrally behind the vehicle cab. In the Regiments Maintenance battery there is a single radar collimation vehicle using the same chassis. This has a collimation antenna which lies on both sides of the vehicle and overhangs the rear during transit. In operation it is raised and mounted on each side of the hull directly behind the cab. The SA-8a (GECKO Mod 0) high acceleration missile (Factory Index number 9M33) has a launch weight of about 130 kg. Maximum speed is Mach 2.4, minimum altitude is 25 m, maximum effective altitude 5000 m. The minimum range is 1500 m and the maximum range 12000 m. Against an F-4 Phantom target the warhead's lethal radius at low altitude is 5 m and is fitted with proximity and contact fuses. In 1980 a newer missile, the SA-8b or GECKO Mod 1, was introduced into service. Contained in a rectangular launch box it has improved guidance and speed characteristics to give an increased maximum range of 15000 m. The warhead weight of both missiles is 19 kg. The reloading time is five minutes. Combat deployment time is four minutes with system reaction 26 seconds. The surveillance radar of the LAND ROLL operates in the H band and has an effective range of around 30 kilometers against a typical target. The tracking radar is of the pulsed type and it operates in the J band with a range of 20 to 25 kilometers. The two I-band guidance radars make it possible to launch two missiles at the same target, each one responding to a different frequency to frustrate ECM. Mounted on top of each missile guidance radar is an LLLTV/optical assist system for target tracking in low visibility and heavy ECM. LAND ROLL is also known to have a short-range target acquisition capability. The vehicle is fully amphibious, being propelled in the water by two water jets at the rear of the hull. The vehicle is fitted with an air filtration and overpressure NBC system together with IR systems for the commander and driver.
 
 
SA-13 Gopher SAM
Description:
SA-8 GECKO Low Altitude Surface-to-Air Missile System SA-13 GOPHER Low Altitude Surface-to-Air Missile System The SA-13 GOPHER is a short-range, low altitude SAM system. The SA-13 TELAR is a modified MT-LB amphibious armored tracked vehicle with the machine-gun turret removed. The launcher pedestal mounted to the rear of center of the vehicle is 360º traversable. It incorporates the operator’s position behind a large, rectangular window at its base. The SA-13 incorporates a range-only radar (HAT BOX) which provides the operator the target’s range to the system. There are two versions of the SA-13 transporter erector launcher and radar (TELAR) variant of the MT-LBu vehicle in service, designated TELAR-1 and TELAR-2. Appraisal of both does not show any significant structural differences but it is known that the TELAR-1 carries four FLAT BOX B passive radar detection antenna units, one on either corner of the vehicle's rear deck, one facing aft and one between the driver's vision ports at the front, whereas the TELAR-2 has none. The TELAR-1 is apparently used by the SA-13 battery commander. Known as the ZRK-BD Strela-10 system, the SA-13 missile (9M37) is 2.2 m long, 0.12 m in diameter with a 0.4 m wingspan and has a maximum speed of Mach 2. It carries a 5 kg HE warhead and is fitted with either an improved passive lead sulfide all-aspects infra-red seeker unit, or a cryogenically cooled passive all-aspects infra-red seeker unit. Normally the TELAR carries four ready to fire SA-13 missile container-launchers and eight reloads in the cargo compartment but it has also been seen on numerous occasions with either SA-9 GASKIN container-launcher boxes in their place or a mixture of the two. This enables the battlefield features of both missiles to be utilized to the full by allowing the cheaper SA-9 (Strela-1) to be used against the "easier" targets and the more expensive and sophisticated SA-13 (Strela-10) against the 'difficult' targets. The missile mix also allows a choice of infra-red (IR) seeker types on the missiles for use against extremely low altitude targets as well as in adverse weather conditions. The estimated minimum range of the SA-13 is 500 m and the maximum effective range of 5000 m with altitude engagement limits of 10 to 3500 m. Some vehicles have a pintle-mounted PKT 7.62 mm machine gun in front of the forward hatch for local protection. Other vehicles have been seen with additional support railings for the system on the rear deck. The HAT BOX circular parabolic radar antenna is located between the two pairs of missile canisters and is a simple range-only set to prevent wastage of missiles outside the effective range of the system.
 
 
 
SAM Types
 
Weapon Type Description Dimensions Weight Preformance Guidanence Warhead
SA-2 Guideline MA/HA SAM D: 500 mm
L: 10700 mm
S: 1700 mm		 2300 kg R: ??? / 50 km
A: ??? / 18000 m
S: Mach 3.5		 Radar 130 kg HE-FRAG
SA-3 Goa MA SAM D: 460 mm
L: 6700 mm
S: 1220 mm		 946 kg R: 6 / 22 km
A: 50 / 15000 m
S: Mach 2.1		 Radar 60 kg HE-FRAG
SA-6 Gainful LA/MA SAM D: 335 mm
L: 5800 mm
S: 1524 mm		 550 kg R: 4 / 60 km
A: 100 / 12000 m
S: Mach 2.8		 Radar 80 kg HE-FRAG
SA-7 Grail LA SAM D: 70 mm
L: 1300 mm
S: ??? mm		 9.2 kg R: 0.5 / 3.6 km
A: 45 / 4800 m
S: Mach 1.7		 IR 2.5 kg HE-FRAG
SA-8 Gecko LA SAM D: 210 mm
L: 3200 mm
S: 640 mm		 190 kg R: 1.6 / 12 km
A: 10 / 13000 m
S: Mach 2		 Radar / Optical 40 kg HE-FRAG
SA-13 Gopher LA SAM D: 120 mm
L: 2200 mm
S: 400 mm		 55 kg R: 0.5 / 10 km
A: 10 / 10000 m
S: Mach 2		 IR 6 kg HE-FRAG
 Sources: Official Military Reports
 

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(c) 1999 Dusan Rovensky
Researched by Dusan Rovensky (c) 1999 1