| Igla | |
|---|---|
| Type | Man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1983- present |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | KBM |
| Unit cost | USD 60,000–80,000 (as of 2003) |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 10.8 kg (24 lb) |
| Length | 1.574 m (5.16 ft) |
| Diameter | 72 mm |
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| Warhead | 1.17 kg (2.6 lb) with 390 g (14 oz) explosive |
| Detonation mechanism |
contact and grazing fuzes |
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| Engine | solid fuel rocket motor |
| Operational range |
5.2 km (3.2 mi) |
| Flight ceiling | 3.5 km (11,000 ft) |
| Speed | 800 m/s (peak), about Mach 2.3 |
| Guidance system |
two color infrared |
The 9K38 Igla (Russian: Игла́, needle) is a Russian/Soviet man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM). "9K38" is the Russian GRAU designation of the system. Its US DoD designation is SA-18 and its NATO reporting name is Grouse; a simplified, earlier version is known as the 9K310 Igla-1, or SA-16 Gimlet. The latest variant is the 9K338 Igla-S NATO reporting name SA-24 Grinch. It is fielded by the Russian Army since 2004.[1]
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The development of the Igla short-range man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) began in the Kolomna OKB in 1972. Contrary to what is commonly reported, the Igla is not an improved version of the earlier Strela family (Strela-2/SA-7 and Strela-3/SA-14), but an all new project. The main goals were to create a missile with better resistance to countermeasures and wider engagement envelope than the earlier Strela series MANPADS systems.
Technical difficulties in the development quickly made it obvious that the development would take far longer than anticipated however, and in 1978 the program split in two: while the development of the full-capability Igla would continue, a simplified version (Igla-1) with a simpler IR seeker based on that of the earlier Strela-3/SA-14 would be developed to enter service earlier than the full-capability version could be finished.
The 9K310 Igla-1 system and its 9M313 missile were accepted into service in the Soviet army on 11 March 1981. The main differences from the Strela-3 included an optional Identification Friend or Foe system to prevent firing on friendly aircraft, an automatic lead and super elevation to simplify shooting and reduce minimum firing range, a slightly larger rocket, reduced drag and better guidance system extend maximum range and improve performance against fast and maneuverable targets, an improved lethality on target achieved by a combination of delayed impact fuzing, terminal maneuver to hit the fuselage rather than jet nozzle, an additional charge to set off the remaining rocket fuel (if any) on impact, an improved resistance to infrared countermeasures (both decoy flares and ALQ-144 series jamming emitters), and slightly improved seeker sensitivity.
According to the manufacturer, South African tests have shown the Igla's superiority over the contemporary (1982 service entry) but smaller and lighter American FIM-92A Stinger missile. However, other tests in Croatia did not support any clear superiority, but effectively equal seeker performance and only marginally shorter time of flight and longer range for the Igla.
According to Kolomna OKB, the Igla-1 has a Pk (probability of kill) of 0.30 to 0.48 against unprotected targets which is reduced to 0.24 in the presence of decoy flares and jamming. In another report the manufacturer claimed a Pk of 0.59 against an approaching and 0.44 against receding F-4 Phantom II fighter not employing infrared countermeasures or evasive maneuvers.
The full-capability 9K38 Igla with its 9M39 missile was finally accepted into service in the Soviet Army in 1983. The main improvements over the Igla-1 included much improved resistance against flares and jamming, a more sensitive seeker, expanding forward-hemisphere engagement capability to include straight-approaching fighters (all-aspect capability) under favourable circumstances, a slightly longer range, a higher-impulse, shorter-burning rocket with higher peak velocity (but approximately same time of flight to maximum range), and a propellant that performs as high explosive when detonated by the warhead's secondary charge on impact.
The naval variant of 9K38 Igla has the NATO reporting name SA-N-10 Grouse.
The Igla - 1M missile consists of a Ground Power Supply Sourcs (GPSS), Launching Tube, Launching Mechanism & Missile (9M 313-1).
The most notable combat use of the SA-16 was during the Gulf War. On January 17, 1991, a Panavia Tornado bomber of the Royal Air Force was shot down by an Iraqi MANPADS that may have been an SA-16 after an unsuccessful bombing mission.[2]
In addition, an SA-16 may have shot down an F-16 during the first Gulf War.[3][4]
During Operation Deliberate Force in 1995, one French Mirage 2000D was shot down over Bosnia with an Igla fired by air defence units of the Army of Republika Srpska.
Since the beginning of 2004, US Army confirmed that Iraqi insurgents used SA-16 missiles during the Iraq War, but did not specify which attacks might have involved SA-16 missiles[5] Open sources generally attribute the downings to RPGs, less sophisticated SA-7s or generic "hostile fire".
Performance of the Igla appears poor in comparison to the closest western equivalent, the US Stinger missile: clearly few hits have been scored out of many fired, while in 1980's during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan the Stinger hit Soviet aircraft with a Pk of over 30% even in the hands of poorly trained Mujahedin guerrillas[6]. The Igla is also clearly heavier than the Stinger, but it is still the Stinger that is faster (without Igla-S),the Igla carries a heavier warhead, has a more sophisticated sight and homing head, and no less than 25% longer effective range.The poor combat ratio it has against the american counterpart its mostly because the Igla has been exported in limited numbers and didnt participate in many wars
Several variants of the Igla were developed for specific applications:
| 9K34 Strela-3 | 9K38 Igla | 9K310 Igla-1 | 9K338 Igla-S [7] | FIM-92C Stinger | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service entry | 1974 | 1983 | 1981 | 2004 | 1987 |
| Weight, full system, ready to shoot |
16.0 kg (35 lb) | 17.9 kg (39 lb) | 17.9 kg (39 lb) | 19 kg (42 lb) | 14.3 kg (32 lb) |
| Weight, missile | 10.3 kg (23 lb) | 10.8 kg (24 lb) | 10.8 kg (24 lb) | 11.7 kg (26 lb) | 10.1 kg (22 lb) |
| Weight, warhead | 1.17 kg (2.6 lb), 390 g (14 oz) HMX |
1.17 kg (2.6 lb), 390 g (14 oz) HMX |
1.17 kg (2.6 lb), 390 g (14 oz) HMX |
2.5 kg (5.5 lb), 585 g (20.6 oz) HMX |
2–3 kg (4.4–6.6 lb), 450 grams (16 oz) HE |
| Warhead type | Directed-energy blast fragmentation |
Directed-energy blast fragmentation |
Directed-energy blast fragmentation |
Directed-energy blast fragmentation |
Annular blast fragmentation |
| Fuze type | Impact and grazing fuze. | Delayed impact, magnetic and grazing. |
Delayed impact, magnetic and grazing. |
Delayed impact, magnetic and grazing. |
Delayed impact. |
| Flight speed, average / peak | 470 m/s (1,100 mph) sustained | 600 m/s (1,300 mph) / 800 m/s (1,800 mph) |
570 m/s (1,300 mph) sustained (in +15°C temperature) |
? | 700 m/s (1,600 mph) / 750 m/s (1,700 mph) |
| Maximum range | 4,105 m (13,468 ft) | 5,200 m (17,100 ft) | 5,000 m (16,000 ft) | 6,000 m (20,000 ft) | 7,600 m (24,900 ft) |
| Maximum target speed, receding | 260 m/s (580 mph) | 360 m/s (810 mph) | 360 m/s (810 mph) | 400 m/s (890 mph) | ? |
| Maximum target speed, approaching | 310 m/s (690 mph) | 320 m/s (720 mph) | 320 m/s (720 mph) | 320 m/s (720 mph) | ? |
| Seeker head type | Nitrogen-cooled, lead sulfide (PbS) |
Nitrogen-cooled, Indium antimonide (InSb) and uncooled lead sulfide (PbS) |
Nitrogen-cooled, Indium antimonide (InSb) |
? | Argon-cooled, Indium antimonide (InSb) |
| Seeker scanning | FM-modulated | FM-modulated | FM-modulated | FM-modulated | FM-modulated |
| Seeker notes | Aerospike to reduce supersonic wave drag |
Tripod-mounted nosecone to reduce supersonic wave drag |
On August 12, 2003, as a result of a sting operation arranged as a result of cooperation between the American, British and Russian intelligence agencies, Hemant Lakhani, a British national, was intercepted attempting to bring what he had thought was an older-generation Igla into the USA. He is said to have intended the missile to be used in an attack on Air Force One, the American presidential plane, or on a commercial US airliner, and is understood to have planned to buy 50 more of these weapons.
After the Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti (FSB) detected the dealer in Russia, he was approached by US undercover agents posing as terrorists wanting to shoot down a commercial plane. He was then provided with an inert Igla by undercover Russian agents, and arrested in Newark, New Jersey, when making the delivery to the undercover US agent. An Indian citizen residing in Malaysia, Moinuddeen Ahmed Hameed and an American Yehuda Abraham who allegedly provided money to buy the missile were also arrested.[8] Yehuda Abraham is President and CEO of Ambuy Gem Corp.[9][10][11] Lakhani was convicted by jury in April 2005, and was sentenced to 47 years in prison.[12]
Igla and Igla-1 SAMs have been exported from the former Soviet Union to over 30 countries, including Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria (former producer), Croatia, Cuba, East Germany, Egypt, Ecuador, Eritrea, Finland, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, the Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, North Korea, Peru, Poland, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Several guerrilla and terrorist organizations are also known to have Iglas. Alleged Operatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam a rebel organization fighting for a homeland for Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka were arrested in August 2006 by undercover agents of the FBI posing as arms dealers, while trying to purchase the Igla. In 2003 the unit cost was approximately USD 60,000 - 80,000.
Large numbers have been sold to the government of Venezuela, raising concerns that they may end up in the hands of Colombian guerillas.[13]