«Ստրելա-10» ԶՀՀ / "Strela-10" SAM / ЗРК "Стрела-10"

The 9K35 Strela-10 (Russian: 9К35 «Стрела-10»; English: arrow) is a highly mobile, visually aimed, optical/infrared-guided, low-altitude, short-range surface-to-air missile system. "9K35" is its GRAU designation; its NATO reporting name is SA-13 "Gopher".

Production history

Designer - KB Tochmash Design Bureau of Precision Engineering
Designed - 1969–1976
Manufacturer - Saratovskiy Zenit Machine Plant (Muromteplovoz Joint Stock Company for the 9K35M3-K)
Produced - 1976–present
Variants - Strela-10, Strela-10M, Strela-10M2, Strela-10M3, Strela-10M3-K, Strela-10M4


Specifications (9K35 Strela-10M3)

Weight - 12,300 kg
Length - 6.6 m
Width - 2.85 m
Height - 2.3 m (travelling), 3.8 m (firing)
Crew - 3 (commander, gunner and driver)
Armour - 7 mm
Main armament - 4 × 9M333 (or 9M37MD)
Engine - YaMZ-238 V diesel 240 hp
Suspension - torsion bar
Ground clearance - 0.7 m
Fuel capacity - 450 litres
Operational range - 500 km
Speed - 61.5 km/h (road), 6 km/h (water)


Associated systems and vehicles

The 9K35 is a SAM system with electro-optical guidance. It has the capability to use radars for target acquisition and range. 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 following is a list of associated equipment:

9A34M2, 9A34M3-K: launcher vehicle with 9S86 "SNAP SHOT" range only radar located between the two pairs of missile canisters on the transporter erector launcher and radar (TELAR) (maximum radar range is 450 to 10,000 m).
9A35M2, 9A35M3-K: launcher vehicle with 9S16 (NATO "Flat Box-B") passive radar detection system that gives a 360° azimuth and minimum 40° elevation coverage
9F624 and 9F624M training simulator.
9S482M7 Control Post.
9U111: a 1,950 kg trailer-mounted 12 kW generator unit, designed to feed power to up to four 9A35M2, 9A35M3-K or 9A34M2, 9A34M3-K launcher vehicles at a distance of up to 30 m by cable while conducting maintenance or training operations.
9V839M: system checkout vehicle.
9V915M, 9V915M-1: technical maintenance vehicle.
MT-LBU "DOG EAR" F/G-band target acquisition radar (maximum range 80 km/50 miles).
Ranzhir-M 9S737М (GRAU designation 9S737); is a mobile command center for a mixed grouping of air defense forces, such as Tor, Tungushka, Strela-10, and Igla.


Development

The 9K35 is the successor of the 9K31 Strela-1 (SA-9 "Gaskin") and can also use the Strela-1's missiles in place of the 9M37.

Development of the 9K37 Strela-10SV system was initiated July 24, 1969. The decision to begin the development of a new non-all-weather system was taken despite the simultaneous development of an all-weather hybrid gun/missile system 9K22 "Tunguska" mainly as an economical measure. It was also seen as advantageous to have a system capable of fast reaction times and immunity to heavy radio-frequency jamming.

Rather than being mounted on an amphibious but lightly armoured BRDM chassis like the 9K31, the 9K35 is mounted on a more mobile tracked, modified MT-LB, with more room for equipment and missile reloads. Provision for amphibious capability is provided in some variants in the form of polyurethane-filled floats.

The Strela-10SV system and its 9M37 missile were tested in Donguzkom range from 1973 to 1974, but the results were disappointing: the system was found deficient in terms of missile probability of kill, vehicle reliability, among other things. Acceptance to service was thus delayed until May 16, 1976, by which time improvements had been introduced to the system.

Development of the system continued throughout the years through Strela-10M, -10M2 and -10M3 variants introducing among other things improved radio communications and provision for better integration to the Soviet integrated air defence system air picture data. Also improved missiles (9M37M and 9M333) have been developed and by September 2007 the 9K35M3-K Kolchan variant, mounted on a BTR-60 wheeled chassis, was displayed for the first time at the Moscow Air Show MAKS 2007.

The Russian Armed Forces will receive 72 advanced mobile “night” short-range anti-aircraft missile complexes “Strela-10M4″ by 2016. In 2014, the Russian Airborne Troops received the first batch of 18 “Strela-10M4″ vehicles. Modernization of equipment extends the “life” of an air defense system for 3–5 years.

The SA-13 Gopher Strela-10M is expected to be replaced by the Sosna anti-aircraft missile system. The system is based on the MT-LB chassis consisting of 2x6 Sosna-R 9M337 (SA-24) beam rider missiles with a range of 10 km and altitude of 5 km.