9K37 Buk

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The 9K37 Buk (9К37 "Бук"; beech) is the successor to the well-regarded NIIP/Vympel 3M9 Kub (SA-6 "Gainful") medium-altitude, medium-range surface-to-air missile system. 9K37 is the GRAU designation of the system. Its NATO reporting name is SA-11 Gadfly. It features improvements in number of missiles carried per TEL, range and altitude performance, missile speed, guidance accuracy and warhead potency. There is some interoperability between the two systems. The table below highlights the differences.

The 9K37 is designed to engage maneuverable aircraft such as jets, helicopters and cruise missiles. The export version of this system is known as "Gang" (Russian Ганг – Ganges).

Missiles and guidance

Each missile is 5.55 m (18 feet) long, weighs 690 kg (1521 lb) and carries a relatively large 70 kg (154 lb) warhead which is triggered by a radar proximity fuze. Propulsion is via a solid fuel rocket.

The following kill probabilities are claimed:

0.6-0.9 against aircraft
0.4-0.7 against helicopters
0.4 against cruise missiles

The battery requires 5 minutes to set up before it is ready for engagement and can be ready for transit again in 5 minutes. Reaction time, from target tracking to missile launch, is 22 seconds.

!Missile 
 (NATO designation)

!3M9 
 "Kub" 
 (SA-6)

!9K37 
 "Buk" 
 (SA-11)

!9K37M 
 "Buk-M1" 
 (SA-11)

!9K37M1 
 "Buk-SAR" 
 (SA-11)

!9K37M1-2 
 "Buk-M1-2" 
 (SA-17)

!9K37M2E 
 "Buk-M2E"  
 (?)

!Introduced

!Missiles per TEL

!Missile Weight

!Engagement range

!Engagement altitude

!Missile speed 
 (Mach)

!Maximum target 
 speed (Mach)

!Simultaneous 
engagements

1966	1980	1984	1995	1998	2008?
3	4	4	4	4	4
599 kg (1321 lb)	690 kg (1521 lb)	690 kg (1521 lb)	690 kg (1521 lb)	710-720 kg (1565-1587 lb)	?
3-24 km (2-15 miles)	4-30 km (3-19 miles)	3-35 km (2-22 miles)	3-42 km (2-26 miles)	3-50 km (2-31 miles)	?
800-11000 m (2,600-36,000 ft)	30-14000 m (100-46,000 ft)	30-22000 m (100-72,000 ft)	30-25000 m (100-82,000 ft)	30-25000 m (100-82,000 ft)	?
2.8	3	3	3	3	?
2	2.5	4	4	4	?
1	2	6	6	6	?

Radar

The 9K37 utilises the 9S18 "Tube Arm"/9S18M1 "Snow Drift" (Russian: СОЦ 9C18 "Купол") surveillance radar in combination with the 9S35/9S35M1 "Fire Dome" H/I band tracking and engagement radar which is mounted on each TELAR. The Snow Drift surveillance radar has a maximum detection range of 85 km (53 miles) and can detect an aircraft flying at 100 m (330 ft) from 35 km (22 mi) away and even lower flying targets at ranges of around 10-20 km (6-12 mi). Snow Drift is mounted on a chassis similar to that of the TELARs. Fire Dome is a monopulse type radar and can begin tracking at the missile's maximum range (32 km/20 mi) and can track aircraft flying at between 15,000 and 22,000 m (50,000 to 72,000 ft) altitudes. It can guide up to three missiles against a single target. The 9K37 system supposedly has much better ECCM characteristics (i.e. is more resistant to ECM/jamming) than the 3M9 Kub system that it replaces. An optical tracking system with laser rangefinder is not standard but can be fitted.

The 9K37 system can also utilise the same 1S91 Straight Flush 25 kW G/H band continuous wave radar as the 3M9 Kub system.

The control post which coordinates communications between the surveillance radar(s) and the launchers is able to communicate with up to six TELs at once.

The SA-N-7 naval version utilises the MR-750 Top Steer D/E band surveillance radar with a maximum detection range of 300 km (186 miles) and the 3R90 Front Dome H/I band tracking and engagement radar with a maximum range of 30 km (19 mi).

Versions

The 3K90 M-22 Uragan' (Russian Ураган – hurricane) is the naval version of the Buk and has the NATO reporting name SA-N-7. The export version of this system is known as "Shtil" (Russian Штиль – still).

The SA-17 Grizzly/SA-N-12 is the next generation Buk system (Buk-M2).

Vehicles

The 9A39 reload vehicle for the 9K37 resembles the 9A310 TELAR but instead of a radar they have a crane for loading missiles. They are capable of launching missiles directly but require the cooperation of a Fire Dome-equipped TELAR for guidance. The Snow Drift is mounted on a similar chassis, as is the command vehicle. A reload vehicle can transfer its missiles to a TELAR in around 13 minutes and can reload itself from stores in around 15 minutes.

Each battalion consists of a command vehicle, surveillance radar vehicle, six TELARs and three reload/launch vehicles. Each battery consists of two TELARs and one reload/launch vehicles.

Related Weapons

It has been suggested that the Novator KS-172 AAM-L, an extremely-long range air-to-air missile and possible anti-satellite weapon, is a derivative of the 9M38.

Buk-M1

The Buk-M1 Russian surface-to-air missile (SAM). It is a mobile system back-compatible with Kub. Two missiles can be launched one by one within a short period of time. The system is equipped with four missiles per launcher.

Statistics

Mass: 690 kg
Core diameter: 400 mm
Length: 5.55 m
Span: 1.10 m
Maximum range: 30 km
Guidance: Semi-active radar homing
Maximum speed: 2,900 km/h
Minimum range: 4 km
Ceiling: 22,000 m
Minimum engagement altitude: 25 m
Setup time for mobile unit: 5 minutes
Cleanup time for mobile unit: 5 minutes

History

Development of the Buk surface-to-air missile was completed in 1979. The overall 9K37 system was developed by NIIP, a Russian weapons manufacturer. Both the Kub and Buk used self-propelled launchers developed by Ardalion Rastrov. In 1996 Finland started operating the eighteen missile systems that they received from Russia as debt payment. According to Suomen Kuvalehti, Finland is planning to accelerate the replacement of the missile system due to concerns about its susceptibility to electronic warfare, cf. Operation Orchard.

9K37M Model

The 9K37M is an improved version of the Buk for use by the Russian military.

Statistics

Other Designations: Buk-1M
Mass: 690 kg
Core diameter: 400 mm
Length: 5.55 m
Span: 1.10 m
Maximum range: 32 km
Boost Propulsion: Solid rocket, dual thrust
Guidance systems: Semi active radar homing

9K37M1 Model

The 9K37M1 is Russia's export version of the Buk.

Statistics

Other Designations: Buk SAR
Length: 5.49 m
Maximum range: 30 km
Guidance systems: Semi active radar homing
Maximum speed: 3,950 km/h
Minimum range: 3 km
Ceiling: 22,000 m
Minimum engagement altitude: 30 m

Operators

- three BUK M1 batteries

Former Operators

External links

Astronautix site on the Buk-M1

References

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Last updated on Wednesday July 23, 2008 at 15:46:06 PDT (GMT -0700)
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