Igla MANPADS (GRAU index 9K38, NATO codification - SA-18 Grouse) is a Soviet and Russian portable anti-aircraft missile system designed to destroy low-flying air targets on collision and catch-up courses, including in countermeasures with false heat targets. The complex was adopted by the Soviet Army in 1983. In terms of its popularity and distribution, this complex can compete with another world-famous complex - the Stinger MANPADS.
Currently, Igla MANPADS is in service with the armies of Russia and many CIS countries, and is also actively exported (since 1994). The complex is in service with the armies of more than 30 countries of the world, including the armies of Bulgaria, Brazil, Vietnam, India, Mexico, Serbia, Slovenia and many other countries. There are also modifications of the Igla complexes with a missile with an improved seeker in Ukraine - Igla-1M.
The development of the new Igla MANPADS was carried out within the framework of the work initiated by the Decree of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR of February 12, 1971 and taking into account the initiative proposals of the KBM MOP. The main developer of the complex was the KBM of the Ministry of Defense Industry of the USSR (chief designer S. P. Invincible), and the thermal seeker for the complex was created by LOMO (chief designer of the seeker - O. A. Artamonov). The main goal of the development was to create a SAM with better resistance to countermeasures and higher efficiency than the previous generation of MANPADS of the Strela type.
Above Igla MANPADS, below - Igla-1 MANPADS
The Igla MANPADS includes:
- Anti-aircraft guided missile 9M39;
- Launch tube 9P39;
- launcher 9P516 with built-in ground-based radar interrogator 1L14;
- portable electronic tablet 1L110.
At the same time, the interrogator was borrowed from the portable Igla-1 complex, which was adopted by the Soviet army in 1981 and was a simplified version of the complex with lower tactical and technical characteristics. The decision to release it and put it into service was made, since work on the main Igla MANPADS complex was delayed due to the fine-tuning of some of its elements. The main external difference between the portable Igla complex and the simplified Igla-1 version is the expanding conical front part of the launch tube.
The main technical difference between the 9M39 missile and its predecessor, which was used with the simplified Igla-1 complex, was the 9E410 two-channel seeker. The homing head of this missile has increased sensitivity and is able to distinguish between true and false targets in conditions of artificial interference in the infrared range by the enemy. For this, it has two channels - main and auxiliary. The photodetector of the main channel of the GOS is a photoresistor based on antimony indium cooled to a temperature of minus 200 ° C. The photodetector cooling system is the same as that of the portable Igla-1 complex. The maximum spectral sensitivity of this photodetector of the main channel of the GOS is in the range from 3.5 to 5 microns, which corresponds to the spectral radiation density of the gas jet of the operating jet engine. The photodetector of the auxiliary channel of the GOS is an uncooled photoresistor based on lead sulphide, the maximum spectral sensitivity of which is in the range from 1.8 to 3 microns, which corresponds to the spectral radiation density of interference type - LTTs (false thermal targets). The 9E410 seeker switch system makes a decision according to the following rule: if the signal level of the photodetector of the main channel is higher than the signal level of the auxiliary channel, then this is a real air target, if, on the contrary, it is a false thermal target.
MANPADS "Igla-1"
In the warhead of the 9M39 anti-aircraft guided missile (similar to the Igla-1 missile defense system), an explosive was used, which had an increased high-explosive effect. The rocket fuse had an induction sensor (vortex generator), which detonated the warhead when the missile was passing near the metal sheathing of the air target. With a direct hit on the target, the warhead was detonated by a duplicate contact fuse. A special tube with an explosive was also introduced into the fuse, designed to transfer the detonation from the warhead charge to the charge of the explosive generator first installed on the rocket to detonate the missile main engine fuel remaining by that time.
The use of a new thermal homing head on the target made it possible to use not a "tripod", which was used on the Igla-1 portable complex missile, to reduce aerodynamic drag, but an exquisite needle-like design. A similar technical solution, which gave the name MANPADS, was proposed by KBM engineers even before the publication of information on the use of an aerodynamic "needle" on the American Trident-1 rocket.
The Igla portable complex ensured the defeat of various air targets on head-on and catch-up courses. Including targets firing at time intervals from 0, 3 s and more thermal interference with an excess of the total radiation power over the target radiation power up to 6 times. When air targets were firing thermal interference singly or in volleys (up to 6 pieces in a salvo), the probability of hitting a target with one 9M39 missile per flight over the affected area was - 0.31 when firing towards the target and 0.24 when firing in pursuit of the target. At the same time, the Igla-1 MANPADS was almost completely inoperative in such jamming conditions.
Training camps with Igla MANPADS
In the combat operation of the Igla complex, the differences from the Igla-1 MANPADS were that target designation from the 1L110 tablet specially designed for the Igla complex could be sent via wire communication lines to the gunners on the indicator devices of the launch mechanism of the complex, which accelerated search and capture of air targets. It was also considered expedient to use the portable Igla complex with the selector of true and false targets disabled when firing towards targets when launching missiles in the direction of the sun, as well as in case of strong interference.
Later, specially for the Airborne Forces, a version of the Igla-D portable complex was created with a missile defense system and a launch tube, transported in the form of two sections connected immediately before combat use, which made it possible to improve the airborne capability of the complex and significantly increased the convenience of its carrying. In addition, a version of the Igla-N MANPADS was designed, featuring a more powerful warhead. At the same time, the mass of the complex increased by 2.5 kg. A missile with a more powerful warhead significantly increased the likelihood of hitting air targets. Also, the Igla-V variant was created, intended for arming helicopters and ground equipment. A block has been added to enable the joint use of two missiles.
Separately, we can highlight the variant of the complex with the "Dzhigit" turret, designed for the simultaneous use of two missiles. In this complex, the shooter-operator is located in a swivel chair and manually guides the launcher at air targets. The main advantage of the "Dzhigit" support-launcher is the ability to launch two missiles in a salvo by one shooter. According to the developers, a salvo launch of missiles increases the probability of hitting an air target by an average of 1.5 times.
Support launcher "Dzhigit"
The most modern version of the complex is Igla-S MANPADS (GRAU index - 9K338, Igla-Super according to NATO codification SA-24 Grinch) - a combined version of Igla-D and Igla-N complexes with a number of technical improvements. In particular, the mass of the warhead was increased, it became possible to effectively defeat small-sized targets such as unmanned aerial vehicles and low-flying cruise missiles. The Igla-S complex passed state tests, which ended in December 2001 and in 2002 was already adopted by the Russian army. In the same 2002, one of the first foreign customers of the Igla-S complex was Vietnam, which received 50 MANPADS under a $ 64 million contract signed in the fall of 2001. As of 2010, the Vietnamese military had 200 such complexes and about 1800 missiles for them at their disposal.
The main purpose of the Igla-S MANPADS is to cover military units, civilian and military facilities from direct air attacks by combat helicopters for fire support, tactical aircraft (attack aircraft, fighter-bombers, fighters), as well as the destruction of UAVs and cruise missiles on oncoming and pursuit courses in conditions of artificial and natural interference with visual visibility of the target and at night.
The main difference between Igla-S MANPADS and Igla complexes is the increase in the firing range of the complex to 6000 meters, as well as the increased power of the missile warhead up to 2.5 kg (both in terms of explosive mass and the number of fragments) with practically unchanged weight of the SAM itself. At the same time, the effectiveness of the complex's action against air targets highly protected from the effects of air defense means has also increased. In the missile of the Igla-S MANPADS complex, a non-contact target sensor was used, which ensures the detonation of the warhead when flying near the target, which is necessary when firing at small-sized air targets.
MANPADS "Igla-S"
Especially for this complex, a new anti-jamming seeker 9E435 was created in the LOMO association. The use of two photodetectors in the homing head, operating in different spectral ranges, allowed the developers to ensure the selection of thermal interference. In addition, the so-called "displacement scheme" was introduced into the seeker, which provides the formation of control commands to the steering gear of the missile defense system when approaching an air target in such a way that the rocket deviates from the guidance point located in the nozzle area to the center of the target, that is, at the most vulnerable aggregates.
To increase the action of the anti-aircraft missile warhead, the solid fuel charge of the main engine was made of a material capable of exploding from the detonation of the warhead. Such a technical solution, which, despite all its simplicity, was not reproduced abroad, made it possible to significantly increase the effectiveness of firing from MANPADS on a collision course in the area of the affected area by 1-3 km, that is, in the most probable meeting zone of a missile defense system with a fired air target.
Igla MANPADS of various types were actively used in all local wars and conflicts of the last decade of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. The complexes were used during the civil wars in El Salvador and Nicaragua. In 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, an American F-16C fighter was shot down with the help of the Needle. During the Bosnian war, the Serbs managed to shoot down a French Mirage-2000R reconnaissance fighter from Igla MANPADS. On September 17, 2001, Chechen militants carried out a loud terrorist attack using Igla MANPADS, that day a Mi-8 helicopter with members of the military commission of the General Staff was shot down, 13 people were killed, including two generals. Recent cases of the use of Igla MANPADS are related to the Karabakh conflict. For example, on November 12, 2014, in the area of the contact line of troops, the Azerbaijani military shot down an Armenian Mi-24 helicopter, and on April 2, 2016, the Armenian military with the help of Igla MANPADS shot down an Azerbaijani Mi-24 helicopter, which was flying in the area of the contact line.
The performance characteristics of Igla MANPADS:
The range of targets hit is up to 5200 m.
The height of the targets hit is from 10 to 3500 m.
The speed of the targets hit: up to 360 m / s (on a head-on course), up to 320 m / s (on a catch-up course).
The maximum rocket speed is 570 m / s.
The rocket body diameter is 72 mm.
Missile length - 1670 mm.
The launch mass of the rocket is 10.6 kg.
The mass of the missile warhead is 1, 3 kg.
The mass of the complex in a combat position is 17 kg.
The deployment time of the complex is no more than 13 seconds.
