In the coming year, as well as in the past, the Russian Armed Forces will receive the new generation Verba man-portable anti-aircraft missile system (MANPADS). This unique product was developed by specialists from Kolomna JSC NPK Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau, which is part of JSC NPO High-Precision Complexes of the Rostec state corporation.
The new product primarily equips Ground Forces brigades (motorized rifle and tank), as well as Airborne Divisions.
The complex's equipment is supplied to the troops in kits, which include not only the MANPADS itself, maintenance equipment, training equipment, but also detection equipment with the Barnaul-T automated control system.
"Verba" adopted for service Russian army in 2015. And it became a sensation at the first public demonstration during the International Military-Technical Forum “Army-2015” in Kubinka near Moscow. This MANPADS in its characteristics and capabilities surpasses all similar products in service with countries around the world.
And one warrior in the field
The man-portable anti-aircraft missile system as such is designed to be fired by one person. How can one not recall the textbook: “And there is only one warrior in the field.” To better understand the essence of this unique weapon, a little history.
MANPADS with guided missiles(and this is a fundamentally new step in arming the army) were first used in 1969 in the Arab-Israeli “war of attrition.” These were the Soviet Strela-2. In one day, they destroyed three Israeli A4 Skyhawk aircraft.
And with only three missiles. The result shocked military experts. In the same battle, two missiles were fired at Mirage III aircraft, but the targets were outside the kill zone.
A few years earlier there was American complex"Red Eye". And since those years, MANPADS have been actively used throughout the world.
Portable systems fit harmoniously into network-centric and hybrid wars. They were originally created to cover ground military formations and over the half-century of their existence they have more than proven that they are equal combat units of the modern army.
They are still idolized today for their simplicity and effectiveness. Over the history of their existence, Soviet and then Russian MANPADS shot down more than 700 aircraft. Used in Egypt, Iraq, Yugoslavia, Ethiopia to protect military units in the Peruvian conflict.
The famous “Stinger” made its presence felt loudly in Afghanistan starting in 1986. These MANPADS shot down more than a hundred Soviet planes and helicopters. Our special forces groups were hunting for the Stinger. IN short time Several missiles were captured, which were subsequently taken to the USSR and used to create countermeasures systems.
Appearances are deceptive
The creators of the first domestic MANPADS were the brilliant designers Boris Shavyrin and Sergei Nepobedimy. I was lucky enough to be accompanied by KBM employees to Invincible’s apartment in a high-rise building on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment several years before the death of the master of the defense industry.
I remember the majestic figure, the sparkle of a fanatic in his eyes, his magnetism. And - an incredible amount of knowledge poured onto the interlocutor like a waterfall.
MANPADS are just one of almost three dozen brainchildren of Invincible, and therefore of KBM. Among them is the operational-tactical missile system "Oka", which was replaced by "Iskander", the complex active protection"Arena" tanks, the all-weather anti-tank missile system "Chrysanthemum-S" and much more.
Today, the general designer of KBM is Valery Kashin, a student and follower of the Invincible. Under his leadership, Igla-S was created, the development of which became Verba.
Despite the external similarity of the new product to its predecessors, this is a completely different weapon, with new characteristics.
"Verba" is capable of successfully hitting not only traditional air targets - airplanes and helicopters, but also so-called low-emitting targets - cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Its differences from its predecessor are significant. For the first time in the world, a fundamentally new homing head is installed on a product - an optical three-band (or three-spectral) one: it operates in the ultraviolet, near-infrared and mid-infrared ranges. This allows you to obtain more information about the target, which makes the complex a “selective” weapon.
The three sensors constantly check each other, making it difficult for the aircraft targeted by the missile to mislead it by using decoys. The homing head automatically “selects” false thermal targets (interference) and focuses on the object, albeit not with the strongest thermal radiation, but precisely on the one that needs to be hit.
The sensitivity of the missile homing head has been increased eight (!) times. Accordingly, the zone for capturing and destroying air targets has also increased: compared to the previous generation Igla-S MANPADS - by 2.5 times. The complex is equipped with a Mowgli-2 night vision sight.
The automated control system allows you to detect air targets, including group ones, determine their flight parameters and even distribute targets between shooters.
The new rocket engine allows you to fire a shot at an object located at a distance of 6 km from the shooter. The height of the lesion is from 10 m to 3.5 km. Weight launcher with a power source and a missile inside in a firing position - only 17.25 kg.
In short, we are talking about a unique innovative technology. The rocket, according to KBM General Designer Valery Kashin, is “fully digital”, it is hermetically sealed, and materials that are insensitive to aggressive environments are used for its manufacture. During flight, the rocket is controlled autonomously.
The homing system is designed to deceive anti-missile systems goals. The fighter is required to press start, and then the rocket will do everything itself. The friend-or-foe recognition system significantly reduces the risk of hitting friendly aircraft.
Competitors are years behind
Verba MANPADS can be used not only from the shoulder. In the future, it is possible to install turrets with the Verba missile on ships and helicopters. MANPADS "Igla-S" is used as part of shipborne installations "Gibka" and in sets of autonomous modules "Strelets" on combat helicopters.
“Verba” will go the same way,” Valery Kashin said the other day. Moreover, according to him, the Verba MANPADS from the very beginning was developed taking into account the possibility of using it, in addition to the one named, on “other movable military equipment.” Which one remains to be seen.
In terms of its characteristics, the Verba complex surpasses not only the Igla-1, Igla, Igla-S MANPADS in service with the Russian army, but also their foreign analogues- American “Stinger” Block I and Chinese QW-2. American MANPADS significantly loses to “Verba” in all respects.
The Russian government has allowed to sell the new product abroad, there is already foreign buyer. Manufacturers, however, have not yet said who exactly. The US military called the new Russian MANPADS one of the most “disturbing” types of weapons, and its export as a “potentially threatening event.” Russia has created the most dangerous anti-aircraft system in history, writes the American publication Business Insider.
The Israelis were also concerned about the prospect of selling Verba. They say: “Verba” is capable of breaking the resistance of most defensive systems of Western armies. In local conflicts of the last three decades greatest danger For military aviation represented precisely portable anti-aircraft missile systems.
The Israeli government has decided to equip its fleet of aircraft with DIRCM directed infrared countermeasures systems to protect against MANPADS. This system combines passive, optical missile detection detectors and directed, infrared countermeasures.
The developers of the system claim that the laser beam disrupts the attack of a missile fired at an aircraft and forces it to deviate from its course. Perhaps these threats apply to early-model MANPADS, but not to Verba, say Russian military experts with whom the author spoke.
Numerous exercises taking place Russian troops confirm: “Verba” confidently destroys targets simulating attack drones, helicopters and attack aircraft conditional enemy. This MANPADS works to the limit maximum ranges and altitudes, on oncoming and catch-up courses.
The quality and reliability of the complex have been significantly improved, and its operation, maintenance and training have been simplified. Gradually, "Verba" will replace all MANPADS of earlier types. This will make it possible to completely unify the arsenals of types and branches of troops according to this species weapons.
Nikolay Poroskov
Man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems have long and firmly taken their place in the system of mobile air defense systems ground forces many countries. New Russian MANPADS have unique abilities, which the military had never even dreamed of before.
In all ranges
First, about the uniqueness of “Verba”. Despite the external similarity of this MANPADS with its predecessors - the same “pipe” as the “Igla”, the same sighting mechanism that helps the anti-aircraft gunner identify the target and fire a shot - this is a completely different weapon, with different characteristics. And they are that the missile is capable of hitting not only traditional aircraft - airplanes and helicopters, but also cruise missiles, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, that is, the so-called “low-emitting targets.”
The missile of this complex is equipped with a unique three-spectral homing head operating in the ultraviolet, near-infrared and mid-infrared ranges. It is this difference in spectra that allows one to obtain more information about the target, which makes MANPADS a “selective” weapon. In addition, the Verba head also has significantly greater sensitivity compared to the Igla-S MANPADS. This increases the range of capture of airborne objects. Also, the homing head automatically selects false thermal targets (thermal interference) and focuses on the object with the strongest thermal radiation.
As Valery Kashin, a representative of the company that developed this weapon, the general designer of the Research and Production Corporation “Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering” (JSC NPK “KBM”), emphasized, in terms of the totality of its characteristics, the “Verba” MANPADS surpasses all world analogues. And this is not some kind of bragging of the designer for his brainchild. The complex has actually significantly improved its performance in overcoming pyrotechnic interference (including the already mentioned heat traps), increased shooting accuracy, and optimized other indicators. For example, an automated control system detects air targets, including group targets, determines their flight parameters, and even distributes the detected objects among gunners in an anti-aircraft unit, taking into account the location of personnel on the ground.
"Stinger" nervously smokes on the side...
It’s not for nothing that MANPADS stands for “complex”. In addition to the missile in the guide tube, the Verba also includes a trigger mechanism, a ground-based radar interrogator “friend or foe” (to prevent unauthorized use by friendly forces) aircraft), as well as a mobile control point, a small-sized radar detector, planning, reconnaissance and control modules. There is also a portable fire control module, which is supplied to troops in a brigade kit, and a built-in installation kit - for use as part of a divisional kit.
The missile's characteristics are more than optimal for portable anti-aircraft weapons on the battlefield. The new solid-fuel engine makes it possible to carry out a successful shot at an object located at a distance of over six kilometers from the shooter and flying at a speed of 500 meters per second. The mass of the missile is only one and a half kilograms, but the height of the attack varies from ten (!) to 4.5 thousand meters. The closest foreign competitor to the Russian MANPADS, the American FIM-92 Stinger complex, can only be used against air targets located at an altitude of 180 meters. That is, an enemy helicopter will be able to calmly shoot at American infantry positions from a height below this mark: it will simply be impossible to hit a hovering rotorcraft from a Stinger. The US MANPADS do not have the best performance in terms of other characteristics either. Thus, the target height that the Stinger missile can reach cannot exceed 3.8 thousand meters, and the distance from the shooter’s location is 4.8 thousand.
Economical "Verba"
A new Russian MANPADS was presented within the framework of the International Military-Technical Forum ARMY-2015. As the manufacturers note, important feature Another advantage of the product is that the complex allows you to destroy air targets with fewer missiles, which saves the missiles of large anti-aircraft missile systems - very expensive weapons.
According to Valery Kashin, general designer of JSC NPK KBM, today the Russian Ministry of Defense has concluded contracts for the supply of Verba complexes to the troops in a complete version, that is, for arming immediately anti-aircraft units of brigades and divisions. Prior to this, the product passed the stage of practical testing in formations of the Airborne Forces and in brigades of the Eastern Military District. According to the military, the use of new MANPADS will provide reliable cover for military units from attacks air assets using modern means countering air defense systems, defending against massive strikes by cruise missiles, and creating an effective close line of defense.
The chief designer of the scientific and technical direction of JSC NPK KBM for MANPADS, Alexander Smirnov, is confident that the adoption of the Verba into service will make it possible to achieve a gigantic lead from competitors and consolidate Russian leadership in this area by long years. The principle of complete delivery, when troops immediately receive all the components necessary to carry out a combat mission, operation, inspection, maintenance, education and training, makes it possible to ensure full combat readiness of units, to develop and maintain among personnel the skills of using missile systems.
Arctic test
“Verba” has it simplified Maintenance: Now there is no need to carry out periodic checks with cooling of the homing head with nitrogen. This makes it possible to abandon additional equipment, nitrogen storage facilities, and save human resources. The commander of the anti-aircraft missile regiment of the 98th Airborne Division, Colonel Andrei Musienko (as part of this formation, the Verba MANPADS were also tested) emphasizes that with the arrival of the new complex, the process of controlling air combat in airborne units accelerated more than 10 times. Previously, more than three to five minutes passed from the moment the senior commander discovered the target to the launch of the missile by the anti-aircraft gunner; now it takes just a few seconds. Such parameters, according to military officers, fully correspond to the needs of modern anti-aircraft combat - highly mobile and dynamic countermeasures of air attack, requiring the use modern weapons and operational management of it.
By the way, the Verba MANPADS, which includes elements of an automated control system, are fully compatible with the Andromeda-D automated control system used in the Airborne Forces. “Verba” performed well during one of the paratroopers’ exercises in Arctic zone. Even in abnormal conditions low temperatures There were no failures or failures in the use of these weapons and their control systems. As Valery Kashin, general designer of JSC NPK KBM, noted, sea and helicopter versions of the Verba are currently in development.
MOSCOW, December 25 – RIA Novosti, Andrey Stanavov. 1.5 meter khaki tube, compact sighting mechanism and shoulder strap. This, at first glance, simple device behind the back of an infantryman poses a mortal threat to pilots of airplanes and helicopters operating at altitudes below 4.5 thousand meters.
It is almost impossible to escape from an “off-leash” missile from the latest Russian man-portable anti-aircraft missile system (MANPADS) 9K333 “Verba” - it does not respond to heat traps and other tricks, but, like a tethered one, pursues main goal. Until he gets it and destroys it. Read about what the unique complex is capable of in the RIA Novosti article.
Pocket air defense
The first MANPADS appeared in the 1960s and immediately became enemy number one for pilots who had adapted to take cover from long-range anti-aircraft missiles at low altitudes. It is almost impossible to notice a “man with a pipe” camouflaged in the folds of the terrain from the cockpit of an airplane or helicopter, while, unlike machine guns and cannons, a single successful hit from a small missile can “land” even a large aircraft in one fell swoop. In the case of MANPADS, there is no need to waste precious time on deployment, loading and installation. Pointed, fired, forgot.
All divisions of the Russian Airborne Forces are re-equipped with fourth-generation Verba MANPADSNew complexes short range, unlike their predecessors, have expanded combat capabilities and ensure high efficiency in hitting targets.Soviet designers achieved particular success in developing a fundamentally new air defense weapon at that time. The command ordered to create, in a short time, the most inexpensive and compact complex, suitable for effectively covering ground units and units from the air without unnecessary fuss. The task was non-trivial: to make a system suitable for combating all types of air targets at altitudes of up to 1.5 kilometers and at a distance of up to three. The missile was supposed to be guaranteed to hit aircraft that were approaching and following. A prerequisite is the ability to fire by one person, and from an unprepared position.
Thus was born the first Soviet MANPADS 9K32 "Strela-2", which created a real revolution in the development of air defense systems. The complex, which entered service in 1967, included a launch tube, a rocket with a canard airframe and propulsion system, a ground power supply, a portable passive direction finder and a ground radio interrogator, as well as maintenance equipment.
Shock, horror and complete lack of understanding of what is happening - this is how one can characterize the emotions of the Israeli pilots who were “lucky” to be the first to be hit by a hail of Russian Strels during the Arab-Israeli conflict. In the first air attack, 30 percent of the planes were shot down, after which the Israeli Air Force decided to suspend raids for several days.
From "Strela" to "Verba"
Then there was the improved and more noise-resistant Strela-3, then the 9K38 Igla, which was also modernized several times, and now it has been replaced by the Verba. The complex is accurate, sensitive and resistant to interference, clearly distinguishes aircraft into “friends” and “foes” and strikes without a miss, without reacting to heat traps and other interference. With the help of "Verba", an infantryman can single-handedly "remove" a variety of aircraft from the sky, starting with attack helicopters and aircraft and ending with cruise missiles. The range of distances and altitudes is no longer what the first Strels had, but is comparable to the performance of more serious military air defense systems.
The solid-fuel missile of the new MANPADS effortlessly reaches targets at altitudes of up to 4.5 thousand meters and at a distance of up to 6.5 kilometers. In fact, this completely covers the altitude range of work front-line aviation— attack aircraft, tactical bombers and helicopters can be “laid down” directly from the trench. In this sense, "Verba" is significantly superior not only to "Igloo-S", but also to foreign analogues, including the famous American FIM-92 "Stinger". For comparison: “Igla-S” takes on air targets at altitudes of up to 3.5 kilometers, and “Stinger” - up to 3.8. In addition, the lower limit of the target acquisition altitude for the Stinger is 180 meters, and the Verba starts working at ten. The kit comes with a compact radar that is resistant to interference. The station “sees” air targets at a distance of up to 80 kilometers.
An automated control system takes into account the speed and direction of flight of aircraft or cruise missiles and distributes them among anti-aircraft gunners, the location of each of whom on the ground is determined by GLONASS. The fighters have precise shooting vectors. It is interesting that "Verba" through tactical complex Barnaul-T is being integrated into common system Air defense and can receive information about air targets that are “guided” by large radars.
The picky bride
The Verba missile owes its high sensitivity and “selectivity” to target types to its proprietary three-spectral homing head, the “vision” of which operates in the ultraviolet, near and mid-infrared ranges. Even on approach, the rocket is able to distinguish an airplane or helicopter from the thermal “trap” it has released and make the right choice.
Like many other similar air defense systems, Verba can not only operate “from the shoulder,” but can also be installed on ships and attack helicopters as an auxiliary anti-aircraft weapon. An important innovation is that the complex is much easier to maintain than Igla. It no longer needs to be “frozen” - the new design of the homing head does not require cooling it with nitrogen. Getting ready to fire takes a matter of seconds from the moment the target is detected.
"Verba" began to be supplied to the troops relatively recently, in kits and batches. So, just the other day, another brigade set of the latest MANPADS arrived at the motorized rifle unit of the Central Military District (CMD), stationed in the Altai Territory. According to the military, the new complexes will provide reliable cover for military units not only from air attacks, but also from massive cruise missile attacks. In addition, anti-aircraft squads, anti-aircraft missile platoons and batteries in anti-aircraft divisions, as well as other units of the Russian Armed Forces are now armed with thousands of complexes of the Igla family, among which there are both early modifications and advanced ones with the “C” index.
The domestic MANPADS "Verba" is a unique anti-aircraft complex, designed to destroy air targets on accompanying and oncoming courses, even in the presence of false thermal interference. The shot range is more than six thousand meters with an impact height of up to four and a half kilometers. The missile of the complex bears the index 9M-336, is equipped with a three-dimensional homing head, and with a high probability also hits cruise missiles and unmanned vehicles. The kit includes an automatic control unit that allows you to detect targets and determine their flight parameters.
History of creation
The Verba MANPADS was first mentioned in 2008, when the design bureau began developing an anti-aircraft portable complex fourth generation. The predecessors of this weapon (“Strela”, “Igla”) used a single and paired spectral guidance head. The complex under consideration is equipped with three aiming ranges: in the ultraviolet, near-infrared and medium spectrum, which makes it possible to use the weapon in optical countermeasures.
A trial batch of updated systems entered the army in 2014, and 12 months later the new weapon was publicly shown at the Army forum and taken for current use.
Design features
New MANPADS"Verba" is equipped with nine photodetector sites that send waves measuring 0.3 microns to the target. Since homing optics scans an object in three ranges, this makes it possible to hit small targets with little heat emission. Thanks to the synchronous analysis of spectra, the weapon has an increased target acquisition range, quickly distinguishes between the desired and false target, and is reliably protected from pyrotechnic interference.
When creating the complex, the designers also took into account improved quality and reliability with simplified maintenance. The homing head no longer requires regular nitrogen cooling, which significantly saves time, material and human resources. The Verba complex is a MANPADS that weighs almost half as much as similar foreign and domestic modifications. However, the weapon has more destructive power and better spectral guidance, which makes it one of the most advanced in its class.
Equipment
The complex in question is equipped with the following elements:
- trigger type 9P521;
- surveillance radar equipment 1L122 with a target detection range of 40-80 kilometers;
- guided missile 9M336;
- “friend or foe” recognition system;
- mobile control point 9B861;
- exploration and control module;
- assembly division unit 9С933−1;
- automatic set shooter 9S935;
- components for training and education of the crew.
Verba is a weapon (MANPADS) that uses a 9M336 missile with an updated solid fuel engine that has improved characteristics compared to its analogues. The ammunition is equipped with an enlarged warhead and an adaptive fuse. The Mowgli night vision device included in the kit makes it possible to fire in conditions of limited visibility and at night.
MANPADS "Verba": characteristics
The anti-aircraft complex in question is part of the Barnaul-T tactical air defense scheme; it is included in the general air defense system and can receive information about air targets from higher-class detection devices.
- shot range - from five hundred meters to six kilometers;
- hitting a target in height - from ten to four and a half thousand meters;
- ammunition weight - 17.25 kilograms;
- the maximum speed of an object on a collision course is four hundred meters per second;
- the same indicator in the forward direction is 320 m/s;
- the number of spectral ranges is three.
The heads of the military units that received this complex note that the new weapon makes it possible to significantly reduce the time spent on deploying crews - almost tenfold.
Comparison with competitors
One of the most common portable anti-aircraft systems is the Stinger. Despite the fact that it is constantly being modified, the Verba MANPADS has greater capabilities. The foreign kit is being transformed mainly in terms of improving the sensitivity of homing heads. Latest modification POST operates in two spectra, aggregating with microprocessors to ensure a high probability of target selection in the presence of interference.
The height of destruction of the Stinger is 3.5 kilometers, which is a thousand meters lower than the domestic complex. The “American” has a maximum combat distance to the target on a collision course of four kilometers, and when firing in pursuit - 5.2 km. The chance of successfully hitting a selected object with a foreign weapon is 0.4-0.6 at a speed of a flying target of no more than four hundred meters per second. Adjustments and fire control are made by the unit commander from the command post.
Who is afraid of the Verba MANPADS?
The new anti-aircraft system is designed to effectively destroy enemy aircraft (UAVs, airplanes, cruise missiles, helicopters), as well as carry out air defense. Innovative solutions and original developments made it possible to create weapons that are superior in their class domestic complexes"Igla", as well as the American "Stinger", the English "Starstreak" and the Chinese QW-2.
The missiles are equipped with protection against laser interference installed on modern combat aircraft. In addition, the automatic control system allows you to detect air targets, determine the parameters for their placement and distribute the fixation of the object between the arrows of the anti-aircraft crew.
The complex's automated control system also includes a compact radar that detects a target at a distance of up to 80 kilometers. The anti-aircraft gunners receive a sound alert about the appearance of the enemy, the system, using GLONASS, determines the location of the fighter and gives him coordinates for the shot.
Advantages
According to the developers, the Russian Verba MANPADS have no equal in terms of efficiency and other parameters of the complex in the world. The main advantage domestic weapons there is a high probability of shooting down targets with low radiation. This became possible thanks to an updated missile with a homing head operating in three spectra. The seeker system allows you to destroy objects moving at speeds of up to five hundred meters per second, regardless of the “traps” set.
A complete delivery with all the components that are used to carry out a combat mission makes it possible not only to facilitate the operation and maintenance of weapons, but also to increase the combat effectiveness and efficiency of using missile systems.
Conclusion
MANPADS "Verba" is the latest domestic development, adopted in 2014. First military unit, which received this weapon was the 98th guards division airborne troops in the city of Ivanovo.
Foreign customers could get acquainted with the capabilities of the complex in 2016 at the Defexpo exhibition. Potential buyers from India, Algeria, Egypt and some other countries have already shown interest in Verba.
The 9K333 Verba MANPADS, developed at the Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau, was put into service in 2015. Mass receipts of the complex into combat units of the ground forces began towards the end of last year. The production capacity of this unique weapon is constantly increasing.
The arrival of the Verba into the army became a signal to foreign creators of similar weapons, primarily American ones, that the famous Stingers and the slightly more advanced French Mistrals no longer meet the requirements of modern times. This, for example, is eloquently evidenced by the time spent from target detection to missile launch, which is forty times less for Verba.
"Verba" was presented for the first time general public at the International Military-Technical Forum "Army-2015". The American magazine Business Insider commented on these “shows”: “Verba presents serious danger for the US and its allies. This is the scariest portable in history anti-aircraft missile system».
The new MANPADS comes with a rich “dowry”, which allows you to automate the shooter’s actions as much as possible and significantly increase efficiency. The kit includes a small-sized radar target detector. Moreover, the tactical link of motorized rifle or tank troops receives automated system"Barnaul-T", which allows you to find targets within a radius of 40 kilometers, track 80 targets and distribute target designations to Verba launchers. At the same time, it is automatically determined who and what goal is most convenient to work on. The presence of “friend or foe” equipment eliminates the possibility of hitting friendly aircraft.
It is precisely due to such high automaticity, as well as due to the early detection of very distant targets, that it is possible to sharply reduce the preparation time for a shot.
“Verba” did not grow out of nowhere. It was the result of a deep modernization of the Igla-S MANPADS. The launcher, the means of aiming and targeting, and the missile itself have undergone significant changes.
Rocket with smart head
Firing range and target engagement altitude new rocket 9M336 due to the use of new solid fuel is slightly higher than that of existing MANPADS. But that’s not the main thing about it. The main advantage, we can safely say, is a technological breakthrough in the quality of the homing head (GOS). Due to this, the missile has a high probability of hitting low-emitting targets - cruise missiles and drones. All the secrets of the rocket are not revealed, but it can be reasonably assumed that the high sensitivity of the seeker is achieved through the use of a matrix seeker rather than a conventional photodetector. This is indirectly evidenced by the fact that the co-executor of the project, NPP Sapphire, produces matrix photodetectors of various ranges. The sensitivity of the seeker of the 9M336 missile has increased 8 times compared to existing analogues.
The missile's ability to overcome anti-missile defenses against air targets has also increased. And not only the use of fired heat traps by targets, but also much more modern and sophisticated technical techniques. This is achieved due to the fact that the seeker operates in three wave bands (a maximum of a dual-band system is used on MANPADS operating in the world). Receiving Additional information from the third channel, the missile computer is much more capable of identifying the target and cutting off false targets. It is not reported specifically what the operating ranges of the seeker receivers are. But we can assume that these are two infrared ranges and one ultraviolet.
The 9M336 missile is capable of destroying targets with a speed of 500 m/sec, at a distance of 500 to 6500 meters and flying at an altitude of 10 to 4500 meters. All-round use. That is, shooting is also carried out at targets on collision courses, when radiation from aircraft is minimal.
The weight of the warhead is 1.5 kg. The fuse is a non-contact type, that is, more advanced than those used in foreign missiles. The warhead contains a vortex generator - an induction circuit that is triggered when the missile flies near a metal target. Such a scheme has high efficiency and does not require a direct hit.
Like any MANPADS, "Verba" in the foreseeable future will be integrated into automatic launch complexes, located on various mobile vehicles. Modifications that will be installed on helicopters and ships are currently being tested.
"Stinger" fell behind
Having won cold war a quarter of a century ago, the United States apparently decided that this was a final and irrevocable victory. In connection with this, the creation of new types of weapons in this country has greatly slowed down. Although it was perfectly clear that China, which had already begun to demonstrate serious international ambitions, would do its best to increase its military power. In particular, the Pentagon’s military-technological lag also affected man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems. Now it has become completely obvious. By the way, the Chinese have now overtaken the United States in this area. (Not without the help of Russia, which Beijing has robbed a little intellectually). Their QW-2 MANPADS, which is a copy of the Russian Igla-1, surpasses the Stinger in combat capabilities.
The FIM-92 Stinger entered service in 1981. The Pentagon has been content with it for 35 years. For its time, it was an excellent MANPADS, even slightly superior in capabilities to the first-generation Soviet Strela - it was equipped with a dual-band seeker.
But then Soviet designers from the "Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering" they created the "Igla", which, due to the use of a dual-mode engine, average speed was higher. The flight range was also higher. And the Stinger remained frozen in its splendor during the war in Afghanistan.
The French Mistral-2 MANPADS, which was put into service in 2000, is more advanced. The peculiarity of the missile is that it uses the matrix seeker from an air-to-air missile without changes. It has good sensitivity, but a low ability to withstand object deceptions due to the use of a single-channel seeker. Significant disadvantage - heavy weight: 37 kilograms. You can only shoot from a tripod, and this is a big waste of time.
The British Starstrake MANPADS, which entered service in 1997, differs significantly from the generally accepted design. The rocket has three arrows kinetic action, which separate 3 kilometers from the target. It has a record firing range of 7 kilometers. But at the same time, the height of the damage is extremely low - 1000 meters.
Performance characteristics of MANPADS "Verba", "Stinger", "Mistral-2", "Starstrake"
Firing range, km: 6500 – 4500 – 6000 – 7000
Lower limit of target engagement, m: 10 - 180 - 10 - n/a
Maximum height targets hit, m: 4500 - 3800 - 3000 - 1000
Target speed, km/h: 500 m/s - n/a - n/a - n/a
Rocket mass, kg: n/a - 10.1 kg - 17 kg - 14 kg
Launcher weight, kg: n/a - 5.6 - 20 - n/a
Warhead mass, kg: 1.5 - 2.3 kg - 3 kg - 0.9 kg.
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