What is the newest Russian man-portable air defense system "Verba". The most dangerous anti-aircraft missile in the world is Russian (photo, video)

MANPADS "Verba" (GRAU index - 9K333, missile - 9M336) is a Russian man-portable anti-aircraft missile system. According to their own tactical and technical characteristics the 9K333 "Verba" complex is superior to the portable air defense systems 9K310 "Igla-1", 9K38 "Igla", 9K338 "Igla-S" in service with the Russian Armed Forces, as well as their foreign analogues- American Stinger-Block-I and Chinese QW-2.

MANPADS Verba - video

"Verba" is a new generation of MANPADS. Its improved characteristics are based on the use of a fundamentally new homing head - three-spectral (Igla-S uses a two-spectral one) and a new instrument compartment. The sensitivity of the optical homing head (OHS) has been greatly increased and its immunity to noise has been increased. As a result, the target engagement zone has significantly expanded and the effectiveness of using the complex at long ranges has increased.

One of the main advantages of the Verba MANPADS is the high probability of hitting low-emitting targets: cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles. These are those flying objects that are difficult to detect, but even more difficult to shoot down.

The complex kit includes:

Rocket 9M336,
- trigger mechanism 9P521,
- ground-based radar interrogator “friend or foe” 1L229V,
- mobile control point 9B861,
- small-sized radar detector 1L122,
- planning module 9С931,
- reconnaissance and control module 9С932−1,
- portable fire control module 9S933 (in the brigade kit),
- built-in installation kit 9С933−1 (in the division kit),
- anti-aircraft gunner automation kit 9С935,
- educational and training facilities.

The quality and reliability of the complex have significantly improved, and its maintenance has been simplified. There is no longer a need to carry out periodic inspections in the troops with cooling of the homing head with nitrogen. This made it possible to abandon additional equipment, nitrogen storage facilities, and save human resources. At the same time, high continuity with previous complexes has been maintained in terms of combat work, operation, and Maintenance and training.

Kit includes military means, as well as control, detection and target designation equipment, friend-or-foe identification equipment and equipment for maintenance.

The principle of complete delivery, when troops receive all the components necessary to carry out a combat mission, operation, inspection, maintenance and training, makes it possible to ensure full combat readiness of army units, develop and maintain skills in use and increases the efficiency of using missile systems, the company explained.

According to the developers, there is no complex in the world equal to the Verbe MANPADS in terms of combat effectiveness. The capabilities of the newest complex exceed not only all modifications of domestic Igla MANPADS, but also foreign analogues - the American Stinger (FIM-92 Stinger), the British Starstreak, the Swedish RBS 70, the French Mistral. and the Chinese QW-1 and QW-2, the latter of which is actually a copy of the Soviet Igla-1 MANPADS.

The main advantage of the Verba MANPADS is the high probability of hitting so-called low-emitting targets - cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles - which, as a rule, are difficult to detect and even more difficult to shoot down. The complex received this opportunity thanks to the 9M336 missile with an innovative infrared tri-band (tri-spectral) homing head (GOS), which makes it possible to destroy air objects at a speed of up to 500 meters per second, despite “traps.” The destruction range of MANPADS is from 500 to 6400 meters, the destruction height is from 10 meters to 4500 meters. The creators of MANPADS managed to increase the sensitivity of the seeker several times, while increasing its immunity to interference.

The probability of hitting a target increases and is included in the complex automated system management. But this is far from the main task of the automated control system. It allows you to find air object, determine its characteristics, and also distribute targets between anti-aircraft gunners and fire weapons, taking into account their location. This excludes human factor, which also has a positive effect on efficiency, including ammunition consumption. In particular, until recently, from the moment the formation commander discovered the target to the launch of the missile by the gunner, three to five minutes passed. With Verba it will take about eight seconds, that is, less than ten times.

In addition to combat characteristics, the developers have worked to simplify the maintenance of MANPADS. The need to periodically cool rocket heads with nitrogen, which previously caused anti-aircraft gunners a lot of trouble, is no longer necessary. This made it possible not only to abandon additional equipment, but also to save human resources.

The FIM-92 Stinger, the most widespread MANPADS in the world (used in 20 countries), has lower combat capabilities. Despite the significant number of modifications of the American complex, its tactical and technical characteristics have remained virtually unchanged. The developers only improved the sensitivity of the homing heads. The latest version of the missile - POST - operates in two ranges - ultraviolet and infrared, operating in a circuit with two microprocessors. They make it possible to carry out “rosette-shaped” scanning, providing a high possibility of selecting a target in conditions of strong interference. The altitude at which the Stinger can “reach” an enemy target is 3500 meters, which is one kilometer lower than the Verba MANPADS. The engagement distance is 500 to 1000 meters on a collision course and 5200 on a catch-up course. The probability of hitting targets flying at speeds up to 400 meters per second is American MANPADS is 0.4 - 0.6. The actions of the fire crews are controlled in a “manual” mode - it is carried out by the formation commander located at the command post.

Portable anti-aircraft missile systems They have long and firmly taken their place in the system of mobile air defense systems of the ground forces of many countries. New Russian MANPADS have unique abilities, which the military never had to think about 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 Verba missile is capable of hitting not only traditional aircraft - airplanes and helicopters, but also cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles aircrafts, 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 makes it possible to fire at targets that emit little in the infrared wavelength range (for example, UAVs), and 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 "KBM Design Bureau" (OAO 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.

MANPADS "Stinger"

The Verba missile, in its characteristics, is 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 6 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 destruction varies from ten (!) to 4.5 thousand meters. The closest foreign competitor to the Russian MANPADS is American complex FIM-92 "Stinger" 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 connections Airborne troops and in the 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 simplified maintenance: now there is no need to carry out periodic checks with cooling of the homing head with nitrogen. This made it possible to refuse additional equipment, from nitrogen storage facilities, 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 3-5 minutes passed from the moment the senior commander detected 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. And as Valery Kashin, general designer of JSC NPK KBM, noted, sea and helicopter versions of the Verba are currently in development.

MANPADS "Verba" is the latest Russian portable anti-aircraft missile system, which was developed by specialists from the Mashinostroeniya Design Bureau (Kolomna) and put into service in 2014. Its main task is to combat low-flying air targets, including cruise missiles and unmanned vehicles(UAV) of the enemy. Currently, “Verba” is just beginning to enter service with the troops; it is known that soldiers of the 98th Airborne Division have already received this complex. Serial production of MANPADS is carried out by the Kovrov plant named after. Degtyarev, it started back in 2012.

In terms of its tactical and technical characteristics (TTX), the Russian Verba MANPADS are significantly superior to existing foreign analogues, so it can safely be called a new generation anti-aircraft complex. The range of altitudes and distances at which Verba is capable of operating is quite comparable to the characteristics of more serious army systems Air defense. The complex confidently covers the main altitude ranges of operation army aviation, in addition, the missile's homing head is capable of distinguishing real targets from heat traps and confidently hitting them. And this moment is called the main “highlight” of “Verba”.

The complex was first demonstrated to the general public at the international exhibition Defexpo India, which took place in 2016. After this, the American publication Business Insider called Verba “the most terrible portable anti-aircraft system in history.”

The complex includes, except for the launcher and anti-aircraft missile, also includes a mobile small-sized radar and an automated fire control system (AFS), which is capable of not only determining target parameters, but also giving target designations to launchers. It was also developed by specialists from KB Mashinostroeniya.

India has already become interested in the new Russian complex; negotiations are currently underway with Algeria, Egypt and a number of other countries. It is known that the Verba MANPADS have already been delivered to the Armenian armed forces. There is information that this complex is now being tested in Syria; moreover, information has appeared in the media about the successful use of MANPADS against Islamist drones.

History of creation

The emergence of powerful and long-range anti-aircraft missile systems forced combat aviation pilots to descend from sky-high heights and seek protection in close proximity to the ground. However, already in the early 60s ground troops portable air defense systems began to be adopted, which very soon became one of the main enemies of the pilots. Mobile, simple, almost invisible from the air, man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems have proven to be very effective weapons. A fighter armed with a MANPADS could easily destroy a large and expensive fighter or attack aircraft with one missile. For the first time, MANPADS were used en masse in the Arab-Israeli war of 1969. These were the Soviet Strela-2 complexes. The effectiveness of their use amazed specialists.

Around the same time, American portable systems"Red Eye". And in the early 80s american army received the famous FIM-92 Stinger MANPADS, which spoiled a lot of blood for our pilots in Afghanistan. At the time of its creation, it was an excellent MANPADS, in many ways superior to foreign analogues, including Soviet systems. But if we talk about today, then we must admit that the Stinger is already obsolete. In terms of its main characteristics, it is inferior not only to the newest Verba, but also to many later modifications of the Needle.

Portable anti-aircraft systems quickly found their place and after completion Cold War, this weapon remains in great demand in our era of hybrid wars and local conflicts.

It should be noted that the USSR always paid special attention to this type of weapon; domestic designers managed to achieve significant success in the field of developing MANPADS. "Strela-2" was replaced by the more advanced "Strela-3", and in the early 80s it was put into service Soviet army the Igla complex was adopted, which is still in use Russian army. It is believed that Soviet and then Russian MANPADS have shot down about 700 different aircraft throughout their history. The main center for the development of domestic MANPADS is the Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau, which is rightfully considered the world leader in the creation of these weapons.

The Verba MANPADS, in fact, became a further development of the Igla-S complex, which was put into service at the beginning of the 2000s. The first information about Verba appeared around 2008, but for obvious reasons it was very vague and fragmentary. True, it was stated that the new MANPADS would be ready by 2009. However, this did not happen; the completion date of the complex was constantly postponed. Only started in 2011 military tests which lasted for several years. The Verba MANPADS was put into service in 2014. The units of the Airborne Forces were the first to receive it.

You can shoot from the Verba not only from the shoulder, but also install this complex on warships, helicopters or various ground platforms. The Russian military believes that the new complex will allow them not only to more effectively counter the already familiar threats - enemy planes and helicopters - but also to successfully combat enemy cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. Last year, information appeared in a number of domestic media about the destruction of an unmanned aerial vehicle near the Syrian capital using Verba MANPADS. With its help, the rebels adjusted artillery fire. However, information about this incident has not been officially confirmed.

Description of "Willow"

Externally, the Verba MANPADS is not too different from its famous predecessors - anti-aircraft systems"Needle" and "Arrow". However, in fact, this is a weapon with completely different characteristics and capabilities. New complex capable of hitting targets at altitudes up to 4.5 km and at a distance of up to 6 km, both on oncoming and catch-up courses. This the most important characteristics for any MANPADS and for them, the Verba is superior to the French Mistral, the American Stinger, and even the more modern British Starstreak. The designers managed to achieve an increase in the range and altitude of hitting targets by using more efficient rocket fuel.

U Russian complex there is one more advantage - this is the lower limit of the affected area, which is only 10 meters. For comparison, the Stinger can lock onto targets flying at an altitude of at least 180 meters.

The Verba portable anti-aircraft system (index 9K333) includes the following elements:

• launcher 9P521;
• anti-aircraft guided missile;
• 1L122 surveillance radar, which is capable of detecting targets at ranges from 40 to 80 km;
• “friend or foe” recognition system;
• fire control system;
• mobile gearbox 9V861;
• installation kit 9С933−1;
• automation kit 9С935;
• means intended for training and education of personnel.

The most important part of any MANPADS is anti-aircraft missile. The combat capabilities of the complex largely depend on its characteristics. The 9M336 missile is equipped with a homing head that operates in three different ranges at once, including ultraviolet. She also received a new instrument compartment. Thanks to such a three-band design, the missile's homing head is capable of distinguishing real air targets from heat traps - a common means of self-defense of modern combat aircraft and helicopters from MANPADS. The missile’s three sensors constantly complement each other’s data, which makes attempts to mislead it and “slip” a false target instead of a combat one practically futile.

In addition, it should be noted the highest sensitivity of the missile seeker, compared to existing analogues she grew eightfold. Thanks to this, the probability of MANPADS hitting so-called low-emitting targets - drones and cruise missiles - has significantly increased, as well as the effectiveness of using MANPADS at long distances.

We can also add that the creators of the complex took care of the proper level of protection of the missile's seeker from laser jamming systems, which are only just being adopted by the leading military powers. That is, in this case, the creators of “Verba” worked proactively.

It should be noted that the use of several photodetectors for different spectral ranges is not some kind of special “know-how”; a similar principle is used on most seekers of modern portable anti-aircraft systems. But only Verba has three independent channels for receiving information.

According to the developers, the 9M336 missile is completely digital, it is insensitive to aggressive environments and is completely sealed.

The weight of the missile warhead is 1.5 kg. It is equipped with a proximity fuse that initiates detonation at a certain distance from the object. This scheme is considered more effective, and it does not require a direct missile hit on the object.

Another advantage of the Verba MANPADS compared to its competitors is the presence radar complex and fire control systems. Untimely target detection is one of the main disadvantages of portable anti-aircraft systems. As a rule, a fighter begins to prepare to fire only after visually detecting an enemy aircraft or helicopter. To make life even more difficult for air defense crews, pilots typically use low or high altitudes.

The radar, which is part of the Verba complex, can detect enemy aircraft at distances of up to 80 km, and the fire control system through the GLONASS system determines the exact location of the crews and gives a warning to those who are most effectively able to hit the target. Soldiers receive a sound signal, as well as information about the main characteristics of approaching objects.

The Verba MANPADS is part of the Barnaul-T tactical air defense system, so anti-aircraft crews can also receive information about targets from higher-level detection systems.

The total weight of the launcher with the missile and power supplies is 17.25 kg. “Verba” is equipped with a “Mowgli-2” night sight, which allows it to be used at any time of the day.

Another advantage of the new complex is its ease of maintenance. Unlike previous generations of MANPADS, the missile's homing system does not require regular cooling with liquid nitrogen. This allows you to significantly reduce the cost of its operation.

As mentioned above, the Verba MANPADS can be used not only for shooting from the shoulder. "Needles" are part of the ship's air defense systems "Gibka", and are also used on combat helicopters in the "Strelets" complexes. They plan to use Verba in a similar way.

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.

Particular success was achieved in the development of a fundamentally new air defense weapon at that time. Soviet designers. 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, from attack helicopters and airplanes to 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 kit the latest MANPADS entered 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, it is now in service with anti-aircraft squads, anti-aircraft missile platoons and batteries consisting of anti-aircraft divisions, as well as other units of the Russian Armed Forces, there are thousands of complexes of the “Igla” family, among which there are both early modifications and advanced ones with the “C” index.