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The Novator 9K37 "Buk" (Russian Бук - beech, NATO reporting name SA-11 "Gadfly") is the successor to the well-regarded NIIP/Vympel 3M9 Kub (SA-6 "Gainful") medium-altitude, medium-range surface-to-air missile system. 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 massive 70 kg (154 lb) warhead which is triggered by a radar proximity fuze. Propulsion is via a solid fuel rocket booster, the empty container at burnout forming the combusion chamber for a liquid fuel ramjet sustainer. This gives the missiles good range for their size as well as rapid initial acceleration.
The following kill probabilities are claimed:
- 0.6-0.9 against aircraft
- 0.3-0.7 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.
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| 3M9 "Kub" (SA-6)
| 9K37 "Buk" (SA-11)
| 9K37M "Buk-1M" (SA-11)
| 9K37M1 "Buk-SAR" (SA-11)
| 9K38 "Buk-1M-2" (SA-17)
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| Introduced
| 1966
| 1980
| 1984
| 1995
| 1998
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| Missiles per TEL
| 3
| 4
| 4
| 4
| 4
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| Missile Weight
| 599 kg (1321 lb)
| 690 kg (1521 lb)
| 690 kg (1521 lb)
| 690 kg (1521 lb)
| 710-720 kg (1565-1587 lb)
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| Engagement range
| 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)
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| Engagement altitude
| 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)
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| Missile speed
| (Mach) 2.8
| (Mach) 3
| (Mach) 3
| (Mach) 3
| (Mach) 3
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| Max. target speed
| (Mach) 2
| (Mach) 2.5
| (Mach) 4
| (Mach) 4
| (Mach) 4
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| Simultaneous engagements
| 1
| 2
| 6
| 6
| 6, in any direction
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Radar
The 9S18 "Tube Arm" surveillance radar The earlier 1S91 "Straight Flush" radar with "Tube Arm" in the background The 9K37 utilises the 9S18 "Tube Arm"/9S18M1 "Snow Drift" surveillance radar in combination with the 9S470/9S470M1 "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 miles) away and even lower flying targets at ranges of around 10-20 km (6-12 miles). "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 miles) and can track aircraft flying at between 15-22000m (50-72,000 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" (SA-6) 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" 25kW G/H-band continuous-wave radar as the 3M9 "Kub" (SA-6) 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 miles).
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 Штил - still).
The SA-17 "Grizzly"/SA-N-12 is the next generation Buk system (Buk-M1-2).
Vehicles
Reload vehicles for the 9K37 resemble a 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 battery typically consists of a command vehicle, surveillance radar vehicle, six TELARs and six 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 9M37 "Buk".
References
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