[Heinkel]

9K33 Osa
Russian Mobile SAM



ORIGIN: (Real World)
Soviet Union/Russia

GAMES FEATURED IN:
Ace Combat Assault Horizon

Operators:
African Insurgency

Overview:
The 9K33, codenamed SA-8 Gecko by NATO, was designed in the 1960's by the Soviet Union's NII-20 Research Institute as a high-mobility SAM system to compete with the French/German Roland series missiles; and it used an innovative system in which all of the equipment required for the Osa (wasp) to detect, track and engage enemy aircraft was contained within a single vehicle called a TELAR (Transport Erector Launcher And Radar) built upon a BAZ-5937 vehicle to increase off-road performance. This eliminated the need for specialized, separate radar vehicles at regimental level. Given the Osa's high mobility and autonomy, its primary duty at the time of its introduction was to provide point defense to advancing Soviet armor and ambush low-flying and rotary wing aircraft. It was eventually replaced in Russian service by the quicker-reacting and deadlier Tor-M, but remains in service in more than 20 countries given its reliability.

With the 9M33 missile and its many derivatives, the Osa is capable of engaging aircraft up to 10km away, from 50 to 5000 meters, making it suitable for the destruction of low flying and air support aircraft. It tracks enemy aircraft with the use of the largest two of the four antennae located on its hull, while the other two are dedicated to keeping track of the missile and transmitting radio commands to steer it into the target. Its warhead weighs 16 kilograms.

Source:
Gametrailers -

Accreditation:
Wikipedia - Image

[EstovakianHarrierPlus]

The SA-8 Gecko, I heard they were used in Libya.

[EstovakianHarrierPlus]

RaptorR3D, on 09 June 2011 - 02:03 PM, said:

Initially, I was thinking it was the Buk M1 when I saw the title.

God I hate Soviet era SAMs.

[Steel Hawk]

Because they are laughably bad against anything with a modicum of ECM or Countermeasures? :3

[EstovakianHarrierPlus]

Yes, and they're a pain in the ass to take out.

[Steel Hawk]

They certainly were good with contaminating the battlespace with their mobile SAMs, that's for sure.

[EstovakianHarrierPlus]

Soviets... I say they mastered the Attack Heli, and SAMs.

[Steel Hawk]

Before the Apache, yeah. As for SAMs, they pretty much had a fully fuctional range of systems to use. We only really beat them with the Stinger and Patriot.

[Anna Galathea Ivanova]

Steel Hawk, on 09 June 2011 - 07:54 PM, said:

Because they are laughably bad against anything with a modicum of ECM or Countermeasures? :3

And the user of the SAM's like Arab nations often left the "Scoot and Shoot" doctrine taught to them .. and undisciplined emission which make the Battery easier to attack.

Other than that.. well these SAM's are "cool"

[EstovakianHarrierPlus]

Hey! Libyan SA-8s were used this year too.

[Anna Galathea Ivanova]

RoddH, on 10 September 2011 - 03:15 AM, said:

Hey! Libyan SA-8s were used this year too.

I saw one in newspaper.. well sadly in destroyed condition.

[EstovakianHarrierPlus]

I heard they were used in the uprising.