General Facts

TYPE
Man portable SAM system

ORIGIN
USSR

NICKNAMES
SA-7 Grail (NATO reporting name)
SA-N-5 Grail (NATO reporting name)
SAM-7
CA-94 (Romanian production)
Hwasung-Chong (North Korean production)

DESIGNED
1960's

DESIGNER
KBM Kolomna

PRODUCTION
1968 - present

PRODUCERS
USSR - KBM Kolomna

Licensed production:
Bulgaria - VMZ
North Korea - state arsenals
Romania - Arsenalul Armatei
Serbia - Yugoimport-SDPR
Yugoslavia

QUANTITY
Unknown

UNIT COST
Unknown

CHARACTERISTICS
Low production cost
Easy to use
Seeker easily fooled by flares
Limited lethality warhead
Can only engage approaching or receding targets
Limited missile speed and agility

Introduction

The 9K32 Strela-2 is a Cold War era man portable SAM system. In the West it is known by the NATO reporting name SA-7 Grail. The 9K32 was developed as a more capable alternative to anti-aircraft guns for engaging fighter jets. The Strela-2 was the first Soviet MANPADS and became the most widely used system in the world.

Layout

The Strela-2 has a conventional design. It is an infrared guided missile with the seeker in the nose. This is followed by the warhead section and the rocket engine. A booster launches the missile from the gripstock launcher and provides initial velocity. The missile has four small wings at the front for steering and larger folding wings near the nozzle for stability. The gripstock launcher consists of a launch tube, sight unit, battery unit and trigger group.

Firepower

The Strela-2 uses an infrared seeker that proved rather easy to mislead with flares. The warhead is also rather small. Only receding fighter jets can be engaged. The original Strela-2 has a maximum range of 3.4 km and ceiling of 1.5 km. The improved Strela-2M uses a higher thrust propellant to reach a range of 4.2 km and ceiling of 2.3 km. The improved seeker in the Strela-2M allows all aspect engagement of helicopters and propellor aircraft.

Mobility

The Strela-2 is a very mobile system as the missile and its gripstock launcher are man portable, even over longer ranges. The system is operated by a single person. A four round launcher is used on ships of various sizes.

Users

The Strela-2 was adopted in large quantity by Soviet forces. Even with improved models such as Strela-3 and Igla the Strela-2 remained in use for a long time. The Strela-2 was exported in large quantities and has been produced in numerous nations with or without license. This makes the Strela-2 the most ubiquitous MANPADS in the world. It has been used in various conflicts from the 1970's to present day with mixed success. The Strela-2 is commonly encountered in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and South America.

9K32 launcher

The original Strela-2uses the 9P53 gripstock. The Strela-2M uses the more automated 9P58 gripstock, making operating the weapon simpler. Both use the same type of battery.

Besides the gripstock launcher the Strela-2M was also adopted for naval use on a four round launcher. The missile itself remains unchanged. The four round naval setup has the NATO reporting name SA-N-5 Grail.

9K32 missile

9K32 Strela-2: The 9K32 is the original missile introduced in 1968. It has the NATO reporting name SA-7A. It was soon replaced in production by the more capable 9K32M. The 9K32 uses the 9P53 gripstock.
9K32M Strela-2M: The 9K32M is an improvement over the 9K32 introduced in 1970. It has the NATO reporting name SA-7B. Compared to the 9K32 the 9K32M has a longer range, improved speed, all aspect engagement of helicopter and propellor aircraft and faster engagement with more auotmated 9P58 gripstock.
9K32M Strela-2M/A: An improved version of the 9K32M produced in Yugoslavia. Using newer electronics the guidance section has been reduced in size and weight. This allowed the warhead to increase in size accordingly.

Specifications:
9M32
9M32M
Strela-2M/A

Type	Surface to air missile
Diameter	72 mm body
Length	1.420 m
Weight	9.15 kg

Guidance	Single channel passive infra-red homing seeker
Warhead	HE-Frag, 1.17 kg, impact fuze
Propulsion	Single-stage solid propellant rocket motor plus ejection motor
Speed	430 m/s average, 600 m/s maximum

Range	0.8 to 3.4 km
Altitude	50 m to 1.5 km
Engagement envelope	max target speed is 220 m/s receding
Remarks	9P53 gripstock weighs 4.17 kg 12 to 15 second self-destruct time

Type	Surface to air missile
Diameter	72 mm body
Length	1.438 m
Weight	9.6 kg

Guidance	Single channel passive infra-red homing seeker
Warhead	HE-Frag, 1.17 kg, impact fuze
Propulsion	Single-stage solid propellant rocket motor plus ejection motor
Speed	430 m/s average, 630 m/s maximum

Range	0.8 to 4.2 km
Altitude	30 m to 2.3 km
Engagement envelope	max target speed is 260 m/s receding, 150 m/s approaching
Remarks	9P58 gripstock weighs 4.95 kg 15 to 19 second self-destruct time

Type	Surface to air missile
Diameter	72 mm body
Length	1.44m
Weight	9.85 kg

Guidance	Single channel passive infra-red homing seeker
Warhead	HE-Frag, 1.32 kg, contact and grazing fuze
Propulsion	Single-stage solid propellant rocket motor plus ejection motor
Speed	500 m/s average

Range	4.2 km approaching and 2.8 km receding
Altitude	30 m to 2.3 km
Engagement envelope	max target speed is 260 m/s receding, 150 m/s approaching
Remarks	9P58 gripstock weighs 4.95 kg