9S36M / 9S36
Target illumination and missile guidance (fire control) for the SA-17 and SA-27
The fire-control radar of the Buk complex: a passive phased array on a mast that extends to 21 m, so low flyers behind terrain and buildings still show up. It tracks several targets and illuminates them for the launchers' semi-active missiles; the 9S36 belongs to the SA-17 (Buk-M2), the 9S36M to the SA-27 (Buk-M3). That makes it the linchpin of the battery — and a priority SEAD target. In addition, every SA-27 launcher carries its own smaller fire-control radar.
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- Vehicle
- GM-569 (9S36) / GM-5955 (9S36M) tracked chassis
- Antenna / mast
- Telescopic mast up to 21 m
- L × W × H
- Not found in open sources
- Dimension source
- US Army TRADOC Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)
General
- Role
- Target illumination and guidance
- Belongs to
- SA-17 Grizzly (Buk-M2, 9S36) · SA-27 (Buk-M3, 9S36M)
- NATO name
- Chair Back per GlobalSecurity — not confirmed by other open sources
- Antenna
- Passive phased array on a mast extending to 21 m
- Sector
- ± 60° azimuth
Performance
- Targets
- Track up to 10, engage 4 at once (9S36, most-cited values); the WEG gives 10 simultaneous targets for the 9S36M
- Detection
- Target of ≥ 2 m² out to ≈ 65 NM (120 km) — WEG
- Low flyers
- Target at 7–10 m altitude out to ≈ 19 NM (35 km)
- Cruise missiles
- 0.1 m² target at 20 m (JASSM class) at ≈ 9–10 NM (17–18 km)
- Modes
- Track-while-scan and pure target tracking (WEG)
Warning & threat
- RWR
- Illumination = missile in flight or imminent → highest priority
- Combat record
- Ukraine reports several 9S36 radars knocked out
- Countermeasure
- Terrain masking less effective because of the mast; SEAD/ARM on the mast, stand-off
- Threat level
- High — the radar that guides the Buk missiles to the target
Further reading
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Technical report
9K37/9K37M1/9K317 Buk M1/M2 (APA-TR-2009-0706)
Describes the 9S36 as a passive phased-array radar that tracks and illuminates several targets at once.
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News
Ukrainian forces neutralize 9S36 key radar of Russian Buk-M2
Combat loss of a 9S36 and why the radar is the linchpin of the complex.
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Reference
SA-17 Grizzly — specifications
Specifications of the Buk-M2 complex, including the role of the 9S36.
News archive 0
Analysed reports from the RU Mil Tracker about this system, newest first. Archive since 2026-07-17.
No reports linked yet.