SHORAD
SA-13 Gopher
9K35 Strela-10
Medium
RU
Short-range IR SAM (manoeuvre)
Light, tracked IR-guided short-range air defence on the MT-LB chassis. Passive (infrared/optical) and therefore hard to detect via RWR — an ambush weapon against low-flyers and helicopters.
Learn more in the AirDefense Academy →Dimensionsfor imagery analysis
- Vehicle
- 9A35/9A34 on MT-LB tracked carrier
- L × W × H
- 6.45 × 2.85 × 2.22 m (3.96 m in firing position)
- Weight
- 12.1 t (combat)
- Missile (L × Ø, span)
- 9M37: 2.19 m × Ø 120 mm, span 360 mm; 40 kg
- Dimension source
- Wikipedia; WEG (ODIN)
General
- Role
- Manoeuvre cover against low-flyers
- Vehicle
- Tracked (MT-LB)
- Notable
- Passive — no radar warning
Weapon
- Missile
- 9M37/9M333
- Guidance
- Infrared / optical (passive)
- Range
- 0.4 – 2.7 NM
- Altitude
- 33 – 11,480 ft
Threat
- Countermeasure
- Flares, keep altitude, reduce IR signature
- Threat level
- Medium — late/no warning
Variants (A and B)
- SA-13a — 9K35 Strela-10
- Baseline version (1976) with the 9M37 missile
- SA-13b — 9K35M Strela-10M
- Improved version (1979): 9M37M missile with better guidance that distinguishes IR decoys (flares)
- Later versions
- Strela-10M2, Strela-10M3 (9M333 missile), Strela-10M4
- TELAR-1 / TELAR-2
- TELAR-1 (command vehicle) carries four 'Flat Box-B' passive radar-detection antennas; TELAR-2 does not — recognisable in imagery
- Source
- US Army TRADOC Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)
News archive 1
Analysed reports from the RU Mil Tracker about this system, newest first. Archive since 2026-07-17.
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«Российская ПВО и опыт Спецоперации: первые успехи» (Topwar: 'Russian air defence and the experience of the Special Operation: first successes')
In the first part of a three-part series, Topwar author Kirill Ryabov reviews the initial phase of Russian air defence in the war against Ukraine from February 2022. Ground Forces air defence carried the main load, with VKS air and missile defence units and naval systems also involved; the article lists the layered Ground Forces structure (S-300V4, Buk-M3,…