Medium-range SAM
SA-6 Gainful
2K12 Kub (Kvadrat)
Medium
RU
Mobile medium-range SAM (first generation, tracked)
Soviet 1960s SAM for army air defence: launchers with three missiles and one radar vehicle (1S91 Straight Flush) per battery, on tracked chassis derived from the PT-76. Notorious for the Yom Kippur War and the downing of a US F-16 over Bosnia (1995). Still in service in more than 25 countries, often upgraded (Kub-M3, Kvadrat-M, India's related Akash). Predecessor of the Buk.
Belongs with1S91 Straight FlushRadar · Fire control (SAM)
Learn more in the AirDefense Academy →
Dimensionsfor imagery analysis
- Launcher
- 2P25 on GM-578 tracked chassis
- L × W × H
- 6.79 m (7.39 m with missiles) × 3.18 × 3.45 m (with missiles; hull 1.80 m)
- Weight
- 14 t (combat)
- Missile (L × Ø)
- 3M9: 5.8 m × Ø 335 mm; 599–630 kg
- Dimension source
- Wikipedia; US Army TRADOC Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)
General
- Role
- Mobile medium-range defence of army units
- In service
- 1967 (Kub); Kub-M3 1976
- Battery
- 1 × 1S91 radar vehicle + 4 × 2P25 launchers + reload trucks
- Variants
- Kub-M1/M3/M4, export Kvadrat; Kub-M2 (Serbia), Kvadrat-MA (Belarus)
- Users
- > 25 countries, incl. Russia, Ukraine, Syria, Egypt, Algeria, Vietnam
Weapon
- Missile
- 3 × 3M9 per launcher, integral rocket-ramjet
- Guidance
- Command guidance + terminal semi-active (SARH)
- Range
- ≈ 2,2 – 13,5 NM (Kub-M3)
- Altitude
- ≈ 65 – 26.200 ft
- Reaction time
- 22–24 s
Radar & threat
- Radar
- 1S91 Straight Flush — G/H band, ≈ 40 NM, with CW illumination
- RWR
- Yes — Straight Flush search, track and illumination signals
- Combat record
- Yom Kippur War 1973, Lebanon 1982, Gulf War, Bosnia (F-16, June 1995), Ukraine
- Countermeasure
- SEAD/ARM against the 1S91 (one radar per battery), ECM, low flying
- Threat level
- Medium — old, but widespread and upgraded
News archive 0
Analysed reports from the RU Mil Tracker about this system, newest first. Archive since 2026-07-17.
No reports linked yet.