2K12 Kub / Kvadrat / SA-6 Gainful

Conflict Usage

2018 Syria Missile Strikes

Side: Syrian governmentRole: Medium-range surface-to-air missile defenseair defense

Syrian government air-defense forces were reported by Russia and international coverage as deploying 2K12 Kub/Kvadrat systems while responding to the 14 April 2018 U.S., British, and French missile strikes; the claimed interception results remained disputed by U.S. and independent assessments.

Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

Side: Armenia / ArtsakhRole: Medium-range air defense against aircraft and UAVsair defensecounter-uav

Armenian and Artsakh forces fielded Soviet-era 2K12 Kub/SA-6 systems as part of their air-defense network during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war; open-source loss documentation recorded 1S91 radar vehicles destroyed by Azerbaijani TB2s and loitering munitions, plus one captured 1S91 component.

Yemen Civil War

Side: Houthi-aligned forcesRole: Mobile surface-to-air defense against UAVsair defensecounter-uav

Houthi-aligned forces used an SA-6/Kub-family surface-to-air missile in June 2019 to shoot down a U.S. MQ-9 over Yemen, according to U.S. Central Command; CSIS identifies the related Houthi Fater-1 display as a 3M9/SA-6-derived missile tied to Yemen's earlier Kub/Kvadrat inventory.

2K12 Kub / Kvadrat / SA-6 Gainful Images

Related Weapon Systems

Air DefenseS-125 Neva/Pechora / SA-3 GoaShort- to medium-range surface-to-air missile systemThe S-125 Neva/Pechora, known to NATO as SA-3 Goa, is a Soviet command-guided surface-to-air missile system built to cover lower-altitude targets than earlier S-75 batteries. In the 2018 Syria Missile Strikes archive, it represents Syrian government point air defense reported by Russian officials as taking part in the response to the coalition cruise-missile and standoff-weapon attack.

Air Defense2K11 Krug / SA-4 GanefTracked medium-range surface-to-air missile systemThe 2K11 Krug, NATO reporting name SA-4 Ganef, is a Soviet tracked medium-range surface-to-air missile system built around 2P24 launchers, 3M8-series missiles, and separate acquisition and guidance radars. In the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war it appeared on the Armenian and Artsakh side as legacy area air defense, but reporting from CSIS and Oryx shows it was vulnerable in a battlespace dominated by Azerbaijani UAVs and loitering munitions.

Air Defense9K35 Strela-10Tracked short-range surface-to-air missile systemThe 9K35 Strela-10, NATO reporting name SA-13 Gopher, is a Soviet tracked short-range air defense system mounted on an MT-LB chassis. Built to protect maneuver forces from low-flying aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and UAVs, it remains relevant in Ukraine because both sides use mobile air-defense vehicles against the dense reconnaissance-drone threat.

Air DefenseBuk-M2Tracked medium-range surface-to-air missile systemThe Buk-M2 is a Russian tracked medium-range surface-to-air missile system in the Buk family, using the 9M317 missile and networked radars to defend maneuver forces and key areas against aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, precision weapons, and some ballistic targets. In the Russia-Ukraine War it appears on the Russian side as part of layered battlefield air defense, where Ukrainian forces have targeted its launchers and associated radar vehicles.

Air DefenseCrotaleShort-range surface-to-air missile systemCrotale is a French short-range surface-to-air missile family built around radar and electro-optical target tracking. The Crotale NG variant paired the VT-1 missile with an integrated launcher, search radar, tracking radar, and optical sensors, making it useful for point defense of forces and fixed sites against low-altitude air threats. France supplied Crotale NG systems to Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine War to reinforce layered air defense against Russian missiles, aircraft, helicopters, and drones.

Air DefenseMIM-104 PatriotLong-range surface-to-air and ballistic missile defense systemThe MIM-104 Patriot is a U.S.-origin, truck-mobile air and missile defense system built around phased-array radar, command-and-control vehicles, launchers, and PAC-2 or PAC-3 interceptor families. Its post-2015 combat record includes Ukrainian defense against Russian missile and air attacks, Saudi-led coalition defense against Houthi ballistic missile launches from Yemen, and U.S. Patriot batteries defending Al Udeid Air Base during Iranian retaliation after Operation Midnight Hammer.

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