Munitions

3M8 anti-aircraft guided missile

The 3M8 is the Soviet anti-aircraft guided missile used by the 2K11 Krug / SA-4 Ganef system. Sources describe it as a ramjet-powered missile with solid-fuel booster stages, a large fragmentation warhead, and the long-range surface-to-air role that made Krug a distinctive mobile air-defense system.

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union
Built by
NPO Novator
Type
Soviet anti-aircraft guided missile carried and launched by the 2K11 Krug system
Designer
Lyulev OKB
Designed
Late 1950s
Produced
1960s-1970s
Variants
3M8, 3M8M, 3M8M1, 3M8M2, 3M8M3
Developed from
2K11 Krug / SA-4 Ganef

Specifications

Propulsion
Four solid-fuel boosters and a kerosene-powered ramjet sustainer
Warhead
About 150 kg fragmentation warhead
Range
Roughly 45-55 km depending on variant
Length
About 8.5 m
Diameter
About 850 mm

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service
Entered service with the 2K11 Krug system in the 1960s

Carrier Platform

The 3M8 is documented as the missile carried and launched by the 2K11 Krug system.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
2K11 Krug / SA-4 GanefTracked surface-to-air missile system

The Krug complex is the platform that carried 3M8 missiles on the 2P24 launcher and launched them as part of the system.

Sources: 2K11 Krug (SA-4 Ganef), The Saving Circle: how the world's first self-propelled anti-aircraft missile system was created

3M8 anti-aircraft guided missile Images

Related Weapon Systems

9M31 Strela-1, Infrared-guided surface-to-air missile used by the 9K31 Strela-1 system, MunitionsMunitions9M31 Strela-1Infrared-guided surface-to-air missile used by the 9K31 Strela-1 systemThe 9M31 Strela-1 is the original infrared-guided missile carried by the Soviet 9K31 Strela-1 short-range air-defense system. Source material ties the round to Nudelman OKB-16 development work and serial production at the Kovrov Mechanical Plant, with a 30 kg solid-fuel airframe, photocontrast infrared homing, a 3 kg fragmentation high-explosive warhead, and about 4.2 km effective range in the original 9M31 configuration.

Sources