Profile
- Type
- Man-portable infrared-homing surface-to-air missile system
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Origin
- Soviet Union / Russia
- Service note
- Introduced in the early 1980s; still fielded in post-Soviet and export inventories
Air Defense
Igla
The Igla family is a Soviet/Russian shoulder-fired MANPADS built to give small air-defense teams a mobile, infrared-guided weapon against low-flying aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Ukrainian units have used legacy Igla launchers alongside newer Western MANPADS as part of dispersed short-range air defense and mobile fire-group coverage.
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Built by
- KB Mashinostroyeniya
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
Service History
- In service
- 9K38 Igla accepted into Soviet service in 1983; Igla-S is a later improved export/service variant
- Used by
- Ukrainian Armed Forces, National Guard of Ukraine
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- KB Mashinostroyeniya
- Designed
- 1970s development period
- Built by
- KB Mashinostroyeniya
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
- Unit cost
- Not publicly standardized; varies by launcher, missile stock, and export package
- Produced
- 1980s-present for the family, including later Igla-S production
- Number built
- Not publicly confirmed
- Variants
- 9K310 Igla-1 / SA-16 Gimlet, 9K38 Igla / SA-18 Grouse, 9K338 Igla-S / SA-24 Grinch, Dzhigit twin-launcher mount
Specifications
- Crew
- 1 soldier
- Armament
- Single infrared-homing surface-to-air missile in a shoulder-fired launch tube
- Guidance
- Passive infrared homing; Igla-S uses a dual-spectrum thermal seeker
- Engagement range
- About 500-5,200 m for 9K38 Igla; up to 6,000 m for Igla-S
- Engagement altitude
- About 10-3,500 m
- Ready-to-fire weight
- About 17 kg for the 9K38 ready-to-fire system
- Targets
- Low-flying aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and cruise missiles
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Ukraine
Ukrainian air-defense troops and mobile fire groups have used Igla MANPADS against Russian aircraft and missiles, including officially cited National Guard engagements with Su-25 attack aircraft and Russian missiles.
Related Weapon Systems
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PPZR GromMan-portable air-defense systemPPZR Grom is a Polish shoulder-fired infrared surface-to-air missile system built by MESKO for short-range defense against visually acquired aircraft, helicopters, and other infrared-emitting targets. In the Russia-Ukraine War context, open-source arms researchers documented a Grom launcher tube reportedly seized from pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014, making the entry a recovered-conflict-system record rather than a confirmed Ukrainian-operated aid item.
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9K33 OsaShort-range self-propelled surface-to-air missile systemThe 9K33 Osa, NATO reporting name SA-8 Gecko, is a Soviet short-range self-propelled surface-to-air missile system that combines search radar, tracking radar, command guidance, and ready-to-fire missiles on a single amphibious 6x6 TELAR. In the Russia-Ukraine War it appears on both sides of the air-defense fight, including Ukrainian systems reinforced by Polish-supplied Osa vehicles and visually documented Russian losses..jpg?width=480)
9K35 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.Sources
"Igla-S" MANPADSPublisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Official export page supporting Igla-S role, launch options, guidance type, engagement range, altitude, and readiness data. | Accessed: 2026-06-20SA-18 Grouse Igla 9K38Publisher: Army Recognition | Note: Reference entry supporting 9K38 Igla background, 1983 service entry, baseline SA-18 specifications, and Ukrainian operator listing. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Please don't forget to thank our warriors in personPublisher: Official website of the President of Ukraine | Note: Directly supports Ukrainian Russia-Ukraine War use of Igla MANPADS by a National Guard air-defense soldier against Russian missiles. | Accessed: 2026-06-20President presented first certificates for apartments to Heroes of Ukraine and families of fallen HeroesPublisher: Official website of the President of Ukraine | Note: Directly supports Ukrainian Russia-Ukraine War use of Igla MANPADS by a National Guard anti-aircraft gunner credited with destroying Russian Su-25 aircraft. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:9K38 IGLA (4968730444).jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page; the file is listed as CC BY 2.0 and was reviewed from Flickr. | Accessed: 2026-06-20