9K34 Strela-3

• Is Missile — yes • Name — 9K34 Strela-3 SA-N-8 • Origin — Soviet Union • Type — Man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) • Used By — See Operators • Wars — * Angolan Civil War • South African Border War • Iran–Iraq War • Salvadoran Civil War • War in Abkhazia (1992–1993) • Yugoslav Wars • Second Congo War • Afghan Civil War • Iraq War • Manufacturer — KBM, Kolomna • Service — 1974–present • Weight — * Missile weight: 10.3 kg • Full system: 16.0 kg (35.3 lb) • Length — 1.47 m • Speed — 470 m/s • Vehicle Range — 4500 m • Altitude — 1800 m vs. jets 3000 m vs. slow moving targets

On 22 November 2003 an Airbus A300 cargo plane was hit by a Strela-3 missile after takeoff from Baghdad International Airport, but managed to land safely despite losing hydraulic power. On 6 May 2006, a British Westland Lynx AH.7 of the Royal Navy from 847 Squadron was shot down with a Strela-3 over Basra, killing five crewmen and crashing into a house.

During the War in Abkhazia (1992–1993), a Russian Mi-8 helicopter was shot down by a Georgian Army SA-14 on December 14, 1992, resulting in the death of 3 crew and 58 passengers, most of them Russian refugees. A Georgian Air Force Su-25 was shot down over Nizhnaya Eshera on 4 July 1993 by SA-14, and several other aircraft on both sides may have been shot down by SA-14s.

A British Sea Harrier FRS1 of 801 Naval Air Squadron, operating from aircraft carrier Ark Royal on 16 April 1994, was shot down during its attack on two Republika Srpska T-55 tanks in Bosnia. The pilot, Lieutenant Nick Richardson, ejected and landed in territory controlled by friendly Bosnian Muslims.

A Zimbabwe Air Force Il-76 was shot down by Congolese rebels using an SA-14 on 11 October 1998 during the Second Congo War, resulting in the death of 40 troops and crew.

SA-14s used by the Northern Alliance are credited with having shot down 8 Taliban MiG-21 and Su-22 fighters during the Taliban's 2000 offensive against Taloqan.

A SA-14 (9K34 Strela-3) MANPADS was found during Operation Claw (2019-2020) in June 2019 in the Hakurk region of northern Iraq belonging to the PKK.

* * * * * * * * * * * • − Used by Ground Forces and Airborne units. * * *

• Hezbollah • Houthis • Islamic State • Flag of Kurdistan Workers' Party.svg Kurdistan Workers' Party

* * • − Produced under license. * * • – Never acquired to military service. • Federal Republic of Yugoslavia * • − Former East German stock, used for training only. * * • Iraq * * * * * * * • – Used by the Abu Dhabi Royal Guard. * *

• Bandera_-_Frente_Farabundo_Martí_para_la_Liberación_Nacional.svg Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front • Flag of Jamiat-e Islami.svg Jamiat-e Islami * • Flag of the Revolutionary United Front.png Revolutionary United Front • Flag of UNITA.svg UNITA – Captured from MPLA and Cuban forces in late 1987.

• System — 9K32M Strela-2M (missile: 9M32M) — 9K34 Strela-3 (missile: 9M36) — FIM-43C Redeye • Service entry — 1968 — 1974 — 1968 • Mass, full system, ready to shoot — 15 kg — 16 kg — 13.3 kg • Weight, missile — 9.8 kg — 10.3 kg — 8.3 kg • Length — 1.44 m — 1.47 m — 1.40 m • Warhead — 1.15 kg (0.37 kg HMX) directed-energy blast fragmentation — 1.17 kg (0.39 kg HMX) directed-energy blast fragmentation, including a 20g secondary charge to set off remaining rocket propellant — 1.06 kg M222 (0.36 kg HTA-3) blast fragmentation • Seeker type — AM-modulated (spin scan), uncooled PbS detector element (1–2.8 μm sensitivity range). Tail-chase only. — FM-modulated (con scan), nitrogen-cooled PbS detector element (2–4.3 μm sensitivity range). Limited forward hemisphere (all-aspect) capability — AM-modulated, gas-cooled PbS detector element. Tail-chase only. • Maximum range — 4,200 m — 4,500 m — 4,500 m • Speed — 430 m/s — 470 m/s — 580 m/s • Target's maximum speed, approaching/receding — 150/260 m/s — 310/260 m/s — –/225 m/s • Engagement altitude — 0.05–2.3 km — 0.03–3.0 km — 0.05–2.7 km

9K34 Strela-3 is classified as a man-portable air-defense system or surface-to-air missile. Associated with Soviet Union.

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