KOVROV, Central Russia, December 15 (AVN) - Designers from the Kovrov-based mechanical plant and the Nudelman precise machine-building design bureau have completed work on modernisation of 9M37M air defence missile of Strela-10M system up to new Kitoboi 9M333 missile level, a source in the plant administration told the Military News Agency.
Russian and other countries' armed forces have been using Strela-10 and Strela-10M portable air defence missile systems for a long time. Most of them are equipped with missiles produced 10 and even more years ago. Then appeared small-size low-flying speedy air targets including cruise missiles and the need of combating them appeared.
This latest plant model is the Kitoboi 9M333 homing jamming-proof air defence missile with the range of flight of 5.5 kilometres which is the best in the world, Valery Parkhomenko, plant chief engineer, said. The missile's homing warhead has three channels which are optical, heating and jamming. The latest defends missile of all optical and heating jamming which is possible to be on foe plane. Missile combat surface capacity is increased from 3,5 to 5kg. Laser non-contact sensor helps to break combat surface in case of blunder and affect flying vehicle with fragments made of special rods.
The missile modernisation helped to raise not only combat efficiency but also the export possibilities. According to the specialists, the modernisation of those missiles will help the countries which armies are equipped with Strela-10 and Strela-10M portable air defence missile systems to get the new up-to-date fighting weapon. Another important factor is that the modernisation will cost half price of the new Kitoboi missile.