SA-9 Gaskin / 9K31 Strela-1

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The 9K31 Strela-1 as it appears in Steel Beasts Professional

SA-9/9K31: Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Vehicle

Statistics

Main Armament: 6 x 9M31M Missiles
Ammunition Stowage: 4 ready/2 stowed
Default Ammunition: 4/2 SA-9B/9M31M


Armor Protection:
Frontal Turret Armor: N/A
Frontal Hull Armor: Thin, Steel. Protected vs small-arms and shell fragments.


Combat Mass: 7 tonnes
Length: 5.75m
Width: 2.35m
Height: 2.3m with launcher retracted.
Engine Power: 140hp GAZ-41 V-8 petrol
Top Speed: 100kph

General

Better known by its NATO reporting name: SA-9 "Gaskin", the 9K31 Strela-1 (Rus: 9K31 "Arrow") is a short-range air-defense vehicle developed in the late 1960's. The system entered service in 1968 and was initially armed with the IR guided 9M31 missile (SA-9A Gaskin-Mod0) but the design saw an immediate upgrade in 1970 to the 9M31M missile with an improved guidance system and heavier warhead (SA-9B Gaskin-Mod1), it is this version modeled in Steel Beasts Professional. Target acquisition for the modeled SA-9B is strictly optical while the original SA-9A carried the 9S16 "Flat Box" passive radar detection system with 360° coverage.

Although assigned to regimental anti-aircraft battalions as a single four vehicle platoon (3 SA-9B and 1 SA-9A), 9K31s will normally be encountered as part of air-defense "companies", consisting of a single 9K31, one ZSU-23-4, and a small number of IFV/APC mounted 9K38 "Igla" shoulder fired MANPADS.

As currently modeled, the vehicle's detection and missile range is ~5km and is very capable against all targets regardless of aspect.

Thermal Signature

9K31 Strela-1 TIS image, front-right 9K31 Strela-1 TIS image, rear-left