Buk-M1

Russian surface-to-air missile. Improved version of Buk with highly-secret anti-missile capability.

The improved Buk-M1 9K37M1 surface-to-air missile system was accepted by the military in 1983. It provided some capability against tactical ballistic missile re-entry vehicles. This required detailed changes to both the guidance system and the rocket. However this capability was kept highly secret at the time.

The Buk system can engage six targets simultaneously, and guide 12 missiles at missiles with incoming speeds of up to 830 m/s. The Buk-M1 system consists of: a command point; the 9S18M1 tracking station; six self-propelled 9A310M1 launchers with 4 missiles each; 3 to 6 9S39M1 reloading vehicles with 8 missiles each; the 9M39M1 surface-to-air missile (using a single-stage solid rocket motor and a semi-active homing system developed by MNII Agat). The vehicles of the system provide armour protection for the launch crews, while still achieving high mobility. The launching and reloading vehicles were designed by NPP Start, and the warheads for the missiles by the Machine Industry Factory named for M I Kalinin. The system can be ready to launch within 5 minutes of reaching a new site.

Maximum target speed 2160 kph. Reaction time 22 seconds from track to launch. 5 minutes set-up after arrival on site; 5 minutes to depart in 'shoot and scoot' mode. 2 targets can be intercepted simultaneously. 4 missiles per launcher.

Radars: 9S18M1 Kupol-M Snow Drift target acquisition radar, range 160 km. 9S35M1 Fire Dome target tracking radar, H/I band, range 85 km. Maximum speed: 2900km/hr. 15 m minimum altitude.