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2K12 Kub


NATO: SA-6 Gainful | Export: Kvadrat


Overview

2P25 launch vehicle

A 2P25M1 launch vehicle of the Kub-M1 (NATO: SA-6 Gainful) surface to air missile system as seen in 2013.
Source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin - © CC BY-SA 4.0

Origin
Soviet Union
Type
Self-propelled SAM system
Entered service
1967
Status
In service
Development
1958 - Mid 1960's
Developer
Soviet Union
Production
Mid 1960's - 1983
Producer
Soviet Union
Number produced
Over 600 batteries
Designations
SA-6 Gainful (NATO reporting name)
2K12 Kub / 2К12 Куб (Soviet service)
2K12E Kvadrat / Квадрат (export model)
Notable users
Soviet Union
Egypt
Iraq
Yugoslavia

Description

Introduction

The 2K12 Kub is a late Cold War era self-propelled surface to air missile system of Soviet origin. The Kub is one of the iconic Soviet Cold War systems with its large pointy missiles being a parade favorite. It was developed in the 1960's and was first operational in 1967. The NATO reporting name is SA-6 Gainful. This system saw widespread use with Soviet forces, Warsaw Pact nations and Soviet allies around the world. Combat effectiveness was mixed. Its high speed missiles were ahead of their time and proved lethal, while relying on a single radar vehicle proved its main vulnerability.

Design

The 2K12 Kub is a mobile surface to air missile system designed to keep up with armored formations. The components are spread over multiple tracked vehicles and a range of wheeled support vehicles. The heart and brains of the system is the 1S91 SURN, a combined search, tracking and fire control radar vehicle on a tracked chassis. The pointy end of the stick is the 3M9 missile. Three of these are transported and launched by the 2P25 tracked launch vehicle. The 3M9 missiles are one of the first operational ramjet missiles with peak velocity at nearly Mach 3. These are boosted to operational speed by a solid propellant motor located within the combustion chamber of the ramjet. These missile are semi-active radar homing and require target illumination by radar. The 2K12 Kub was upgraded several times to improve performance envelope and reduce its vulnerabilities.

Fire control

The 1S91 provides all radar functions needed at the battery level. These include the large 1S11 air search radar that spins 360 degrees for all around coverage. Maximum range is 75 km and a 50 km range is quoted against an F-4 Phantom II size target. The 1S31 continuous wave illuminator sits on top of the 1S11 and serves as a tracking radar and provides IFF functionality. Both radars and rotate independently. Various additional radars can be used at the regimental level. These include the various radars associated with the longer range 2K11 Krug system, with which the 2K12 Kub often collaborates as a lower level gap filler.

Firepower

The 3M9 missile has a maximum range of 22 to 25 km depending on the model. Maximum altitude was 7 to 8 km up to the Kub-M3 system. A maximum altitude of 14 km was achieved by the Kub-M4. Original Kub system could not reliably engage targets below 100 meters. Improved guidance and updated fuses reduced this to 50 and 20 meters in Kub-M1 and M3 respectively. Maximum speed of the 3M9 missile is Mach 2.8. A major drawback is that only one target can be engaged at a time, although more than one missile can be launched at that target. Early models had difficulties with target moving at more than 5 or 6 G, this was improved in newer missiles and updated fire control computation.

Protection

The Kub system is based on armored vehicles that protect from small arms fire and shell fragments. NBC protection is incorporated. The system remains vulnerable against everything from heavy machine gun fire and upward. Mobility is one of the key countermeasures against aerial bombardment and cluster munitions. From the Kub-M1 upward the 1S91 can quickly turn off and turn on its radar systems. This provides a degree of protection against anti-radiation missiles, which can otherwise be highly effective in taking out the 1S91 and its crew.

Mobility

The tracked chassis allows for good all terrain mobility. This allows it to keep up with armored formations. These vehicles are not as mobile as main battle tanks, but average speeds over longer distances are not that much lower. Mobility is also key in moving around often in order to pose less of a target against close air support and artillery fires.

Users

The 2K12 Kub was adopted by Soviet forces in 1967. It was first used in major combat operations in the 1973 Yom Kippur war. This also showed key vulnerabilities of the system. If the radar vehicle is destroyed the entire battery is no longer operational, and the radar vehicle can also engage only a single target at a time. These vulnerabilities were exploited by the Israeli air force and sparked Soviet development of the Buk system. Nevertheless, the Kub was widely exported in Soviet configurations to close allies and as the Kvadrat export model to many allies in the Middle East and Africa. Kub remain in use with several nations. Either as near obsolete Cold War era models, or as deep modernizations and refits that are/were offered by various nations.

System composition

Composition of a battery

2P25 launch vehicle | 3 or 4 per battery

Transport and launch vehicle for three 3M9 missiles. The launcher can rotate to provide a full 360 degree coverage. Three or four of these vehicles are provided per battery.

1S91 SURN radar vehicle | 1 per battery

Combined search radar and tracking radar vehicle. The search radar has a maximum range of 75 km and can maintain a 360 degree search while the 28 km range tracking radar is in use. The tracking radar also performs IFF duties and can provide target illumination for a single target at a time. Only a single 1S91 is provided per battery. When lost, the battery is non-operational.

3M9 missile | 3 per launch vehicle

Surface to air missile with semi-active radar homing seeker. Ramjet powered missile brought up to speed by a solid propellant rocket motor. Three missiles are carried per launch vehicle. One or two missiles can be guided onto a single target at a time by the 1S91.

2T7 Transloader | 2 per battery

Transloader based on a ZiL-131 tactical truck. Carries three missiles. A small crane is used to replenish the 2P25 launch vehicle.

Media

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