Tor missile system The Tor missile system ( ; ) is an all - weather low to medium altitude , short - range surface - to - air missile system designed for engaging airplanes , helicopter s , cruise missiles , precision guided munition s , unmanned aerial vehicles and short - range ballistic threats ( Anti - Munitions ) . Originally developed by the Soviet Union under the GRAU designation 9K330 , the system is commonly known by its NATO reporting name , SA - 15 " Gauntlet " . A navalized variant was developed under the name 3K95 " Kinzhal " , also known as the SA - N - 9 " Gauntlet " . Tor was also the first air defence system in the world designed from the start to shoot down precision guided weapons like the AGM - 86 ALCM . Development . The development of the Tor missile system started on the 4th of February 1975 , in response to the directives of the Central Committee of the CPSU . Initiated as a successor to the 9K33 Osa ( NATO reporting name SA - 8 " Gecko " ) , development on the land based version was conducted in parallel with a navalized variant of the system ( 3K95 Kinzhal / SA - N - 9 " Gauntlet ) , to be installed on a number of upcoming ship classes , including the Kirov class battlecruiser s , and retrofitted onto older ships . Responsibility for development was given to the Antey design bureau headed by V . P . Efremov , the missiles designed by MKB Fakel under P . D . Grushin and the Altair design bureau headed by S . A . Fadeyev responsible for development of Kinzhal . All the developers and manufacturers of the Tor missile system would become unified into Almaz - Antey in 2002 . The project was given strict design specifications to meet ; Tor had to provide extended detection and tracking of fast , low radar cross section targets and be capable of quickly and efficiently dealing with massed air raids , whilst providing a high degree of automation and integration with other air defence assets . In order to meet these demanding specifications , the designers used a variety of new technologies , including advanced phased array radar for improved detection and tracking performance , enhanced digital information processing , and vertically launched missiles to improve reaction time and increase the number of readily available munitions . After a period of testing and evaluation between December 1983 and December 1984 , the land based system was accepted into service on March 19 , 1986 . Despite starting testing earlier than its terrestrial counterpart , the naval variant , Kinzhal , had a more protracted development . After an extended testing period using a Project 1124 Grisha class corvette ( including the engagement and destruction of four P - 5 Pyatyorka ( SSC - 1a Shaddock ) anti - ship missiles in 1986 ) Kinzhal finally entered service in 1989 . Improvements . Even while the Tor was being introduced into service , work started on improving the system , resulting in an enhanced version , the Tor - M1 . Many improvements over the original system were made ; these included the addition of a second fire control channel , allowing two targets to be engaged at once ; as well as upgrades to the optical tracking system and computer equipment . ECM protection and warhead design were also modified , as was the ammunition handling system . State tests , conducted between March and December 1989 , showed that the result was a system which could engage more targets in a shorter time frame with reaction times reduced by over a second and an increased probability of target destruction . The M1 was introduced into service in 1991 . Further modifications occurred as a response of insight gained from the 1995 NATO bombing in Bosnia and Herzegovina resulting in the Tor - M1 - 1 , or Tor - M1V , which offered improved network connectivity and ECM functions . Upgrades have continued over the lifetime of the system , with developer Almaz Antey unveiling the newest incarnation of the Tor missile system , the Tor - M2E , at the MAKS Airshow in 2007 . The latest variant features improved fire control radar coverage , and four guidance channels , allowing up to four missiles to be guided at any one time . The Tor - M2E also offers the option of a wheeled chassis , as well as a new digital computer system and all weather optical tracking system . Description . The closest foreign analogues to the Tor , in function and operation , are systems like the British Rapier missile and French Crotale missile systems . All 3 systems are mobile and self - propelled , Tor using the 9A330 combat vehicle , which carries a crew of four ( one driver , three operators ) , and acts as an autonomous Transporter , Launcher , And Radar unit , or TLAR ( similar to but not a TELAR , as it does not erect the missile to a launch position ) . The 9A330 is based on the GM - 355 chassis manufactured by MMZ , the Tor - M1 using the improved GM - 5955 . Like Rapier and Crotale , in addition to the tracked vehicle , there are also static and towed versions of the Tor , as well as a wheeled technology demonstrator , the Tor - M2E . Arranged in a similar fashion to the previous 9K33 Osa and 9K22 Tunguska ( ) air defense systems , Tor ’ s TLAR features a turret with a top mounted target acquisition radar , and frontal tracking radar , with 8 ready to fire missiles stored vertically between the two radars . The target acquisition radar is a 3D F band pulse doppler radar , equipped with a truncated parabolic antenna , and a mechanically , later electronically , scanned in azimuth with a 32 degree sector view , and has an average power output of 1 . 5 kW , which provides a maximum detection range of 25 km / 16 mi . For reference , a McDonnell Douglas F - 15 at an altitude of 6 km has a detection probability of 0 . 8 at this range . The electronic ‘ heart ’ of the system is a digital fire control system , which allows detection of up to 48 targets and the tracking of ten at any one time , and integrates IFF functionality ; the IFF antenna being mounted above the search radar . The target engagement radar is a G band / H band ( later K band ) pulse doppler radar with an electronically scanned ( in azimuth ) phased - array antenna . The radar is classed as a thinned array ( design using fewer elements ) incorporating only 570 phase shifters and uses linear polarization . The radar has an average power output of 0 . 6 kW providing a maximum detection range of 20 km / 12 mi . An F - 15 type aircraft had a detection probability of 0 . 8 at this range . Originally Tor could only engage one target at a time , and with only two of its missiles . Later variants of the Tor system ( Tor - M1 and M2E ) incorporate additional fire control channels , as well as improved fire control computers , allowing the system to engage two ( M1 ) and then four ( M2E ) targets , whilst simultaneously guiding up to four ( M1 ) and then eight ( M2E ) missiles . . There is also a small antenna on the top of the target engagement radar to communicate with missiles after launch . Together these radars carry the NATO reporting name " Scrum Half " . To reduce the dimensions of the vehicle , the target acquisition radar can be folded down horizontally when travelling , and the tracking radar can partially rotate away from vertical . To allow engagements in the ECM heavy environment that is the modern battlefield , the 9K332 is equipped with an optical tracking system , complementing the main radar . As a fully mobile system , the Tor is capable of acquiring and tracking targets while the TLAR is moving . Due , however , to the interference with launch operations while on the move , missiles can be fired only when the system is in a stationary position . Once set up , the reaction time ( from target detection to engagement ) is described as 5 – 8 seconds , depending on the variant ; however , reaction time is somewhat longer ( around 10 seconds ) whilst in motion and firing in short halts . To facilitate this mode of operation , an auxiliary power unit ( APU ) is fitted so that the main engine can be shut down while the radar and missile system continue to operate when stationary , enabling long periods of readiness . The digital computers allowed for a higher degree of automation than any previous Soviet system of its type . Target threat classification is automatic and the system can be operated with little operator input , if desired . The high performance computing system combined with a phased array radar are the main reasons for the system ' s high degree of accuracy , ability to intercept small , fast and highly maneuverable targets , and the very fast reaction times of the system . It is equipped with NBC ( nuclear , biological and chemical ) protection . Reflecting the complex nature of system , the price per unit was quoted as $ 25 million in 2007 . Typically , a battery of four Tor vehicles is accompanied by the mobile Ranzhir - M ( ) command center . It allows for efficient allocation of tasks between the individual Tor - M1 crews and allows each TLAR to be linked into a wider air defense system , thereby increasing target detection range and reaction time . 3K95 Kinzhal . The 3K95 " Kinzhal " ( – " dagger " ) is the naval version of the Tor missile system developed by " Altair " and has the NATO reporting name SA - N - 9 Gauntlet . Using the same 9M330 missile as the land based version , the system can be mounted on vessels displacing over 800 tonnes and is known to be installed on " Admiral Kuznetsov " class aircraft carriers , " Kirov " class multimission cruisers , " Udaloy " class anti - submarine destroyers and " Neustrashimy " class frigates . The naval version of the later Tor - M1 is known as the " Yozh " ( - " hedgehog " ) , while the export version of the Kinzhal is known as " Klinok " ( - " blade " ) . Stored within rotary VLS modules , the missiles are clustered into launchers comprising three to six modules ( 32 ( " Neustrashimy " ) , 64 ( " Udaloy " ) or 192 ( " Kuznetsov " , " Kirov " ) missiles ) and mounted flush to the deck . Each module has up to eight missiles stored ready to fire ; during firing the missile is cold launched using a gas catapult before the launcher brings the next round to a firing position . Fire control ( FC ) is handled by the 3R95 multi - channel FC system , ( NATO reporting name Cross Swords ) , composed of two different radar sets , a G - band target acquisition radar ( maximum detection range 45 km / 28 mi , ) and a K - band target engagement radar , ( maximum tracking range 15 km / 9 mi ) that handles the actual prosecution of a target . Using two top mounted , mechanically scanned , parabolic target acquisition radars , the fire control system provides a 360 degree field of view , as well as IFF . The target engagement radar is an electronically scanned phased array antenna of the reflection type mounted on the front of the fire control system with a 60 degree field of view . Much like its land based sibling , the target engagement radar can track and guide eight missiles on up to four targets at once and is effective to a range of 1 . 5 – 12 km and an altitude of 10 – 6000 m . The system has a reaction time of 8 – 24 seconds , depending on the mode of operation , and is managed by a crew of 13 . Additional missile guidance antennae can be seen around the fire control system and the 3K95 , like the upgraded Tor launchers , is equipped with a secondary infrared guidance system . The 3R95 can also provide fire control information for the vessels AK - 630 close in weapons systems ( CIWS ) providing a second line of defence should anything penetrate the missile layer . Variants . " ' ADMS « tor - M2 » " ' currently produced at OJSC " Izhevsk Electromechanical plant « Kupol » Is a representative of new generation of combat means air defense short - range class « tor » . Differs high efficiency deflect massive raids modern means of air attack in the conditions of firing and radio - electronic counteraction . " ' Tor - M2E ( 9К332МЭ ) " ' - antiaircraft missile system with a fighting vehicle on caterpillar chassis . In the composition of the military capabilities of the complex includes : the fighting machine 9А331МЭ and antiaircraft missile module 9М334 with four anti - aircraft guided missiles 9М9331 . " ' Tor - m2 K » ( 9К332МК ) " ' - antiaircraft missile system with fighting machine on a wheeled chassis . Chassis developed by the Belarusian enterprise « the Minsk plant of wheeled tractors » . In the composition of the military capabilities of the complex includes : the fighting machine 9А331МК and antiaircraft missile module 9М334 with four anti - aircraft guided missiles 9М9331 . " ' Tor - М2КМ » ( 9К331МКМ ) " ' - created in modular design , to accommodate various types of шассии . In the composition of the military capabilities of the complex includes : a stand - alone weapon 9А331МК - 1 and antiaircraft missile module 9М334 with four anti - aircraft guided missiles 9М9331 . At MAKS - 2013 was presented on the chassis of the Indian TATA . Missiles . Weighing in at 167 kg ( 368 lb ) , the 9M330 missile is 3 . 5 m ( 11 . 5 ft ) long , carries a 15 kg ( 33 lb ) warhead and has a peak speed of around Mach 2 . 8 . Utilizing command guidance and radar controlled proximity fuze s , the missiles can maneuver at up to 30 Gs and engage targets flying at up to Mach 2 . Cold launched , the missiles are propelled out of the vehicle before the solid fuel rocket motor fires and the gas - dynamic maneuvering system turns them toward their target . Missiles can also be fired against surface targets . Each missile is a sealed round , stored in two groups of four . Engagement range is up to 12 km ( 0 . 8 - 6 . 47 nm ) with minimum range varying between 100 – 2000 m ( 328 - 5 , 621 feet ) , depending upon version and an effective altitude of 10 – 6000 m ( 33 - 20 , 000 ft ) . Kill probabilities for later versions are quoted as : Combat history . In a press conference regarding the 2008 South Ossetia War , Russian defence ministry spokesperson Anatoliy Nogovitsyn speculated about the use of the Tor missile system by Georgia against attacking Russian aircraft . The system suggested as a possible cause of the loss of a Tu - 22M R strategic bomber , shot down by Georgian air - defences while on a reconnaissance mission during the conflict . While the loss of the bomber has also been attributed to the Buk - M1 , which Georgia obtained from the Ukraine in 2007 , if the loss can be attributed to Tor it would be the first time the ( as yet unproven ) system has seen combat use . Operators . The HQ - 17 ( Hongqi - 17 ) is the reported Chinese designation for the Tor missile system , which is replacing the HQ - 61 . There is no confirmation that China is currently manufacturing its own licenced copy of the Tor system . In 1996 , China ordered 14 Tor - M1 missile systems from Russia which were delivered under contract in 1997 . In 1999 , another contract for 13 Tor - M1 systems was signed between Russia and China . Delivery of the systems took place in 2000 . Russia has delivered an undetermined number of Tor - M1 systems ( originally built for Greece ) to the Islamic Republic of Iran amid protests from the United States . It is suspected that at least 29 such systems have been transferred along with service contracts with an approximate value of $ 700 , 000 , 000 USD .