9K33 Osa The 9K33 " Osa ( ; ) is a highly mobile , low - altitude , short - range tactical surface - to - air missile system . " 9K33 " is its GRAU designation . Its NATO reporting name is SA - 8 " Gecko . Its export version name is Romb . Description . The SA - 8 was the first mobile air defense missile system incorporating its own engagement radars on a single vehicle . All versions of the 9K33 feature all - in - one 9A33 transporter erector launcher and radar ( TELAR ) vehicles which can detect , track and engage aircraft independently or with the aid of regimental surveillance radar s . The six - wheeled transport vehicles BAZ - 5937 are fully amphibious and air transportable . The road range is about 500 km . The 1S51M3 - 2 radar system on the SA - 8 TELAR received the NATO codename " Land Roll " . It was derived from the naval ` Pop Group ' radar system but is smaller since it does not require the elaborate stabilisation system . An improved system designated the SA - 8B ` Gecko ' Mod 1 , was first seen in Germany in 1980 . It had improvements added to the launcher configuration , carrying six missiles in ribbed containers . The system is reported to be of the frequency - agile monopulse type . It consists of an elliptical rotating surveillance antenna mounted on top of the array , operates in H band ( 6 to 8 GHz ) and has a 30 km acquisition range against most targets . The large pulsed J band ( 14 . 5 GHz ) engagement antenna is mounted below it in the centre of the array and has a maximum tracking range of about 20 km . Mounted on either side of the tracking radar antenna is a small J band parabolic dish antenna to track the missile . Below that is a small circular antenna which emits an I band uplink capture beam to gather the missile shortly after launch . The final antennas in the array are two small white rectangular ones , one on either side of the array mounted alongside the I band . These are used for command uplink to the missile . This twin antenna system permits the ' Land Roll ' radar to control up to two missiles simultaneously against a single target . Furthermore , the two missiles can be guided on different frequencies to further complicate ECM . There is also a tubular device fitted to and above the tracking radar ; this is a 9Sh33 electro - optical tracker . It can be used to track the target when the main tracking radar is jammed by ECM . A 9K33 battery comprises four 9A33B TELAR vehicles and two 9T217 transloader vehicles on BAZ - 5939 chassis with reload missiles and a crane . A reload time of five minutes has been reported per TELAR . In addition to the TELARs , each regiment is also assigned a single radar collimation vehicle 9V914 ( initially on the BAZ - 5938 chassis but more often found on the ZiL - 131 truck ) . This vehicle assists in the alignment of the TELAR ' s radar systems , ensuring accurate target tracking and engagement . Variants . The 9K33M3 is also able to utilize the 9A33BM3 missiles which are wire - guided , presumably for use in an ECM - heavy environment where the radio command guidance may not operate properly . Missiles . Engagement range for the early versions is approximately 2 – 9 km ( 1 . 3 - 5 . 6 miles ) and engagement altitudes of between 50 – 5000 m ( 164 - 16 , 400 ft ) . The 9M33M2 " Osa - A " missile extends the ranges out to 1500 - 10000m ( 1 - 6 . 2 miles ) and engagement altitudes to 25 – 5000 m ( 82 - 16 , 400 ft ) . The 9M33M3 missile greatly enhances the altitude engagement envelope to 10 – 12000 m ( 33 - 42 , 500 ft ) , and as such are also able to fly further ( about 15 km / 9 miles ) but the system is not able to engage targets at longer ranges , due to other factors such as the radar tracking of the missiles . The system is designed for use primarily against jet aircraft and helicopters in any kind of weather . The 9M33 missiles are 3 . 158 m ( 10 . 3 ft ) long , weigh 126 kg ( 278 lb ) and use command guidance . There is also a backup low - light optical tracking system for heavy ECM environments . The latest 9M33M3 missiles have an increased total weight of 170 kg ( 375 lb ) in order to provide the extended range coverage and larger warhead . Propulsion is provided by a dual - thrust solid fuel rocket motor . Both versions feature a missile speed of around Mach 2 . 4 ( peaking at around Mach 3 ) for a maximum target engagement speed of around Mach 1 . 4 for the original missile and Mach 1 . 6 for the M2 \ M3 missiles . The warhead for the initial and M2 versions weighs 19 kg ( 42 pounds ) , increased to 40 kg ( 88 lb ) in the M3 version to improve performance against helicopters . All versions have impact and proximity fuzes . There have been unconfirmed reports of other possible versions of the missile with both infra - red and semi - active radar terminal homing seekers . Each TELAR is able to launch and guide two missiles against one target simultaneously . Kill probability is quoted as being 0 . 35 - 0 . 85 for the Osa and 0 . 55 - 0 . 85 for the Osa - AK and Osa - AKM ( presumably depending upon target aspect , speed , maneuverability and radar cross section ) . Reaction time ( from target detection to launch ) is around 26 seconds . Time to prepare for engagements from being in transit is around 4 minutes and missile reloading takes around 5 minutes . Each battery of four TELARs is usually accompanied by two reload vehicles carrying 18 missiles in sets of three , with a crane mounted on the reload vehicles to assist in moving the missiles . When launched the booster motor burns for two seconds , this permits the radar to gather and control it at very short ranges ( about 1 . 6 km ) . The sustainer motor has a 15 second burn , bringing the missile to a top speed of about Mach 2 . Once launched the missile is command - guided for the whole flight , and the warhead is detonated by its proximity fuze or possible command . The warhead is said to have a lethal radius of 5 m at low altitude against a F - 4 Phantom size target . Deployment and History . As well as the USSR / Russia , there are many export customers for this system , including Cuba , Greece ( from the former East Germany ) , Poland , Syria , Ecuador and Iraq . In late 80 ' s Cuba deployed several SA - 8 units in southern Angola and posed a significant threat to South African air superiority at shorter ranges . Iraq used Osa systems during the 1991 Gulf War . South African 61 Mechanised Battalion Group captured a complete SA - 8 anti - aircraft missile system on 3 October 1987 during the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale . This was the first time that such a system had ever fallen into non - Warsaw Pact forces hands , giving Western intelligence agencies an opportunity to examine an important Soviet - bloc weapon system . The system was also seen used in the 2008 South Ossetia War by both Georgians and Russians . Libyan SA - 8s were used and some destroyed during the 2011 Libyan war . During the Syrian civil war in December 2012 , rebels fighting Bashar al - Assad ' s forces managed to capture an Osa system after a raid on an air defense base near Damascus .