The man-portable air defence missile system 9K38 Igla was used by Ukraine to shoot down a Ka-52 military helicopter in a video provided by the country’s ministry of defence.
The attack on the Ka-52 helicopter by the Ukrainian army using 9K38 Igla MANPADS shoulder-fired missiles was captured on camera. The Ka-52 aircraft was flying at a low altitude before it was attacked by MANPAD.Ukraine said the helicopter was shot down in the southeastern province of Zaporizhia.
The Soviet Union created the 9K38 Igla MANPADS in the 1970s, and since 1981, army units have utilised them extensively as a “shield” low-altitude protection for mobile combat forces. An infrared-controlled air defence system is a MANPADS. The system makes use of surface-to-air missiles 9M39 (SAM). The full Igla shoulder-fired missile complex weighs 17.9 kg when it is prepared for combat (missing weight is 10.8 kg alone).
The missile is 1.57 metres long and 0.07 metres in diameter. It can travel 5.2 kilometres in range, 3.5 kilometres in altitude, and 850 metres per second at Mach 3.5. (3.5 times the speed of sound). Military Cognizance also predicts that the 1.17 kg warhead’s weight and numerous shards will result in a significant damage zone.
With a light weight, medium size to carry on the soldier’s shoulder, each MANPADS team only needs 1-2 people and can fire at targets in many different states.
Ukraine’s military is using two main types of MANPADS, including the Igla missile produced in the Soviet era and the Stinger missile supported by the US.
Currently, the Igla-S (SA-24 Grinch) is the latest version of the MANPADS man-portable air defense system, equipped with long-wave infrared and ultraviolet homing heads, modernized electronics, and fully digital chemical.
Besides, it can work in all weather conditions and environments, can shoot at any position, has night vision equipment attached. Igla-S has great destructive power, the outstanding advantage of this system is the installation of 2 contact and non-contact fuses.
