R-33 vs Iris-T
The R-33 and the Iris-T are both Air-to-Air missiles. The R-33 has a range of 160 km — 6.4x the Iris-T's 25 km. The R-33 reaches 5,556 km/h vs 3,704 km/h for the Iris-T. The R-33 carries a 47.5 kg warhead vs 11.5 kg for the Iris-T. Launch weight is 490 kg for the R-33 vs 87 kg for the Iris-T. The R-33 uses Inertial and semi-active radar homing guidance, while the Iris-T relies on Imaging infrared homing. The R-33 entered service 24 years before the Iris-T (1981 vs 2005).
| Soviet air-to-air missile, entered service in 1981, carries a 47.5 kg warhead. | |
| Origin | 🇷🇺 Russia, 🇨🇳 Ex-USSR |
| Category | Air-to-Air |
| Type | Semi-active radar-guided air-to-air missile |
| Manufacturer | Vympel |
| Service year | 1981 |
| Number produced | -- units |
| Estimated unit price | NA |
| German air-to-air missile, entered service in 2005, uses imaging infrared homing for guidance. | |
| Origin | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| Category | Air-to-Air |
| Type | Infrared-guided air-to-air missile |
| Manufacturer | Diehl BGT |
| Service year | 2005 |
| Number produced | 5,000 units |
| Estimated unit price | $0.5 million |
| Range | 160.0 km ◉ |
| Maximum speed | Mach 4.5 ◉ |
| Weight | 490 kg ◉ |
| Warhead | 47.5 kg ◉ |
| Length | 4.15 m ◉ |
| Diameter | 380 mm ◉ |
| Guidance | Inertial and semi-active radar homing |
| Warhead type | High Explosive |
| Range | 25.0 km ◉ |
| Maximum speed | Mach 3.0 ◉ |
| Weight | 87 kg ◉ |
| Warhead | 11.5 kg ◉ |
| Length | 2.94 m ◉ |
| Diameter | 127 mm ◉ |
| Guidance | Imaging infrared homing |
| Warhead type | High Explosive / Fragmentation |
Performance Radar Chart
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has longer range, the R-33 or Iris-T?
The R-33 has a longer range at 160 km compared to the Iris-T's 25 km.
Which is faster, the R-33 or Iris-T?
The R-33 is faster with a maximum speed of Mach 4.5 compared to the Iris-T's Mach 3.0.
Which has a larger warhead, the R-33 or Iris-T?
The R-33 carries a larger warhead at 47 kg compared to the Iris-T's 11 kg.
Which is heavier, the R-33 or Iris-T?
The R-33 is heavier at 490 kg compared to the Iris-T's 87 kg.
Which is longer, the R-33 or Iris-T?
The R-33 is longer at 4.15 meters compared to the Iris-T's 2.94 meters.
What guidance systems do the R-33 and Iris-T use?
The R-33 uses Inertial and semi-active radar homing guidance while the Iris-T uses Imaging infrared homing guidance.
Which entered service first, the R-33 or Iris-T?
The R-33 entered service first in 1981, 24 years before the Iris-T which entered service in 2005.