Missile 2K11 (SA-4 Ganef)

Development of the 2K11 air defense system began in 1957. The system was first displayed in 1965 and began fielding in 1967, reaching full operational status in 1969. It served as a long-range surface-to-air missile system within the Soviet Army. Successive variants, including the Krug-A, Krug-M, and Krug-M1, entered service between 1967 and 1974 to address technical requirements identified during service.

The 2K11 is a transportable, medium-to-high altitude surface-to-air missile system. The transport erector launcher utilizes a tracked chassis and carries two missiles on an elevating turntable capable of rotation and elevation. The missiles are launched using four solid-fuel rocket boosters, followed by the ignition of a liquid-fuelled ramjet sustainer engine. Guidance is maintained via radio command, though optical tracking can be employed in environments with heavy electronic countermeasures. The missile is equipped with a fragmentation high-explosive warhead utilizing contact and proximity fuzes.

The system architecture includes early warning, fire control and guidance, and height-finding radars. To improve survivability against anti-radiation missiles, the system can operate in PI mode, which uses brief target illumination and computer-calculated flight paths. A passive mode allows tracking based on external radar data via radio datalink without emitting radiation. The system also features a mode for homing on jamming signals.

The 2K11 was widely deployed by the Soviet Union and exported to various countries. It remains in service in Armenia and Turkmenistan. Former operators include Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, and Ukraine. The Soviet Army deployed the system during the war in Afghanistan in 1979 and 1980, though it was withdrawn shortly after the initial invasion. In 2006, Poland conducted flight tests of the missiles against P-15 Termit targets. Obsolete missiles have also been utilized as target drones under the designation 9M316M Virazh.

🇦🇲 Armenia • 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan • 🇧🇬 Bulgaria • 🇨🇿 Czech Republic • 🇩🇪 Ex-East Germany • 🇩🇪 Germany • 🇬🇪 Georgia • 🇭🇺 Hungary • 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan • 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan • 🇵🇱 Poland • 🇷🇺 Russia • 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan • 🇺🇦 Ukraine