Missile 9K33 Osa (SA-8 Gecko)

The 9K33 Osa, NATO reporting name SA-8 Gecko, is a mobile, low-altitude tactical surface-to-air missile system. Development began in the Soviet Union in 1960, and the system entered service in 1972. It was the first mobile air defense system to integrate engagement radars and missiles on a single vehicle.

The 9A33 transporter erector launcher and radar (TELAR) vehicle is based on an amphibious, air-transportable wheeled chassis. The system independently detects, tracks, and engages aircraft using the Land Roll radar suite. This suite consists of an H-band surveillance antenna and a J-band engagement antenna. Guidance is provided via radio-frequency command line-of-sight (RF CLOS). The radar system can control up to two missiles simultaneously on different frequencies to counter electronic interference. A 9Sh33 electro-optical tracker serves as a backup for target tracking when radar systems are jammed. The system utilizes 9M33 series missiles, which employ dual-thrust solid propellant rocket motors and fragmentation-high explosive (Frag-HE) warheads with contact and proximity fuzing. Variants include the Osa-AKM, which uses box launchers for missiles, and the 4K33 Osa-M naval version, which is installed on various cruiser and frigate classes.

The 9K33 Osa has been exported to numerous countries and is used in both ground-based and naval roles. Syrian forces deployed the system during the 1982 Lebanon War, where it shot down an Israeli F-4 Phantom. During the Angolan Civil War, Cuban units operated the system, and an intact vehicle was captured by South African forces in 1987. Iraq used the Osa during the 1991 Gulf War, where it was employed against Tomahawk cruise missiles. The system was utilized by both sides in the 2008 Russo-Georgian War and the Russo-Ukrainian War. In the latter conflict, Ukrainian forces modified the system to launch R-73 air-to-air missiles. During the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, Armenian units used the Osa to down an Azerbaijani Su-25, though several systems were destroyed by armed drones. Indian Osa regiments were utilized in the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict to intercept low-flying drones.

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