Function: Low altitude, forward deployed, mobile radar guided surface to air missile.





Description: The SA-8 is a low altitude single stage surface to air missile dependent on radar command guidance. The LAND ROLL radar is capable of aquiring targets at 30km and can begin tracking targets at 20 - 25km. Two seperate missile guidance radars are used (with off set frequencies to reduce the effectiveness of Electronic Counter Measure (ECM) activity)and each can guide a single missile. In the event of jamming or radar shut down the SA-8 may track targets optically. The SA-8 is armed with a 19kg fragmentation warhead with contact and proximity detonation capability.



An SA-8 battery consists of two launch vehicles, each armed with 6 missiles, and two transload vehicles with eighteen missile reloads. The lethal radius of the SA-8 at low altitude is 5 meters. The SA-8 is highly mobile, fully amphibious,air transportable, and can be displacing to a new location within 4 minutes after system shut down.







General Characteristics,SA-8 GECKO Surface to Air Missile



Propulsion:

Single stage solid rocket propellant



Length:

10.4 feet (3.1 meters)





Diameter:

8.2 inches (20.96 centimeters)





Weight Fully Armed:

286.6 pounds (130 kilograms)





Maximum Range:

15 kilometers





Minimum Range:

1500 meters





Minimum Altitude:

25 meters







Fuzing:

Impact, proximity





Ceiling:

5 kilometers





Speed:

Mach 2.4





Guidance System:

Radar command





Warhead:

19 kilograms fragmentation





Rate of Fire:

Three missiles per target but limited to one target at a time





Introduction Date:

1980