Russia KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau)
9K38 Igla
A Soviet/Russian man-portable infrared-homing surface-to-air missile with counter-countermeasure seeker logic, widely exported and license-produced across former Warsaw Pact and allied states. It remains in front-line use on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war and across numerous other conflicts.
In service since 1983 · 30 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
5
km range
1.9
Mach
1
kg warhead
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Russian state channel
Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.
Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 30 operators
In service since 1983. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed (Mach)
Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.
- 1.9 Mach Stronger than 44% of missiles
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 5 km Bottom 8% of missiles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead
Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.
- 1 kg Bottom 1% of missiles
- Warhead type
Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.
- Blast-fragmentation, impact/grazing fuze
- Guidance
How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.
- Infrared homing
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 1.57 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 18 kg
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Solid-fuel rocket
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 30 Stronger than 89% of missiles
Specifications compiled from public KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau) 9K38 Igla? +
The KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau) 9K38 Igla has a maximum range of 5 km.
How much does the KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau) 9K38 Igla weigh? +
The KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau) 9K38 Igla has a combat weight of 18 kg.
What is the KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau) 9K38 Igla used for? +
The KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau) 9K38 Igla is a missile typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau) 9K38 Igla? +
The KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau) 9K38 Igla is operated by 30 countries.
How much does the KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau) 9K38 Igla cost? +
KBM (Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau) 9K38 Igla: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
