1 photo

Missile

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

km range

1.9

Mach

kg warhead

Several performance figures for Russia-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

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. Why so few systems publish one →

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.

Performance specifications
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.

Firepower specifications
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.

Physical specifications
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 specifications
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…	Solid-fuel rocket

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.	30 Top 9% 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

Missile

9K38 Igla AGM-86 ALCM

Boeing AGM-86 ALCM

View AGM-86 ALCM ↗

Missile

9K38 Igla AIM-7 Sparrow

Raytheon (RTX) AIM-7 Sparrow

View AIM-7 Sparrow ↗

Missile

9K38 Igla AGM-88E AARGM

Northrop Grumman AGM-88E AARGM

View AGM-88E AARGM ↗

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.