Recently, while
testing a Russian air defense system (the SAM-8/Osa-AK, a self-propelled
system that fires 170 kg/374 pound missiles) Indian Air Force
evaluators had to fire three missiles before one hit a slow moving
aerial target. The Indian Army already uses the SAM-8 but does not
publicize reliability rates. This is not the first time Russian weapons
have performed poorly when India tested them.
It is known that Russian weapons are less reliable and
effective than their Western counterparts. It is understood that this is
a tradeoff for cheaper prices and more bribes for the purchasing
officials.
Whenever these weapons are used on a large scale in a war
many of them do work, although not as well as Western versions and
whoever is using Russian weapons usually losses.
The SAM-8 has been around since the early 1970s and has been
upgraded several times. Reliability has improved as well, but it is
still not as reliable as comparable Western systems. SAM-8 is carried in
17.5 ton a 6x6 wheeled armored vehicle with a crew of five (to operate
the radar, fire the missiles, drive the vehicle and maintain all that
gear). The vehicle carries six missiles in sealed firing
containers. The
missiles can hit targets as high as 12,000 meters (39,000 feet) and up
to 15 kilometers away.
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