9M39 Igla
Suspended armaments
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Description
The 9M39 Igla is a Soviet infrared homing air-to-air missile, it was introduced in Update 1.91 "Night Vision".
Vehicles equipped with this weapon
General info
| Missile characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Mass | 10.6 kg |
| Guidance | IR |
| Aspect | All-aspects |
| Lock range (rear-aspect) | 11.00 km |
| Lock range (all-aspect) | 6.00 km |
| IRCCM | Yes |
| Launch range | 5.20 km |
| Maximum speed | 1.7 M |
| Maximum overload | 10.2 G |
| Missile guidance time | 14 secs |
| Explosive type | OKFOL-20 |
| Explosive mass | 400g |
| TNT Equivalent | 530g |
Effective damage
This missile can sometimes feel lacklustre in the damage department, while it will score a kill most of the time, on not-so-rare occasions it will just critically damage the target due to its rather low explosive mass (530g).
Comparison with analogues
The missile is identical in many points to the American AIM-92 Stinger. Its top speed is slower, and it only has a slightly shorter guidance time and a slightly lighter explosive mass.
Usage in battles
The Igla can catch unsuspecting players off guard, if launched from a helicopter's helipad it has the capability to successfully engage aircraft beyond 5 kilometres if they are unaware of the threat. Its considerable range can pose a persistent threat even to vigilant players who are aware of its launch. Evading an Igla fired at relatively close range requires active manoeuvring, which can result in a significant loss of speed, leaving the aircraft vulnerable to attacks from friendly planes or Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft (SPAA) units. Alternatively, if spotted early, it may be possible to outdistance the missile once its burner has been run out by leaving the area at Mach 1.0+.
Players should remain cautious of slow or stalling aircraft while operating with a vehicle with the Igla missile, particularly in proximity to the battlefield. Launching the missile at such aircraft leaves them insufficient time to evade, as they lack the necessary airspeed to manoeuvre effectively.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Average max overload of 10G
- Very good all-aspect lock range (6km)
- Challenging to counter with flares
Cons:
- Slowest speed of all MANPADS-type missiles although this can be an advantage
- Caged seeker
History
The SA-18 Grouse, equipped with the 9M39 missile, was incorporated into the Soviet Army in 1983. Following suit, the 9K38 Igla, featuring the same 9M39 missile, achieved full operational status within the Soviet Army during the same year. Key enhancements compared to the Igla-1 encompassed significantly bolstered resistance to flares and jamming, a more refined seeker system, widened engagement capability to cover fighters approaching head-on (all-aspect capability) under favourable conditions, a slightly extended range, and an upgraded rocket with heightened impulse and velocity, albeit with a comparable time of flight to maximum range.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;
- references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.
External links
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- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.