The Iraqis appear to have advanced Russian shoulder-fired missiles

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=716&e=14&u=/nm/20040118/ts_nm/iraq_weapons_dc

Study Says Iraq Insurgents Use Advanced Weapons -NYT

<snip>Army officials told the paper that one troubling finding is that on at least one occasion insurgents used an SA-16 shoulder-fired missile, which is harder to thwart than the SA-7 missiles and rocket-propelled grenades used in other attacks.


Officials did not specify which incident or incidents might have involved an SA-16.

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http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/row/sa-16.htm

SA-16 GIMLET
Igla-1 9K310

SA-16 GIMLET (Igla-1 9K310) man-portable surface-to-air missile system, a further development from the SA-7 & SA-14 series, is an improved version of the SA-18 GROUSE, which was introduced in 1983, three years before the SA-16. The SA-16 feattures a new seeker and modified launcher nose cover. Whereas the the SA-18 9M39 missile is fitted with an aerodynamic spike on the nose, the 9M310 missile of the SA-16 has the spike replaced with an aerodynamic cone held in place with a wire tripod. On the SA-18 the protective cover of the seeker is conical, on the SA-16 it is tubular with a prominent lip at the forward edge. The 9M313 missile of the SA-16 employs an IR guidance system using proportional convergence logic, and an improved two-color seeker, presumably IR and UV). The seeker is sensitive enough to home in on airframe radiation, and the two-color sensitivity is designed to minimize vulnerability to flares. The SA-16 has a maximum range of 5000 meters and a maximum altitude of 3500 meters.

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[Mikimouse]

1. I don't know how to respond to this...

This, if it is verified, could mean that we are in a whole new ball game (nothing cavalier intended). It also means that the Russians have not forgotten that many of their Hind helicopters were brought down by American made heat seeking missles (don't remember the exact type). One wonders if this is the beginning of the international backlash at the US for having allowed this administration's charade to go so far. Many questions, but very few answers at the moment. I guess time will tell. Thoughts?

[CHIMO]

2. It Turned

The battle in Afghanastan.

When a weakness is found it will be exploited.

In a way it is only a matter of time.

[maggrwaggr]

3. well there's this thing called "the weapons market"

and just because something's made in Russia sure as hell doesn't mean it was supplied with the blessing of the Russian government.

That being said, there is certainly no shortage of folks who HATE the United States at this point for what it's doing to Iraq, and who would be more than happy to supply the insurgents with whatever they want.