ANATOMY OF THE SA-13 “GOPHER” MISSILE

Willie (Buskruit) Burger

SA-13 AND SA-8 MISSILES ON THE WORK BENCH

The missiles, in their containers (on the floor) are fitted as rounds of ammunition

on the launch rails of their respective vehicles. The spring-loaded doors, on the

front and rear of the containers, are electrically unlocked - and open – when the

launch sequence is initiated by the operator.

SA-13 “GOPHER” SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE

LENGTH 2,18 METRES BODY DIAMETER 120 MM

CANARD SPAN 250 MM WING SPAN 370 MM

ROLL STABILISER SPAN 291 MM LAUNCH MASS 39,5 KG

Only a small number of missiles (in their containers) confiscated from their

previous owners. Unlike the SA-8, no launch vehicles were procured for tests and

evaluation. A previously (1984) acquired SA-9 vehicle was adapted by Kentron to

aim and fire, not only the SA-9, but two SA-13’s outboard of the two SA-9’s.

SOVIET NAME – STRELA 10 SOVIET INDEX 9M37M

Before we could remove this missile from its container, we had to loosen and

remove five electrical connecter plugs. These connected the missile to the pre-

launch power and data sockets in the launcher/container. If the missile left the

container under operational circumstances, very sharp cutters severed the cables

close to the missile body. The fact that the wings were numbered, suggested that

the missile was “balanced” during final assembly.

FRONT AND REAR VIEWS OF THE SA-13 LAUNCHER/CONTAINER.

The spring-loaded front cover is open and folded out of the way (underneath).

In the rear end, note the retainer clips, which hold the missile back, until the

rocket motor thrust “unlocks” the missile. The pipe, visible on the left, was

there to blow a jet of air, bled of from the launch vehicle, to spin-up the air-driven

gyroscope rollerons of the missile during the pre-launch phase.

We were told not to strip the

guidance section. But, we did, since

it had sustained some shrapnel

damage. We found out that the

infra-red seeker had a dual system of

detection. The one system had an

“un-cooled” Lead Sulphide (PbS) cell,

while the other sysystem had a

“cooled” Indium Antimony (InSb) cell

with ECM (Electronic Counter

Measures).

The warhead was not “conventional”, ie, a “conventional casing” filled with a

detonating substance. See the next page.

The active proximity fuze was not opened by us and was passed on to Kentron.

We were later told that it appeared to be a Xenon (illuminating) and Infra-red

(detection) system. This proximity fuze was situated between the warhead and

rocket motor.

The complete SA-13 missile was very

neatly worked off. The sections were

bolted together. The nuts and bolts

were neatly recessed, at the split lines.

See the drawing of the warhead detail.

To aid streamlining, unique bands

covered the three recessed grooves.

Think of the protruding

“camouflaged” nuts and bolts of the

SA-8.

When we removed the band and separated the Guidance Unit from the warhead,

we noticed THREE cables with connecters “coming out” of the front of the

warhead. We removed the second band and separated the warhead from the

proximity fuze, we were more puzzled. There were “units” in both ends of the

warhead. One had to be a contact fuze and booster to detonate the warhead, but

the other had us stumped until we removed both. The front one was the booster,

but the back one turned out to be a “launch-initiated” thermal battery.

THE WARHEAD WAS A TUBE, BUT HOW COULD IT BE SO EFFECTIVE

AGAINST AN AIRCRAFT?

We had to find out. When the shroud had been removed, we found a fiberglass

liner. Then we found out why the missile was so lethal, especially against

helicopters and light aircraft. The “casing” of the warhead consisted of 119 steel

rods – it was a sophisticated NAILBOMB.

The proximity fuze and motor went to Kentron and the propellant people in the

Cape.

Our job was done – the two missiles, now in kit-form, were removed – and we

returned to our daily work. It had been an extremely interesting week, one Boff

and I would talk about for years.

One incident is still very fresh in our minds. It was when we had sawn (with a

hack saw – very carefully) through the metal shroud of the SA-13 warhead. This

was done in the fuzing shed, but we did not have a scale to weigh the warhead

(complete and in component form). So we took it to my home, weighed it on my

wife’s kitchen scale, and continued the dismantling in the courtyard. When the

shroud had been removed, we found a fiberglass liner. Then we found out why the

missile was so lethal, especially against helicopters and light aircraft. The “casing”

of the warhead consisted of 119 steel rods – it was a sophisticated NAIL BOMB.

After removing the rods - and weighing and measuring them – Boff removed a

sponge liner. He found a pink chalky substance and proceeded to attack it with a

screwdriver to break it up. My yell, for him to “STOP THAT” was heard about

150 metres away. I know, because Shorty, who lived in the next street, heard me.

You just don’t do that to the RDX/TNT detonating substance of a missile

warhead. We removed the front end of the warhead and slid the slightly damaged

RDX/TNT tube off the inner metal tube. This, and the pieces that Boff had

chipped off, were then weighed on the kitchen scale and put aside for disposal in

the sinkhole at Waterkloof,

Willie (Buskruit) Burger , Velddrif, March 2015.