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DISPATCH 04/26 · 23 Oct 2026
BattlePolicy
Startup to front line. Strategy to consequence.
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sam

33 articles
2
ChinaPro

HQ-12 / KS-1

The HQ-12, developed from the export-oriented KS-1 family, is a Chinese road-mobile medium-range surface-to-air missile system built around phased-array fire control and exported across Asia.

3
ChinaPro

HQ-7 / FM-90

The HQ-7 is a Chinese short-range surface-to-air missile system derived from the French Crotale, with the improved FM-90 serving as its principal export version.

4
IranPro

Zoubin air-defence system

Zoubin is an Iranian short-range, low-altitude air-defence system combining a 360-degree radar with vertically launched missiles to counter drones, cruise missiles and low-flying aircraft.

5
IranPro

Qaem missile family

Iran's Qaem family comprises TOW-derived short-range surface-to-air missiles, UAV-carried glide bombs and the longer-range Qaem-118 counter-air interceptor.

6
RussiaPro

S-125 Neva/Pechora (SA-3 Goa)

A Soviet low-to-medium-altitude surface-to-air missile system whose modernized descendants remain in service, including Polish Newa SC and Ukrainian Pechora-2D batteries.

7
RussiaPro

2K12 Kub (SA-6 Gainful)

The 2K12 Kub, known to NATO as the SA-6 Gainful, is a Soviet tracked surface-to-air missile system built to accompany ground forces and engage aircraft at low and medium altitudes.

8
IranPro

Majid (AD-08)

Majid is an Iranian short-range air-defense system combining electro-optical tracking with passive imaging-infrared missiles for low-altitude defense against drones, cruise missiles, helicopters and aircraft.

9
RussiaPro

9K33 Osa (SA-8 Gecko)

The 9K33 Osa, known to NATO as the SA-8 Gecko, is a Soviet mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system that combines radar, fire control and ready missiles on one amphibious vehicle.

10
RussiaPro

S-350 Vityaz

Russia's S-350 Vityaz is a road-mobile, medium-range surface-to-air missile system built around a deep magazine of active-radar 9M96 interceptors and intended to replace the S-300PS.

11
EuropePro

RBS 70 NG

Saab's current-generation RBS 70 very-short-range air-defense system, combining laser-beam-riding missiles with an automatic tracker and thermal sight for man-portable or vehicle-integrated operation.

12
EuropePro

Hisar

Hisar is Türkiye's indigenous short-and-medium-range SAM family — the two middle rungs (Hisar-A, Hisar-O) of the "Steel Dome" air-defense ladder below the long-range Siper. ASELSAN radars, ROKETSAN missiles, and a naval version that scored a live UAV kill in 2025.

13
USAPro

MIM-23 Hawk

The MIM-23 Hawk is the 1950s US medium-range SAM the Pentagon retired in the 1990s — and pulled back from the grave for Ukraine. Spanish launchers, US-refurbished missiles and Taiwanese stocks now down Shaheds and cruise missiles by the score, proof that cheap depth beats exquisite scarcity.

14
air defensePro

Siper

The Siper is Turkey's indigenous long-range SAM — the 100+ km top tier of the "Steel Dome" network, built after the S-400 purchase froze Ankara out of Western systems. Block 1 is operational, Block 2 (150+ km) is in test, and Blocks 3/4 promise missile defense.

15
air defensePro

Akash

India's home-built air shield — the Akash is an indigenous medium-range surface-to-air missile that guards against jets, drones and cruise missiles out to ~25 km. It performed well in India's 2025 clash with Pakistan and won its first export, to Armenia.

16
IranPro

3rd Khordad

Iran's mobile medium-to-long-range SAM — a self-contained launcher-radar vehicle from the indigenous Raad family, Iran's rough Buk equivalent. It shot down a US RQ-4 Global Hawk over the Strait of Hormuz in 2019, the country's most famous air-defence kill.

17
IranPro

Bavar-373

Iran's flagship indigenous long-range SAM — an S-300/S-400-class system built to defend Tehran and its nuclear sites after sanctions delayed Russia's S-300. Iran claims it rivals the S-400; the 2025–26 air wars tested those claims hard.

18
RussiaPro

S-500 Prometheus

Russia’s strategic mobile air-defense and anti-ballistic missile system — claimed to engage ballistic missiles, hypersonic threats, and low-orbit satellites up to 600 km, now fielded by a single regiment.

19
IsraelPro

SPYDER

Israel's mobile, quick-reaction surface-to-air missile family built around Python-5 and Derby interceptors, spanning short-range slant-launch to extended-range vertical-launch and a single-vehicle All-in-One variant, now featuring a counter-tactical-ballistic-missile option.

20
IsraelPro

Barak MX

Israel's modular, multi-layer air and missile defense system — a single battle-management core that mixes short-, medium- and long-range interceptors for land and naval deployments, now combat-proven and rapidly expanding its export footprint.

21
USAPro

SM-6

The US Navy's multi-role interceptor — Standard Missile 6 combines long-range air defense, terminal ballistic-missile defense, and anti-ship strike into one round, and became the first US weapon to down an anti-ship ballistic missile in combat.

22
RussiaPro

S-300

The Soviet-built S-300 family of long-range SAMs — a road-mobile system that continues to anchor Ukraine's air defense and has been repurposed by Russia for ground strikes in the Ukraine war.

23
ChinaPro

HQ-22

China's medium/long-range surface-to-air missile system — a cheaper complement to the HQ-9, exported as the FK-3 and marking China’s first strategic SAM in Europe with its sale to Serbia.

24
ChinaPro

HQ-17

China's indigenised short-range air defence system, derived from the Russian Tor-M1, providing mobile point and manoeuvre-unit protection against low-altitude threats.

25
ChinaPro

HQ-16

China's medium-range SAM family — vertical-launch HQ-16A/B, export LY-80, and naval HHQ-16 — bridging the gap between long-range HQ-9 and SHORAD.

26
RussiaPro

Buk-M3

Russia’s latest tracked medium-range SAM — a 6-missile canisterized TELAR with active-radar fire-and-forget interceptors, fielded to thicken the lower tier of its integrated air defense.

27
RussiaPro

Tor-M2

Russia's autonomous short-range air-defense system — a single-vehicle, tracked SAM that carries 16 vertical-launch missiles for point defense against aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones, and a staple of Moscow's counter-drone shield.

28
EuropePro

SAMP/T

The Franco-Italian SAMP/T (Mamba) is Europe’s only long-range surface-to-air missile system with proven anti-ballistic-missile capability, fielding the Aster 30 interceptor and offering a road-mobile, 360° defense against aircraft, cruise missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles.

29
USAPro

NASAMS

The NASAMS is a medium-range, distributed, networked air-defense system jointly developed by Norway and the United States, built around the ground-launched AMRAAM and proven in combat in Ukraine.

30
ChinaPro

HQ-9B

China's indigenous long-range air-defense system, a Sinicized S-300 evolution with a claimed 260 km reach, limited anti-ballistic capability, and a growing operator list, though its combat effectiveness remains largely unproven.

31
EuropePro

IRIS-T SLM

Germany's medium-range air-defense missile system, combat-proven in Ukraine — a road-mobile, vertical-launch SAM built to engage aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones out to 40 km, and rapidly proliferating across European and allied forces.

32
USA

Patriot PAC-3

The Patriot PAC-3 is the United States' premier long-range air-and-missile defense system — a road-mobile, layered SAM and lower-tier BMD platform that combines blast-fragmentation and hit-to-kill interceptors to defeat aircraft, cruise missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles.

33
RussiaPro

S-400 Triumf

Russia's flagship long-range air-defense system — a road-mobile, layered SAM built to engage aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles out to 400 km, and the centerpiece of both its homeland shield and its arms-export diplomacy.