SA-29 9M336 Verba - Program
The Verba MANPADS was developed by KBM Kolomna, a company engaged in the creation of the earth-to-air missile systems Igla SA-18 Grouse surface-to-surface missiles Tochka and Iskander SS-21 Scarab-E SS-26 Stone, and anti-tank missiles Shturm AT-6 Spiral and Ataka AT-9 Spiral 2. Presented to the military in 2008, the military began testing Verba June 9, 2011 at 726° Learning Center Yeysk Krasnodar and was declared fully operational in May 2014.
The Verba portable air defense missile system, which was developed within the Instrument Design Bureau (belongs to Vysokotochnye sistemy holding), was integrated into one of the airborne troops divisions and in a motorized infantry brigade in the Eastern Military District. The newest man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) should replace the Igla-S systems of the previous generation that are currently in use.
The Verba will be delivered not only to the motorized rifle and tank brigades, but also to the Airborne Forces, as well as the Marines. We plan to replace the presently armed Igla air defense system with the new MANPADS. It is possible that in the near future the new MANPADS will replace the anti-aircraft defense arsenal, and there will also be models with either wheels or a tracked chassis.
The 9K333 Verba was originally developed as a replacement for the 9K38 Igla. State tests of the complex were completed in 2011. At the moment, the Verba is armed with a division of the Airborne Forces and a motorized rifle brigade of the Eastern District. The military, who were lucky enough to be the first to get acquainted with the new complex, said that there is no better MANPADS in the world. "Verba" has the largest target detection range and the largest affected area.
JSC NPK KBM signed long-term contracts with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for the complete supply (brigades, divisions) of Verba MANPADS to Russian troops. The cooperation of industrial enterprises headed by OAO NPK KBM carries out its serial production. At present, several brigades and divisions of the Ground Forces and the Airborne Forces are already armed with the Verba.
KBM has entered into a long-term contract with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for the supply of "Verba" and is carrying out its mass production. "In 2013, we have finished working on the new Verba complex and we are currently in the middle of the process to supply this complex to the armed forces. The complex is delivered in two versions - for ground troops and airborne divisions. We have shipped ten of such sets for the time being," a representative of the Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering said. A Verba system missile can 'sort out' thermal noise and choose an object with strongest thermal radiation. The automated control system detects air targets, including group targets, determines their flight parameters and distributes the found objects between anti-aircraft units, taking into account personnel locations on the ground.
The latest MANPADS "Verba" entered service with motorized rifles of the Western Military District in October 2015. More than 50 sets of portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS) "Verba" entered service with the motorized rifle brigade of the Western Military District (ZVO), stationed in the Leningrad Region. This was reported to Interfax-AVN by the head of the press service of the Western Military District, Colonel Oleg Kochetkov. “The complex is designed to destroy low-flying targets on a head-on and overtaking course.” O. Kochetkov said.
According to him, the unique automated control system of the complex makes it possible to detect single and group air targets, determine the parameters of their flight and distribute them among anti-aircraft gunners in automatic mode. In addition, O. Kochetkov added, more than 10 Strela-10MN anti-aircraft missile systems were put into service with motorized riflemen. “In total since the beginning of the year, more than four thousand units of weapons and military equipment have been received by the district troops,” O. Kochetkov said.
Russian crews of the latest Verba portable anti-aircraft missile system on 03 August 2017 destroyed the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Dzhebhat An-Nusra*) terrorist drone, which was used to correct militant fire on Damascus, including on the quarter with the Russian embassy. Recall that in order to ensure security and comply with the cessation of hostilities in the de-escalation zone in the Eastern Ghouta region, since July 24, 2 checkpoints and 4 observation posts have been set up. The military police of the Russian Federation with specially trained units of the government forces of the Syrian Arab Republic are on duty at these posts.
In addition, in order to ensure security and prevent provocations using unmanned aerial vehicles, which Hayat Tahrir ash-Sham militants often use, a no-fly zone has been declared over Eastern Ghouta since August 2 for all types of aircraft, regardless of their ownership. At the same time, crews of the latest Verba MANPADS systems were deployed at two checkpoints and took up combat duty. The downed drone was another confirmation that in order to ensure security and peace, Russian air defense will destroy any violators of the airspace.
On 09 December 2019 the VVOa motorized rifle formation stationed in Transbaikalia received a large batch of Verba portable anti-aircraft missile systems. The new complex replaced the Igla MANPADS, which are in service with the air defense units of the formation. This portable anti-aircraft missile system is currently one of the most modern in the world, it continues the further development of the domestic line of such systems.
Verba portable SAM teams are to take over the protection of long-range radar stations. Their mission will be to shoot down cruise missiles and drones. Combat operations in Syria showed that the greatest threat to radar stations is posed by drones. The enemy uses them to attempt to destroy the stations and deprive antiaircraft missile systems of their eyes. Radar station defenses have been inadequate until recently and the new portable SAM systems, say experts, will help to beef them up.
The first Verba portable SAM systems had already entered service with electronic warfare brigades and regiments. Not only that, but during the Tsenter-2019 exercise, there was a successful practice of coordination between the crews of radar stations and portable SAMs, and also of a tactic for repulsing drone and cruise missile attacks, Izvestiya was told at the Defense Ministry. The radar stations maintain a constant field along the perimeter of Russia’s borders, Lieutenant General Aytech Bizhev, former Air Force deputy commander for the CIS joint air defense system, said to Izvestiya.
“These radars are the eyes and ears of the air defense forces and fighter aviation,” he commented. “They are the first to detect border intruders and forward the information to the air defense troops and aircraft. In the event of hostilities breaking out, radars will immediately come under attack so reinforcing them with antiaircraft assets is a timely and justified measure.” Cover was previously provided by the crews of DShK heavy machine guns, but they cannot shoot down modern means of attack. Only new-generation antiaircraft assets can counter a massed attack by drones or cruise missiles. The Verba-armed units are the final line of air defense. Their job is to destroy targets that have penetrated past the long-range S-300 and S-400s and also medium-range and close-quarters missile systems like the Buk and Tor…
In the first instance, Verbas would be sent to units that have the Niobium-SV radar in their inventory and also the latest radars, which the troops have dubbed ground-based “AWACS’es” by virtue of their capabilities. The latter are designed for long-range detection of aerial targets and to guide their own side’s aircraft and air defense systems to them. They can also automatically track several dozen enemy aerial assets, to a high degree of accuracy determine the motion coordinates and parameters of aircraft and missiles, and identify any type of military hardware. In the future, these radars will become the principal element of an air defense automated command and control system and will be integrated into the troop command and control system, so that in the event of enemy attack, the entire gamut of antiaircraft weaponry in various branches of the armed forces can be brought to bear…
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