2K12 Kub vs RIM-161 Standard Missile 3

AAir defence

2K12 Kub

Tracked medium-range surface-to-air missile system

BAir defence

RIM-161 Standard Missile 3

Kinetic anti ballistic missile ( Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System )

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

2K12 KubLength

5.8 m

Length source ↗

RIM-161 Standard Missile 3Length

6.55 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

2K12 Kublarger figure on 0 of 3

None

RIM-161 Standard Missile 3larger figure on 3 of 3

Length+13%
Wingspan+26%
Mass+150%

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

17 of 53 rows sourced on both sides

5.8m

6.55m

Length+13%

All recorded figures & sources

5.8 m

Length

Single source

5,800 mm^[source]

6.55 m

Length

Single source

6.55 m (21 ft 6 in)^[source]

1.25m

1.57m

Wingspan+26%

All recorded figures & sources

1.245 m

Wingspan

Single source

1.245 m^[source]

1.57 m

Wingspan

Single source

1.57 m (62 in)^[source]

335mm

533mmfor Block II

Diameter

All recorded figures & sources

0.335 m

Diameter

Single source

335 mm^[source]

0.533 m

for Block II

Single source

0.343 m

for Block I missiles

Single source

34.3 cm (13.5 in) for Block I missiles 53.3 cm (21.0 in) for Block II^[source]

599kg

1.5t

Mass+150%

All recorded figures & sources

599 kg

Mass

Single source

599 kg^[source]

1,500 kg

Mass

Single source

1.5 t^[source]

24kmOperational; Operational range

1,200km

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

24 km

Operational; Operational range

Single source

24 kilometres (15 mi)^[source]

900–1,200 km

Operational; Block IA/B

Single source

1,200 km

Operational; Block IIA range and flight ceiling 900 – 1,050 km (depending on the type of target)

Single source

Block IA/B: 900–1,200 km (560–750 mi) Block IIA: 1,200 km range and flight ceiling 900 – 1,050 km (depending on the type of target)^[source]

59kgWarhead weight

—

Warhead mass

All recorded figures & sources

59 kg

Warhead weight

Single source

59 kg^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

2K12 Kub and RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 configuration
Specification	2K12 Kub	RIM-161 Standard Missile 3
Speed	Mach 2.8^[source]	3 km/s (Mach 8.8) Block IA/B 4.5 km/s (Mach 13.2) Block IIA^[source]
Type	Tracked medium-range surface-to-air missile system^[source]	Kinetic anti ballistic missile ( Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System )^[source]
Place of origin	Soviet Union^[source]	United States, Japan (Block IIA)^[source]
In service	1967–present^[source]	2014–present (Block IB)^[source]
Used by	See list of operators^[source]	United States Navy Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Republic of Korea Navy Aegis Ashore: Romania Poland^[source]
Wars	List Yom Kippur War Angolan Civil War Chadian Civil War Western Sahara War Iran–Iraq War 1982 Lebanon War Gulf War Yugoslav wars Kosovo War Syrian Civil War Russo-Ukrainian War Russian invasion of Ukraine Yemeni Civil War (2014–present) 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war^[source]	April 2024 Iranian strikes on Israel 2026 Iran war^[source]
Designer	NIIP / Vympel MMZ ( GM chassis )^[source]	—
Designed	1958–1967^[source]	—
Manufacturer	Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant (SURNs) ZiK (TELs)^[source]	RTX , Aerojet , ( Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Block IIA)^[source]
Produced	1968–1985^[source]	—
No. built	500 launchers, 10,000 missiles^[source]	—
Variants	2K12 Kub, 2K12E Kvadrat (export version), 2K12M3, 2K12M4^[source]	—
Main armament	3 3M9M4(or variants) guided missiles^[source]	—
Engine	Integral rocket motor/ ramjet booster and sustainer motor^[source]	—
Guidance system	Command guidance with terminal semi-active radar homing (SARH)^[source]	GPS / INS / semi-active radar homing /passive LWIR infrared homing seeker (KW)^[source]
Warhead	Frag-HE^[source]	Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP) kinetic warhead^[source]
Detonation mechanism	Contact and proximity^[source]	—
Propellant	integral rocket motor/ramjet booster and sustainer motor^[source]	Stage 1: Mk 72 booster , solid-fuel , Aerojet Stage 2: MK 104 Dual Thrust Rocket Motor (DTRM), solid-fuel, Aerojet Stage 3: MK 136 Third Stage Rocket Motor (TSRM), solid-fuel, ATK Stage 4: Throttleable Divert and Attitude Control System (TDACS), Aerojet^[source]
Flight altitude	Max. 14,000 metres (46,000 ft) Min. 100 metres (330 ft)^[source]	—
Launch platform	2P25 TEL^[source]	—
Unit cost	—	US$9–25 million (2011) US$ 18.4m (FY2018) US$ 11.83m (FY2021)^[source]
Reported operators	Reported operator · Algeria Reported operator · Angola Reported operator · Armenia Reported operator · Bosnia and Herzegovina Reported operator · Bulgaria Reported operator · Chad Reported operator · Cuba Reported operator · Czech Republic Reported operator · Egypt Reported operator · Germany Reported operator · Hungary Reported operator · India Reported operator · Kazakhstan Reported operator · Myanmar Reported operator · Poland Reported operator · Romania Reported operator · Serbia Reported operator · Slovakia Reported operator · Syria Reported operator · Tanzania Reported operator · Turkmenistan Reported operator · Ukraine Reported operator · Vietnam	Reported operator · Poland Reported operator · Romania Reported operator · Japan Reported operator · South Korea Reported operator · United States

FORCETALLY

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2K12 Kub

RIM-161 Standard Missile 3

Speed

Mach 2.8^[source]

3 km/s (Mach 8.8) Block IA/B 4.5 km/s (Mach 13.2) Block IIA^[source]

Type

Tracked medium-range surface-to-air missile system^[source]

Kinetic anti ballistic missile ( Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System )^[source]

Place of origin

Soviet Union^[source]

United States, Japan (Block IIA)^[source]

In service

1967–present^[source]

2014–present (Block IB)^[source]

Used by

See list of operators^[source]

United States Navy Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Republic of Korea Navy Aegis Ashore: Romania Poland^[source]

Wars

List Yom Kippur War Angolan Civil War Chadian Civil War Western Sahara War Iran–Iraq War 1982 Lebanon War Gulf War Yugoslav wars Kosovo War Syrian Civil War Russo-Ukrainian War Russian invasion of Ukraine Yemeni Civil War (2014–present) 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war^[source]

April 2024 Iranian strikes on Israel 2026 Iran war^[source]

Designer

NIIP / Vympel MMZ ( GM chassis )^[source]

—

Designed

1958–1967^[source]

—

Manufacturer

Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant (SURNs) ZiK (TELs)^[source]

RTX , Aerojet , ( Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Block IIA)^[source]

Produced

1968–1985^[source]

—

No. built

500 launchers, 10,000 missiles^[source]

—

Variants

2K12 Kub, 2K12E Kvadrat (export version), 2K12M3, 2K12M4^[source]

—

Main armament

3 3M9M4(or variants) guided missiles^[source]

—

Engine

Integral rocket motor/ ramjet booster and sustainer motor^[source]

—

Guidance system

Command guidance with terminal semi-active radar homing (SARH)^[source]

GPS / INS / semi-active radar homing /passive LWIR infrared homing seeker (KW)^[source]

Warhead

Frag-HE^[source]

Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP) kinetic warhead^[source]

Detonation mechanism

Contact and proximity^[source]

—

Propellant

integral rocket motor/ramjet booster and sustainer motor^[source]

Stage 1: Mk 72 booster , solid-fuel , Aerojet Stage 2: MK 104 Dual Thrust Rocket Motor (DTRM), solid-fuel, Aerojet Stage 3: MK 136 Third Stage Rocket Motor (TSRM), solid-fuel, ATK Stage 4: Throttleable Divert and Attitude Control System (TDACS), Aerojet^[source]

Flight altitude

Max. 14,000 metres (46,000 ft) Min. 100 metres (330 ft)^[source]

—

Launch platform

2P25 TEL^[source]

—

Unit cost

—

US$9–25 million (2011) US$ 18.4m (FY2018) US$ 11.83m (FY2021)^[source]

Reported operators

Reported operator · Algeria
Reported operator · Angola
Reported operator · Armenia
Reported operator · Bosnia and Herzegovina
Reported operator · Bulgaria
Reported operator · Chad
Reported operator · Cuba
Reported operator · Czech Republic
Reported operator · Egypt
Reported operator · Germany
Reported operator · Hungary
Reported operator · India
Reported operator · Kazakhstan
Reported operator · Myanmar
Reported operator · Poland
Reported operator · Romania
Reported operator · Serbia
Reported operator · Slovakia
Reported operator · Syria
Reported operator · Tanzania
Reported operator · Turkmenistan
Reported operator · Ukraine
Reported operator · Vietnam

Reported operator · Poland
Reported operator · Romania
Reported operator · Japan
Reported operator · South Korea
Reported operator · United States