Aspide vs Python (missile): Specs Compared

AMissiles

Aspide

Medium range Surface to air missile / Air to air missile

Credit

Martin Garcia from Lima, Peru · CC BY 2.0 · Resized · CC BY 2.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

BMissiles

Python (missile)

Short-range air-to-air missile

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

AspideLength

3.7 m

Length source ↗

Python (missile)Length

3.1 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Aspidelarger figure on 1 of 1

Length+19%

Python (missile)larger figure on 0 of 1

None

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

Measured figures

Head to head

13 of 39 rows sourced on both sides

3.7m

3.1m

Length+19%

All recorded figures & sources

3.7 m

Length

Single source

3.7 m

Official specification · aspide-2000; 3.7m

Manufacturer claim

3.7 m (12 ft)^[source]

3.7m^[source]

3.1 m

Length

Single source

3.1 metres (10 feet )^[source]

1mAir to air

640mm

Wingspan

All recorded figures & sources

1 m

Air to air

Single source

0.8 m

Surface to air

Single source

Surface to air: 80 cm (31 in) Air to air: 100 cm (39 in)^[source]

0.64 m

Wingspan

Single source

640 mm (25 in)^[source]

234mmAspide 2000

160mm

Diameter

All recorded figures & sources

0.234 m

Aspide 2000

Single source

0.203 m

Aspide Mk. 1

Single source

0.234 m

Official specification · aspide-2000; 234mm

Manufacturer claim

Aspide Mk. 1: 203 mm (8.0 in) Aspide 2000: 234 mm (9.2 in)^[source]

234mm^[source]

0.16 m

Diameter

Single source

160 millimetres (6.3 inches )^[source]

240kgAspide 2000

103.6kg

Mass

All recorded figures & sources

240 kg

Aspide 2000

Single source

220 kg

Aspide Mk. 1

Single source

240 kg

Official specification · aspide-2000; 240kg

Manufacturer claim

Aspide Mk. 1: 220 kg (490 lb) Aspide 2000: 240 kg (530 lb)^[source]

240kg^[source]

103.6 kg

Mass

Single source

103.6 kilograms (228 pounds 6 ounces )^[source]

40km

> 20kmOperational; >

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

40 km

Effective; Aspide Mk. 1 for air to air Aspide 2000: >

Single source

15 km

Effective; Aspide Mk. 1 for surface to air · source measurement 1

Single source

25 km

Effective; Aspide Mk. 1 for surface to air · source measurement 3

Single source

Aspide Mk. 1: 15 km (9.3 mi) for surface to air 40 km (25 mi) for air to air Aspide 2000: > 25 km (16 mi) for surface to air^[source]

> 20 km

Operational; >

Single source

>20 kilometres (12 miles )^[source]

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

Configuration

Details

Aspide and Python (missile) configuration
Specification	Aspide	Python (missile)
Speed	Mach 5^[source]	Mach 4^[source]
Type	Medium range Surface to air missile / Air to air missile^[source]	Short-range air-to-air missile^[source]
Place of origin	Italy^[source]	Israel^[source]
In service	1977-present^[source]	—
Wars	Russo-Ukrainian War^[source]	Yom Kippur War Falklands War 1982 Lebanon War 2006 Lebanon War^[source]
Manufacturer	Selenia (former), MBDA Italy^[source]	Rafael Advanced Defense Systems^[source]
Produced	1973-present^[source]	Shafrir series: 1961–1983 Python series: 1980–present^[source]
Warhead	35 kg (77 lb)^[source]	11 kg (24 lb 4 oz)^[source]
Guidance system	semi-active radar homing^[source]	infrared homing + 320×240 pixel dual waveband electro-optical imaging seeker, lock on after launch, with infrared counter-counter-measures (IRCCM)^[source]
Used by	—	See operators^[source]
Unit cost	—	Shafrir series: Shafrir-1: US$20,000^[source]
Detonation mechanism	—	proximity^[source]
Engine	—	solid fuel rocket motor^[source]
Flight altitude	—	N/A^[source]
Launch platform	—	Aircraft: BAE Sea Harrier CASA C-101 Aviojet F-4E Kurnass 2000 F-5E/F Tiger-II McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon Dassault Mirage III Dassault Mirage 5 Dassault Mirage 2000 Eurofighter Typhoon IAI Nesher/Dagger/Finder IAI Kfir HAL Tejas KAI T-50 Golden Eagle Leonardo M-346FA Master Saab JAS 39 Gripen Sukhoi Su-30MKI Su-25KM Scorpion^[source]
Reported operators	—	Reported operator · Argentina Reported operator · Bolivia Reported operator · Brazil Reported operator · Chile Reported operator · China Reported operator · Colombia Reported operator · Ecuador Reported operator · El Salvador Reported operator · Georgia Reported operator · Honduras Reported operator · India Reported operator · Israel Reported operator · Philippines Reported operator · Romania Reported operator · Singapore Reported operator · Republic of China (Taiwan) Reported operator · Thailand Reported operator · Venezuela Reported operator · Vietnam

FORCETALLY

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Aspide

Python (missile)

Speed

Mach 5^[source]

Mach 4^[source]

Type

Medium range Surface to air missile / Air to air missile^[source]

Short-range air-to-air missile^[source]

Place of origin

Italy^[source]

Israel^[source]

In service

1977-present^[source]

—

Wars

Russo-Ukrainian War^[source]

Yom Kippur War Falklands War 1982 Lebanon War 2006 Lebanon War^[source]

Manufacturer

Selenia (former), MBDA Italy^[source]

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems^[source]

Produced

1973-present^[source]

Shafrir series: 1961–1983 Python series: 1980–present^[source]

Warhead

35 kg (77 lb)^[source]

11 kg (24 lb 4 oz)^[source]

Guidance system

semi-active radar homing^[source]

infrared homing + 320×240 pixel dual waveband electro-optical imaging seeker, lock on after launch, with infrared counter-counter-measures (IRCCM)^[source]

Used by

—

See operators^[source]

Unit cost

—

Shafrir series: Shafrir-1: US$20,000^[source]

Detonation mechanism

—

proximity^[source]

Engine

—

solid fuel rocket motor^[source]

Flight altitude

—

N/A^[source]

Launch platform

—

Aircraft: BAE Sea Harrier CASA C-101 Aviojet F-4E Kurnass 2000 F-5E/F Tiger-II McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon Dassault Mirage III Dassault Mirage 5 Dassault Mirage 2000 Eurofighter Typhoon IAI Nesher/Dagger/Finder IAI Kfir HAL Tejas KAI T-50 Golden Eagle Leonardo M-346FA Master Saab JAS 39 Gripen Sukhoi Su-30MKI Su-25KM Scorpion^[source]

Reported operators

—

Reported operator · Argentina
Reported operator · Bolivia
Reported operator · Brazil
Reported operator · Chile
Reported operator · China
Reported operator · Colombia
Reported operator · Ecuador
Reported operator · El Salvador
Reported operator · Georgia
Reported operator · Honduras
Reported operator · India
Reported operator · Israel
Reported operator · Philippines
Reported operator · Romania
Reported operator · Singapore
Reported operator · Republic of China (Taiwan)
Reported operator · Thailand
Reported operator · Venezuela
Reported operator · Vietnam