Brimstone (missile) vs Python (missile)

AMissiles

Brimstone (missile)

Air-to-surface missile Surface-to-surface missile

BMissiles

Python (missile)

Short-range air-to-air missile

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Brimstone (missile)Length

1.8 m

Length source ↗

Python (missile)Length

3.1 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Brimstone (missile)larger figure on 1 of 3

Diameter+13%

Python (missile)larger figure on 2 of 3

Length+72%
Mass+107%

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 44 rows sourced on both sides

1.8m

3.1m

Length+72%

All recorded figures & sources

1.8 m

Length

Single source

1.8 m (71 in)^[source]

3.1 m

Length

Single source

3.1 metres (10 feet )^[source]

—

640mm

Wingspan

All recorded figures & sources

0.64 m

Wingspan

Single source

640 mm (25 in)^[source]

180mm

160mm

Diameter+13%

All recorded figures & sources

0.18 m

Diameter

Single source

180 mm (7.1 in)^[source]

0.16 m

Diameter

Single source

160 millimetres (6.3 inches )^[source]

50kg

103.6kg

Mass+107%

All recorded figures & sources

50 kg

Mass

Single source

50 kg (110 lb)^[source]

103.6 kg

Mass

Single source

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

1,620km/hMaximum; Supersonic, ~ ~ Mach 1.3

Mach 4

Speed

All recorded figures & sources

1,620 km/h

Maximum; Supersonic, ~ ~ Mach 1.3

Single source

Supersonic, ~450 m/s (~ Mach 1.3)^[source]

Mach 4^[source]

12km

> 20kmOperational; >

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

12 km

Operational; Brimstone I 20+ km (12+ mi) from fixed wing from rotor wing Brimstone II 60+ km (37+ mi) from fixed wing, 40+ km (25+ mi) from rotor wing

Single source

Brimstone I 20+ km (12+ mi) from fixed wing, 12 km (7.5 mi) from rotor wing Brimstone II 60+ km (37+ mi) from fixed wing, 40+ km (25+ mi) from rotor wing^[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

Brimstone (missile) and Python (missile) configuration
Specification	Brimstone (missile)	Python (missile)
Type	Air-to-surface missile Surface-to-surface missile^[source]	Short-range air-to-air missile^[source]
Place of origin	United Kingdom^[source]	Israel^[source]
In service	2005^[source]	—
Used by	Royal Air Force Royal Saudi Air Force German Air Force Armed Forces of Ukraine^[source]	See operators^[source]
Wars	Operation Telic Operation Herrick Operation Ellamy Operation Shader Russo-Ukrainian War^[source]	Yom Kippur War Falklands War 1982 Lebanon War 2006 Lebanon War^[source]
Designer	GEC-Marconi^[source]	—
Designed	1996^[source]	—
Manufacturer	MBDA UK , Henlow^[source]	Rafael Advanced Defense Systems^[source]
Unit cost	(Dual mode variant) £105,000/unit £175,000 inc. development^[source]	Shafrir series: Shafrir-1: US$20,000^[source]
Produced	1999^[source]	Shafrir series: 1961–1983 Python series: 1980–present^[source]
Variants	Single mode Dual mode sensor Brimstone 2 Brimstone 3^[source]	—
Warhead	6.3 kg (14 lb) HEAT tandem shaped warhead^[source]	11 kg (24 lb 4 oz)^[source]
Detonation mechanism	Crush (impact) fuze Command fuze^[source]	proximity^[source]
Engine	Solid-fuel rocket^[source]	solid fuel rocket motor^[source]
Guidance system	94-GHz millimetric-wave active radar homing and INS autopilot; dual-mode, II, and III adds laser guidance^[source]	infrared homing + 320×240 pixel dual waveband electro-optical imaging seeker, lock on after launch, with infrared counter-counter-measures (IRCCM)^[source]
Steering system	Flight control surfaces^[source]	—
Accuracy	Sub-1 m CEP^[source]	—
Launch platform	Tornado GR4 Eurofighter Typhoon Hydra drone (UK) (under development) Protector (planned)^[source]	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]
Flight altitude	—	N/A^[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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Brimstone (missile)

Python (missile)

Type

Air-to-surface missile Surface-to-surface missile^[source]

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

Place of origin

United Kingdom^[source]

Israel^[source]

In service

2005^[source]

—

Used by

Royal Air Force Royal Saudi Air Force German Air Force Armed Forces of Ukraine^[source]

See operators^[source]

Wars

Operation Telic Operation Herrick Operation Ellamy Operation Shader Russo-Ukrainian War^[source]

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

Designer

GEC-Marconi^[source]

—

Designed

1996^[source]

—

Manufacturer

MBDA UK , Henlow^[source]

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems^[source]

Unit cost

(Dual mode variant) £105,000/unit £175,000 inc. development^[source]

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

Produced

1999^[source]

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

Variants

Single mode Dual mode sensor Brimstone 2 Brimstone 3^[source]

—

Warhead

6.3 kg (14 lb) HEAT tandem shaped warhead^[source]

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

Detonation mechanism

Crush (impact) fuze Command fuze^[source]

proximity^[source]

Engine

Solid-fuel rocket^[source]

solid fuel rocket motor^[source]

Guidance system

94-GHz millimetric-wave active radar homing and INS autopilot; dual-mode, II, and III adds laser guidance^[source]

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

Steering system

Flight control surfaces^[source]

—

Accuracy

Sub-1 m CEP^[source]

—

Launch platform

Tornado GR4 Eurofighter Typhoon Hydra drone (UK) (under development) Protector (planned)^[source]

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]

Flight altitude

—

N/A^[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