K-13 (missile) vs Nimrod (missile): Specs Compared

FORCETALLY

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AMissiles

K-13 (missile)

Short-range infrared homing air-to-air missile

Credit

cliff1066 · CC BY 2.0 · Resized · CC BY 2.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

BMissiles

Nimrod (missile)

long-range air-to-surface missile

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

K-13 (missile)R-3R

3.48 m

Length source ↗

Nimrod (missile)Length

2.65 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

K-13 (missile)larger figure on 0 of 1

None

Nimrod (missile)larger figure on 1 of 1

Diameter+34%

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

Measured figures

Head to head

4 of 37 rows sourced on both sides

3.48mR-3R

2.65m

Length

All recorded figures & sources

2.83 m

R-13M

Single source

3.48 m

R-3R

Single source

Configuration

Details

K-13 (missile) and Nimrod (missile) configuration
Specification	K-13 (missile)	Nimrod (missile)
Type	Short-range infrared homing air-to-air missile^[source]	—
Place of origin	Soviet Union^[source]	—
In service	1961^[source]	—
Used by	See Operators^[source]	—
Manufacturer	Vympel^[source]	—
Warhead	7.4 kg (16 lb)^[source]

Engine	solid-fuel rocket engine^[source]	—

Guidance system	infrared homing^[source]	—

Launch platform	MiG-21 , MiG-23 , MiG-19 , MiG-17 Sukhoi Su-17/20/22^[source]	—

Guidance	(R-3S) infrared homing ; (R-3R) SARH^[source]	—

Launch weight	(R-3S) 75 kg (166 lb); (R-3R) 93 kg (205 lb)^[source]	—

Explosive content	5.3 kg (11.68 lbs) of TGAF-5 (40% TNT, 40% RDX, 20% Aluminium powder)^[source]	—

Fuze	type 428 proximity fuze and I-107 Contact fuze (R-3R)^[source]	—

Former operator · Bulgaria	Bulgaria^[source]	—

Former operator · Guinea	Guinea^[source]	—

Role	—	long-range air-to-surface missile^[source]

Source measurement	—	Nimrod has a semi-active laser guidance system that operates day or night. Its flight trajectory can be set below obscuring cloud layers, while a forward reconnaissance scout team uses a laser designator to direct it from up to 26 km (16 mi).^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Nimrod allows a gunner to pre-select a flight trajectory mode. This can be direct trajectory, high cruise trajectory or low cruise trajectory , the cruise altitude being constant and between 300–1,500 m (980–4,920 ft).^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The gimballed and stabilised seeker head acquires, tracks and homes in on its target using localised proportional navigation. It is said to have a view angle of more than 30°. The seeker has a search area 5 km (3.1 mi) wide and deep. In the terminal flight phase, the weapon adopts a dive angle of approximately 45° to strike an armoured target on the thinner, more vulnerable upper surfaces.^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The missile is stored in a sealed canister which also acts as the launcher. Total weight of the missile and canister is 150 kg (330 lb). It has five main sections: seeker, guidance and control, warhead, solid-propellant rocket motor, and servo. It is roll-stabilised in flight. Time to come into action at a launch site is less than 3 minutes; there is no need to survey the site for alignment or levelling, nor does it require a direct line of sight to a target. The weapon can be fired in single-round, ripple, or salvo modes.^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Effective range : 300 - 36,000 meters^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Length : 265 cm^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Diameter : 17 cm^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Body : 18 cm^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Span 40 cm^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Weight : 100 kg^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Speed : ~1000 km/h or Mach 0.8^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Nimrod 2 – A dual guidance, laser and Global Positioning System (GPS), homing missile, with a range of 26 km (16 mi), and a mobile launcher. The warhead is 14 kg (31 lb), and the missile supports various warheads for a variety of targets. This missile is well suited to rapid response and for coastal defence.^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Nimrod 3 – An extended variant of Nimrod 2. The missile has a range of 50 km (31 mi) with 50 kg (110 lb) warhead. It supports various warheads for a wide range of targets, and has a mobile launcher.^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Nimrod SR – A short-range (8 km (5.0 mi)) variant that can be fired from ground and airborne platforms.^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Source measurement

—

Nimrod has a semi-active laser guidance system that operates day or night. Its flight trajectory can be set below obscuring cloud layers, while a forward reconnaissance scout team uses a laser designator to direct it from up to 26 km (16 mi).^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Nimrod allows a gunner to pre-select a flight trajectory mode. This can be direct trajectory, high cruise trajectory or low cruise trajectory , the cruise altitude being constant and between 300–1,500 m (980–4,920 ft).^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The gimballed and stabilised seeker head acquires, tracks and homes in on its target using localised proportional navigation. It is said to have a view angle of more than 30°. The seeker has a search area 5 km (3.1 mi) wide and deep. In the terminal flight phase, the weapon adopts a dive angle of approximately 45° to strike an armoured target on the thinner, more vulnerable upper surfaces.^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The missile is stored in a sealed canister which also acts as the launcher. Total weight of the missile and canister is 150 kg (330 lb). It has five main sections: seeker, guidance and control, warhead, solid-propellant rocket motor, and servo. It is roll-stabilised in flight. Time to come into action at a launch site is less than 3 minutes; there is no need to survey the site for alignment or levelling, nor does it require a direct line of sight to a target. The weapon can be fired in single-round, ripple, or salvo modes.^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Effective range : 300 - 36,000 meters^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Length : 265 cm^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Diameter : 17 cm^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Body : 18 cm^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Span 40 cm^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Weight : 100 kg^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Speed : ~1000 km/h or Mach 0.8^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Characteristics; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Nimrod 2 – A dual guidance, laser and Global Positioning System (GPS), homing missile, with a range of 26 km (16 mi), and a mobile launcher. The warhead is 14 kg (31 lb), and the missile supports various warheads for a variety of targets. This missile is well suited to rapid response and for coastal defence.^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Nimrod 3 – An extended variant of Nimrod 2. The missile has a range of 50 km (31 mi) with 50 kg (110 lb) warhead. It supports various warheads for a wide range of targets, and has a mobile launcher.^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Nimrod SR – A short-range (8 km (5.0 mi)) variant that can be fired from ground and airborne platforms.^[source]Nimrod (missile) · Variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Country of origin	—	Israel^[source]Inventory Origin column; table 4, row 5, cell 2; revision 1349150138; retrieved 2026-10-02

Reported operators	Reported operator · Angola Reported operator · Bulgaria Reported operator · Congo Reported operator · Cuba Reported operator · Ethiopia Reported operator · Guinea Reported operator · Libya Reported operator · Nigeria Reported operator · North Korea Reported operator · Peru Reported operator · Sudan	Reported operator · Israel Reported operator · Colombia