K-13 (missile) vs Python (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

Python (missile)

Short-range air-to-air 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 ↗

Python (missile)Length

3.1 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

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

None

Python (missile)larger figure on 1 of 1

Diameter+26%

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

Measured figures

Head to head

14 of 56 rows sourced on both sides

3.48mR-3R

3.1m

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 Python (missile) configuration
Specification	K-13 (missile)	Python (missile)
Type	Short-range infrared homing air-to-air missile^[source]	Short-range air-to-air missile^[source]
Place of origin	Soviet Union^[source]	Israel^[source]
In service	1961^[source]	—
Used by	See Operators^[source]	See operators^[source]

Warhead	7.4 kg (16 lb)^[source]	11 kg (24 lb 4 oz)^[source]

Engine	solid-fuel rocket engine^[source]	solid fuel rocket motor^[source]

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

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

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]	—

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

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

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

Detonation mechanism	—	proximity^[source]

Flight altitude	—	N/A^[source]

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 · 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