Kh-58 vs Python (missile): Specs Compared

AMissiles

Kh-58

Air-launched anti-radiation missile , surface-to-surface missile

Credit

George Chernilevsky · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · 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

Kh-58Length

4.8 m

Length source ↗

Python (missile)Length

3.1 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Kh-58larger figure on 4 of 4

Length+55%
Wingspan+83%
Diameter+138%
Mass+527%

Python (missile)larger figure on 0 of 4

None

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

Measured figures

Head to head

15 of 41 rows sourced on both sides

4.8m

3.1m

Length+55%

All recorded figures & sources

4.8 m

Length

Single source

480 cm (15 ft 9 in)^[source]

3.1 m

Length

Single source

3.1 metres (10 feet )^[source]

1.17m

640mm

Wingspan+83%

All recorded figures & sources

1.17 m

Wingspan

Single source

117 cm (46.1 in)^[source]

0.64 m

Wingspan

Single source

640 mm (25 in)^[source]

380mm

160mm

Diameter+138%

All recorded figures & sources

0.38 m

Diameter

Single source

38 cm (15.0 in)^[source]

0.16 m

Diameter

Single source

160 millimetres (6.3 inches )^[source]

650kg

103.6kg

Mass+527%

All recorded figures & sources

650 kg

Mass

Single source

650 kg (1,430 lb)^[source]

103.6 kg

Mass

Single source

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

250kmOperational; Kh-58U

> 20kmOperational; >

RangeScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

46–200 km

Operational; Kh-58E

Single source

250 km

Operational; Kh-58U

Single source

120 km

Operational; Kh-58: up to

Single source

Kh-58: up to 120 km (65 nmi) Kh-58U :250 km (130 nmi) Kh-58E: 46–200 km (25–110 nmi)^[source]

> 20 km

Operational; >

Single source

>20 kilometres (12 miles )^[source]

149kgWarhead weight

—

Warhead mass

All recorded figures & sources

149 kg

Warhead weight

Single source

149 kg (328 lb)^[source]

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

Configuration

Details

Kh-58 and Python (missile) configuration
Specification	Kh-58	Python (missile)
Speed	Mach 3.6^[source]	Mach 4^[source]
Type	Air-launched anti-radiation missile , surface-to-surface missile^[source]	Short-range air-to-air missile^[source]
Place of origin	Soviet Union^[source]	Israel^[source]
In service	1982–present^[source]	—
Used by	Russia, India, Algeria, Iran^[source]	See operators^[source]
Wars	Iran–Iraq War Russo-Georgian War Russo-Ukrainian War Russo-Ukrainian war^[source]	Yom Kippur War Falklands War 1982 Lebanon War 2006 Lebanon War^[source]
Designed	1970s^[source]	—
Manufacturer	Raduga NPO^[source]	Rafael Advanced Defense Systems^[source]
Warhead	High Explosive^[source]	11 kg (24 lb 4 oz)^[source]
Engine	Solid rocket^[source]	solid fuel rocket motor^[source]
Guidance system	Inertial with passive radar seeker^[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	Su-24M, Mig-25BM, Su-22M4, Su-25TK, Su-30MK, Su-57E^[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]
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 · 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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Kh-58

Python (missile)

Speed

Mach 3.6^[source]

Mach 4^[source]

Type

Air-launched anti-radiation missile , surface-to-surface missile^[source]

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

Place of origin

Soviet Union^[source]

Israel^[source]

In service

1982–present^[source]

—

Used by

Russia, India, Algeria, Iran^[source]

See operators^[source]

Wars

Iran–Iraq War Russo-Georgian War Russo-Ukrainian War Russo-Ukrainian war^[source]

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

Designed

1970s^[source]

—

Manufacturer

Raduga NPO^[source]

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems^[source]

Warhead

High Explosive^[source]

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

Engine

Solid rocket^[source]

solid fuel rocket motor^[source]

Guidance system

Inertial with passive radar seeker^[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

Su-24M, Mig-25BM, Su-22M4, Su-25TK, Su-30MK, Su-57E^[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]

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 · 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