PL-5 vs Python (missile): Specs Compared

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AMissiles

PL-5

Short-range air-to-air missile

Credit

Carlos E. Perez S.L · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 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

PL-5PL-5B, PL-5C

3.128 m

Length source ↗

Python (missile)Length

3.1 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Measured figures

Head to head

17 of 47 rows sourced on both sides

3.13mPL-5B, PL-5C

3.1m

Length

All recorded figures & sources

3.128 m

PL-5B, PL-5C

Single source

2.893 m

PL-5E

Single source

Configuration

Details

PL-5 and Python (missile) configuration
Specification	PL-5	Python (missile)
Speed	Mach 2.5^[source]	Mach 4^[source]
Type	Short-range air-to-air missile^[source]	Short-range air-to-air missile^[source]
Place of origin	China^[source]	Israel^[source]
Manufacturer	Luoyang Electro-Optics Technology Development Centre (EOTDC), Hanzhong Nanfeng Machine Factory^[source]

Produced	1982^[source]	Shafrir series: 1961–1983 Python series: 1980–present^[source]

Warhead	6kg blast-frag , or expanding rod (RF-fuse)^[source]	11 kg (24 lb 4 oz)^[source]

Detonation mechanism	Active infrared , laser proximity fuse(PL-5EII)^[source]	proximity^[source]

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

Guidance system	Infrared homing , multi-element, dual band detector(PL-5EII)^[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	Aircraft, helicopter gunships^[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]

Used by	—	See operators^[source]

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

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

Flight altitude	—	N/A^[source]

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