Python (missile) vs R-73 (missile): Specs Compared

FORCETALLY

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AMissiles

Python (missile)

Short-range air-to-air missile

BMissiles

R-73 (missile)

Short-range air-to-air missile

Credit

Vitaly V. Kuzmin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

Python (missile)Length

3.1 m

Length source ↗

R-73 (missile)Length

2.93 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Python (missile)larger figure on 2 of 4

Length+6%
Wingspan+25%

R-73 (missile)larger figure on 2 of 4

Diameter+3%
Mass+1%

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

Measured figures

Head to head

20 of 66 rows sourced on both sides

3.1m

2.93m

Length+6%

All recorded figures & sources

3.1 m

Length

Single source

3.1 metres (10 feet )^[source]

2.93 m

Length

Single source

Configuration

Details

Python (missile) and R-73 (missile) configuration
Specification	Python (missile)	R-73 (missile)
Speed	Mach 4^[source]	Mach 2.5^[source]
Type	Short-range air-to-air missile^[source]	Short-range air-to-air missile^[source]
Place of origin	Israel^[source]	Soviet Union^[source]
Used by	See operators^[source]	See Operators

Wars	Yom Kippur War Falklands War 1982 Lebanon War 2006 Lebanon War^[source]	Eritrean-Ethiopian War Yemeni civil war (2014-present) Russo-Ukrainian War^[source]

Manufacturer	Rafael Advanced Defense Systems^[source]	Moscow Kommunar Machine-Building Plant , Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing , TAM Management^[source]

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

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

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

Detonation mechanism	proximity^[source]	—

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

Flight altitude	N/A^[source]	—

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

Launch platform	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]	MiG-21 (Upgraded), MiG-23-98 , MiG-25 , MiG-27 , MiG-29 , MiG-31 , MiG-35 Sukhoi Su-24 , Su-25 , Su-27 , Su-30 , Su-33 , Su-34 , Su-35 , Sukhoi Su-57 , Sukhoi Su-47 Yak-141 , Yak-130 HAL Tejas IRIAF F-14 J-10 J-11 Mirage 2000 ( Indian Air Force ) MAGURA V5 USV ( HUR Ukraine ) 9K33 Osa Gravehawk^[source]

In service	—	1984–present^[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	Reported operator · China Reported operator · Georgia Reported operator · India Reported operator · Venezuela Reported operator · Vietnam Reported operator · Algeria Reported operator · Angola Reported operator · Armenia Reported operator · Azerbaijan Reported operator · Bangladesh Reported operator · Belarus Reported operator · Bulgaria Reported operator · Cuba Reported operator · Egypt Reported operator · Eritrea Reported operator · Ethiopia Reported operator · Indonesia Reported operator · Iran Reported operator · Kazakhstan Reported operator · North Korea Reported operator · Malaysia Reported operator · Mongolia Reported operator · Myanmar Reported operator · Peru Reported operator · Poland Reported operator · Russia Reported operator · Serbia Reported operator · Sudan Reported operator · Turkmenistan Reported operator · Uganda Reported operator · Ukraine Reported operator · Uzbekistan