The 3M8M3 missile was part of the 2K11 “Krug” (NATO reporting name: SA-4 “Ganef”) long-range, self-propelled surface-to-air missile (SAM) system designed for ground forces. Although the system was developed in the second half of the 1950s, it did not enter service in the USSR until 10 years later, due to numerous flaws that required design refinements. In 1976, the Polish Armed Forces introduced the modernized 2K11M1 “Krug” variant into the 61st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade, stationed in Skwierzyna. This was the only unit in Poland to operate the “Krug” system, remaining in service until the brigade was disbanded in 2011.
The system carries two 3M8 missiles mounted on a 2P24 tracked, self-propelled launcher, which features a 360-degree traverse and an elevation range of up to 70 degrees.
The 3M8 missile is a highly unique design. Four solid-fuel booster rockets are attached to the main body—the sustainer stage—and are jettisoned once their propellant is exhausted. The sustainer stage is powered by a ZC4 ramjet engine equipped with annular afterburners. The warhead is a high-explosive fragmentation type weighing approximately 150 kg; upon detonation, it produces roughly 15,000 fragments, each weighing about 4 grams.
Technical specifications of the 3M8M3 missile:
Length / wingspan: 7843 / 2702 mm
Launch weight: 2453 kg (sustainer stage – 1400 kg)
Warhead weight: 150 kg (other sources state 135 kg)
Fuze: radar-based proximity fuze with a self-destruct mechanism
Maximum missile speed: 3700–4000 km/h
Range: 6 to 50 km
Engagement altitude: 0.15 to 24.5 km
Maximum target speed: up to 2880 km/h
