9k33 osa-akm (rs-sa-8 gecko) (estimated)

The 9K33 Osa (NATO reporting name SA-8 Gecko) is a highly mobile, short-range tactical surface-to-air missile system developed in the Soviet Union. The Osa-AKM variant features improved missiles with extended range and engagement altitude, along with enhanced electronic countermeasures capabilities.

Initiated in 1960, the system was designed to provide Soviet motorized rifle divisions with an amphibious, self-contained air defense capability to protect advancing armored columns from low-altitude air threats. While the base system entered service in 1971, the modernized Osa-AKM variant was officially adopted in 1980 to counter newer threats like attack helicopters and cruise missiles. It has seen extensive combat deployment worldwide, including the 1982 Lebanon War, the Gulf War, and the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War where both sides actively employ it. Despite its age, the Osa-AKM remains in active service with over a dozen countries, though it is gradually being succeeded by the Tor missile system family.