Ukraine Develops RK-19 Missile for Osa-AKM System

The RK-19 SAM publicly unveiled in April is, as previously assumed, intended for use with the Osa-AKM system.

Militarnyi reports this after our correspondent visited the Ukrainian Defense Industry booth at the MSPO exhibition.

The missile was first presented in a video address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky marking the Day of the Employee of the Defense and Industrial Complex of Ukraine.

So far, in addition to confirming that the RK-19 is intended to replace the Soviet 9M33 series of SAMs, its key specifications have also become known.

The missile has an interception range of up to 10 km and a maximum engagement altitude of up to 5 km. Its maximum flight speed reaches 600 m per second.

Like its Soviet counterparts, the RK-19 uses a radio-command guidance system. The launch container, including the missile, weighs 163 kg and measures 3,255 × 320 × 303 mm.

The missile’s warhead weighs 14.3 kg.

Osa-AKM

The Osa-AKM is an all-weather Soviet surface-to-air missile system designed to protect troops and critical facilities from aircraft and cruise missiles. This version forms the backbone of Ukraine’s Osa SAM fleet currently in service.

The system’s self-propelled launcher is fully combat-equipped with six 9M33M3 SAM guided missiles.

The 9M33M3 missile weighs 126.3 kg, including a 15-kilogram warhead. It is 3,158 mm long, with a body diameter of 206 mm and a wingspan of 650 mm. The missile uses a radio-command guidance system.

The missile has a top flight speed of 500 m/s. Its target detection range is up to 45 km. Its engagement zone extends from 1,500 to 10,000 m in range and from 25 to 5,000 m in altitude, with a ±6,000-meter course parameter. The missile can engage targets traveling up to 500 m/s and maneuvering with up to 8G.

The experience of the Russo-Ukrainian war has shown that Osa SAM systems operated by Ukrainian forces demonstrated high effectiveness throughout 2022 and part of 2023, destroying a significant number of Russian UAVs and cruise missiles.

However, stocks of standard ammunition for these systems gradually ran low, significantly reducing their use.