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Archie to SAM: A Short Operational History of Ground-Based Air ...

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FROM GUNS TO MISSILES<br />

Figure 54. SA-7 Grail. The Soviets quickly developed and fielded manportable<br />

<strong>SAM</strong>s. The North Vietnamese first used the SA-7 in 1972, and it<br />

proved especially effective against slow-moving and low-flying aircraft.<br />

(Reprinted from USAF.)<br />

detect aircraft radars. The SA-7 has performance similar <strong>to</strong><br />

the Redeye but has been in service with far more countries,<br />

perhaps as many as 56 in all. About 35,000 were built. 71<br />

Just as the Stinger replaced the Redeye, the SA-14 (NATO<br />

code-named Gremlin) replaced the SA-7. It has an improved<br />

mo<strong>to</strong>r, warhead, and seeker, giving it not only head-on firing<br />

capability but also better performance than the SA-7. The SA-14<br />

entered operational service in 1974. 72<br />

105

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