Den 9K33 Osa (Engelsk: veps; NATO-rapporteringsnavnet SA-8 Gecko) er et svært mobilt, taktisk bakke-til-luft-missilsystem med lav høyde og kort rekkevidde designet i Sovjetunionen. Eksportversjonsnavnet er Romb.
The 9K33 Osa (Wasp) is a highly mobile, short-range, low-altitude surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by the Soviet Union. Its NATO designation is SA-8 Gecko. It was the first fully autonomous SAM system—meaning all elements (missiles, radar, and fire control) are mounted on a single vehicle—to enter Soviet service. This “all-in-one” design allows the Osa to quickly deploy and relocate, making it extremely difficult for enemy aircraft to suppress. It was designed to provide close-range air defense for Soviet ground forces on the move. The system is mounted on a six-wheeled, BAZ-5937 amphibious chassis, giving it excellent cross-country mobility.
Radar System: The large turntable carries two main radars: a Target Acquisition Radar (range up to 30 km) and a Tracking/Guidance Radar (range up to 20 km).
Missile: 9M33 missile (later 9M33M2 and 9M33M3 in upgrades).
Missile Guidance: Command line-of-sight (CLOS). Operators guide the missile manually using the radar data.
Missile Range: Up to 15 km (9.3 mi) (9M33M3 variant).
Engagement Altitude: 10–12,000 m (33–39,400 ft) depending on missile variant.
Vehicle Speed (Road): 70 km/h (43 mph).
Key Feature: The system can fire missiles while stationary or moving, significantly enhancing survivability.
Armament and Variants
Ready Missiles: The standard 9K33 carries four 9M33 missiles in launch tubes. Later versions (Osa-AK/AKM) carry six missiles.
Reloads: The system is reloaded by a separate transloader vehicle (9T217).
9K33M3 (Osa-AKM): The most common variant, featuring improved radars, digital electronics, and the 9M33M3 missile, which dramatically increased the engagement range and altitude.
Service History: Widely exported and used in several conflicts, including the Iran-Iraq War and the 1982 Lebanon War, where it proved challenging for early enemy countermeasures.