# World's smallest radar-guided anti aircraft missile? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 1, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-radar-guided-anti-aircraft-missile/315052 "2005-08-01T00:21:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-radar-guided-anti-aircraft-missile/315052/1 "2005-08-01T00:21:03Z")
I was just wondering…what’s the world’s smallest radar guided anti-aircraft missile? Air-to-air or surface-to-air, either one. And, if applicable, were there any planned or prototype missiles that were notably smaller than anything in service? That’s…it, I guess. Can anyone help me out? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-radar-guided-anti-aircraft-missile/315052/2 "2005-08-01T00:50:47Z")
The SA-7 GRAIL Class. [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/row/sa-7.htm](http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/row/sa-7.htm) I think. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-radar-guided-anti-aircraft-missile/315052/3 "2005-08-01T02:21:04Z")
That’s pretty small, but that says it’s infrared guided, not radar guided. (Dang!) ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-radar-guided-anti-aircraft-missile/315052/4 "2005-08-01T03:42:23Z")
Smallest in length, weight, diameter, warhead, or what? Do you care if it is not currently in production or use? Does active or semi-active homing matter? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-radar-guided-anti-aircraft-missile/315052/5 "2005-08-01T04:05:03Z")
Smallest in overall physical size. It doesn’t matter if it’s in current production or use, and it doesn’t matter if it has active or semi-active homing. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-radar-guided-anti-aircraft-missile/315052/6 "2005-08-01T04:23:42Z")
There is the dual-mode (IR-RF) [RAM](http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/ram.htm). There was also a radar version of the Sidewinder, the[AIM-9C](http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-9.html) ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-radar-guided-anti-aircraft-missile/315052/7 "2005-08-01T04:47:02Z")
The smallest overall would have to be the ship-launched semi-active British [Sea Cat](http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WMBR_Sea_Cat.htm) GWS-21, 22, and 24. I don’t know of any smaller that were not produced. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-radar-guided-anti-aircraft-missile/315052/8 "2005-08-01T04:56:00Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > The smallest overall would have to be the ship-launched semi-active British [Sea Cat](http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WMBR_Sea_Cat.htm) GWS-21, 22, and 24. > > I don’t know of any smaller that were not produced. I don’t understand the spec on dimensions: 48.3 x 378.5 in (19 x 149 cm) Span: 165 in (65 cm) ??? ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-smallest-radar-guided-anti-aircraft-missile/315052/9 "2005-08-01T05:01:43Z")
The metric measurements on the page I linked to are the correct ones.