Air Defense: March 5, 2001

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Myanmar has obtained 100 Igla-1E (SA-16 Gimlet) low-altitude air defense missiles. These were made in Bulgaria and obtained through an arms broker and shipped by way of Thailand. The missiles were delivered in 1998 but it has only been confirmed now that they were in fact delivered. It is not clear that Bulgaria knew where the missiles were being sent. The missile uses a passive heat seeker and can engage targets to a maximum range of 5,200 meters and a maximum altitude of 3,500 meters. The missile is a two-stage design weighing 16.65kg.--Stephen V Cole