The satellite is designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.

[2] Kosmos 2196 was launched from Site 43/3 at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia.

[5] A Molniya-M carrier rocket with a 2BL upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 09:53 UTC on 8 July 1992.

[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit.

[3] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 22189.