|
|
Kh-35E |
Kh-35 |
Kh-35U |
|
Country of origin |
Russia |
|
Entered service |
1996 |
2003 |
~ 2015 |
|
Missile |
|
Missile length |
4.4 m |
4.4 m |
4.4 m |
|
Missile diameter |
0.42 m |
0.42 m |
0.42 m |
|
Wing span |
1.33 m |
1.33 m |
1.33 m |
|
Missile weight |
620 kg |
620 kg |
670 kg |
|
Warhead weight |
145 kg |
145 kg |
145 kg |
|
Warhead type |
HE-FRAG |
|
Range of fire |
130 km |
130 km |
260 km |
|
Initial development
of the Kh-35 anti-ship missile began back in 1977. Its development
received formal go ahead only in 1983-1984. It was planned to be
a Soviet answer to emerging Western anti-ship missiles, such as
French Exocet, Franco-Italian
OTOMAT,
and US Harpoon. Test launches began in 1985. Development was rather
protracted due to numerous failed launches and problems with the
guidance system. The Kh-35 was first publicly displayed in 1992 and
was proposed for export customers. Though at the time it was still
not ready for production. In the early 1990s, after collapse of the
Soviet Union, development was further delayed due to funding
problems. However in 1994 India ordered these missiles in the
downgraded Kh-35E export form. This Indian order allowed to finish
development and start production of the missile. Deliveries to the
Indian Navy commenced in 1996. The Kh-35 missile was adopted by the
Russian navy only in 2003, alongside with Uran (Uranus)
shipborne anti-ship missile system, which used these missiles. In
2004 Russian Navy adopted a Bal coastal defense missile system,
which also used the Kh-35s. In 2005 development of an air-launched
version of the Kh-35 was completed, which was originally intended
for Indian
Il-38SD maritime patrol aircraft. Since then the air-launched
versions are also widely used by the Russian military. In 2011 a
container-based anti-ship missile system with Kh-35 missiles was
revealed. Other export operators of the Kh-35 are Algeria,
Turkmenistan, and Vietnam. By 2022 Russian military had around 500
Kh-35 missiles. These were widely used during the Russian invasion
to Ukraine. By June 2023 Russian military launched over 500 of these
missiles against the targets in Ukraine. Interestingly Russia
manages to produce these missiles despite the Western sanctions.
Ukrainian MoD reported that since 2022 until the June 2023 Russia
produced 360 of these missiles.
The Kh-35
became a successor to a
P-15
Termit anti-ship cruise missile (Western reporting name SS-N-2
Styx). It
has broadly similar performance to that of the French Exocet and
Franco-Italian OTOMAT. Though it looses in terms of range and
destructive power to the US Harpoon.
The Kh-35 is
much simpler to produce than
P-800 Oniks, Kalibr of the new Tsyrkon (Zyrconium) hypersonic anti-ship
missile, that is currently being developed. This Russian anti-ship
missile is a relatively inexpensive weapon. The fact that Russia
manages to produce these missiles under the Western sanctions and
with limited supply of Western components.
The Kh-35
carries a 145 kg High Explosive Fragmentation (HE-FRAG) warhead. It
was designed to pierce horizontally through the bulkheads and
compartments prior to exploding inside the ship. This missile was
designed to defeat vessels with a displacement of up to 5 000 t. So
it should be efficient against frigates and smaller destroyers. The
Kh-35 also has a secondary capability against ground targets. There was planned a
nuclear-tipped variant of the Kh-35, however it seems that this
missile was never developed.
The Kh-35
has inertial navigation system with active radar homing on the
terminal stage of its flight. This missile has a maximum altitude of
5 km. Though typically it travels 10-15 meters
above the surface. The radar seeker has a lock-on range of 20 km and guides
the missile onto its target. In the terminal stage of the flight the
missile descends to 3-5 meters above the surface in order to
overcome hostile defense systems.
This missile
travels at subsonic speed of 950-1 010 km/h. It is estimated that
due to its subsonic speed that anti-ship missile can be intercepted
rather easily, especially by advanced defense system. The Kh-35 is
efficient out to a Sea State 6.
Missiles
deployed on ships and used by coastal defense missile systems are
fitted with booster motors. However In most cases the air-launched
Kh-35 missiles do not have the booster motor.
Operational
use during the 2022 Russian invasion to Ukraine, when hundreds of
these missiles were used in land attack mode, revealed that this
missiles are not that efficient against ground targets.
Unit price
of the Kh-35 is around
$500 000 per missile.
Variants
Kh-35E is a
downgraded export version. It was the first mass produced version of
the Kh-35. This missile can be deployed on ships, or on land-based
coastal defense systems. In 1994 India ordered these missiles. Production commenced in 1996.
Deliveries to India began during the same year.
Kh-35EV is a
modified version of the Kh-35 with some modifications intended for
Vietnamese navy.
KCT-15 is a
Vietnamese license-produced version of the Kh-35E.
Kh-35 is
version produced for the Russian military. This missile has improved performance over the
Kh-35E. It was adopted in 2003. So basically the Kh-35 appeared
later than its downgraded export version.
Uran (Uranus)
is shipborne anti-ship missile system, which uses Kh-35 missiles.
The missiles used by this system are also referred as 3M24. Western
reporting name of this system is SS-N-25, or Switchblade. It was
adopted by the Russian navy in 2003. It became a successor to the
P-15
Termit anti-ship cruise missile (Western reporting name SS-N-2
Styx). Due to the relatively light weight of the missiles the Uran
system can be carried even by missile cutters. Missiles are launched
from cylindrical containers. These containers are fixed in 35°
inclination. Packs of 2 or 4 containers are used, depending on the
vessel. These containers can be reloaded.
Uran-E is an
export version of the Uran, which uses downgraded Kh-35E missiles.
These missiles are also referred as 3M24E. In 1994 India ordered
this anti-ship missile system. It was delivered to India in 1996 and
installed on
Delhi
class destroyers. The lead ship of the Delhi class was
commissioned with the Indian Navy in 1997.
Uran-EV is
an export version of the Uran for the Vietnamese navy with some
modifications to suit local operational requirements. It uses
Kh-35EV missiles.
KCT-15 is a
Vietnamese anti-ship missile. In 2011-2012 Vietnam was negotiating
local production of Uran anti-ship missile system, which is used on
some of its warships. In 2015 the KCT-15 was first publicly
revealed. In 2016 it was announced that Vietnam launches production
of these anti-ship missiles.
Kh-35U is an
improved anti-ship cruise missile, which can be carried by both surface and
air platforms, as well as watercraft. Letter "U" in the designation
stands for Unified. It first appeared in 2009 and by 2011 this
missile was still tested. It was adopted in around 2015. It is a current production version of the
Kh-35. It has twice more powerful engine and carries more fuel. This
gives this missile a range of up to 260 km. That's twice the range of the
baseline Kh-35. This missile has a maximum altitude of 10 km. The Kh-35U also has improved guidance systems with
GLONASS satellite navigation update and a more
sensitive seeker with a lock-on range of 50 km. This missile is capable of striking ships, as well
as land targets. Among other platforms the Kh-35U is carried by
numerous Russian aircraft, including
Su-34 long-range interdictors,
Su-35S
multi-role fighters, and even
Tu-95 strategic bombers. In its air-launched form it has a
Western reporting name AS-20 or Kayak. The air-launched missile is
shorter and lighter. In most cases it does not have the booster
motor. It has a secondary capability against ground targets.
Kh-35UE is a
downgraded export version of the Kh-35U. It appeared in 2009. This
missile has a launch weight 670 kg. Its air-launched version is
shorter (3.85 m long) and weights 550 kg.
Kh-35V is a
version carried and launched by helicopters. It can be carried by
shipborne helicopters, such as a
Kamov Ka-52K Katran attack helicopter or
Ka-27 series naval helicopters. This missile weights 610 kg, though it has the same
warhead.
Neptun (Neptune)
is a Ukrainian version of the Kh-35. Ukraine could have all the
technical documentation for the Kh-35 missile. Furthermore Ukraine
was producing engines and some other components of the Kh-35. This
Ukrainian missile was first announced in 2013. First examples were reportedly
completed and tested in 2016. This missile is still being developed. In terms of performance it is generally similar to the
Kh-35U, but has a longer body, different booster, and
some other modifications. This missile is planned to be carried and launched
from naval, land and air platforms.
Kumsong 3 (Venus
3) is a North Korean missile generally similar to the Kh-35U.
This missile was first observed in 2014. Initially it was thought
that North Koreans acquired the Russian Kh-35E, or Kh-35UE missiles.
However after close examination it appeared that the North Korean
missile has a number of differences and resembles a Ukrainian Neptun
instead, which is currently being developed. The Kumsong 3 has a
longer body, different booster, as well as some other
modifications. This missile possibly has an active radar homing on
the terminal stage with infrared terminal seeker. The Kumsong 3 made its
first apparent test launch in 2015 and reportedly demonstrated a
range of 200 km. In 2017, during another test launch,
the Kumsong 3 demonstrated a range of 240 km. In terms of
performance the Kumsong 3 is generally similar to the
Russian Kh-35U. This anti-ship missile is carried by vessels and
land-based coastal defense missile systems.
Bal is a
Russian land-based coastal defense missile system, which uses Kh-35
missiles. Its Western reporting name is SSC-6 or Sennight. The
launcher vehicle is based on an
MZKT-7930 heavy high mobility chassis with 8x8 configuration and
carries 8 of these containerized anti-ship cruise missiles. This
coastal defense missile system was adopted by the Russian military
in 2004. Bal-E is a downgraded export
version. Initially it was offered with Kh-35E missiles, until
production switched to more capable Kh-35UE missiles.
Container-based anti-ship missile system. It was first publicly
revealed in 2011. This system is based in a standard 20" shipping
container. It includes 4 containerized launchers with Kh-35
missiles, as well as targeting equipment. It is being proposed for
export customers.
Rubezh-ME is
a coastal defense missile system. It was designed specially for
export. A launcher vehicle is based on KamAZ 8x8 military truck
chassis and carries 4 Kh-35UE missiles. It was first publicly
revealed in 2019. It can be seen as a lighter, less expensive, but
less capable alternative to the Bal.
|