Kh-15

Raduga Kh-15
(NATO reporting name: AS-16 'Kickback')

Raduga Kh-15
Type air-to-surface missile
antitank missile
Place of origin Soviet Union
Service history
In service 1980
Used by Russia
Production history
Designer Raduga
Designed 1974-1980
Manufacturer Dubna Machine-building Plant
Produced 1980
Specifications
Weight 1,200 kg (2,650 lb)
Length 478 cm (15 ft 8 in)
Diameter 45.5 cm (17.9 in)
Warhead conventional or nuclear
Warhead weight 150 kg (331 lb)
Blast yield 300 kt

Engine solid-fuel RDTT-160
Wingspan 92 cm (36.2 in) maximum
Operational
range
300 km (160 nmi)
Flight ceiling 40,000 m (130,000 ft)
Speed Up to Mach 5[1]
Guidance
system
inertial guidance, active radar homing, or anti-radiation missile
Launch
platform
Su-33, Su-34, Tu-95MS-6, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 [1]
Kh-15 from rear

The Raduga Kh-15 or RKV-15 (Russian: Х-15; NATO: AS-16 "Kickback"; GRAU:) is a Russian air-to-surface missile carried by the Tupolev Tu-22M and other bombers. Originally a standoff nuclear weapon similar to the U.S. Air Force's AGM-69 SRAM, versions with conventional warheads have been developed.

Development

In 1967, MKB Raduga started developing the Kh-2000 as a replacement for the Kh-22 AS-4 'Kitchen' heavy anti-shipping missile.[1] Development of the Kh-15 started some time in the early 1970s.[2] The sophistication of the design made it suitable for other roles, and a nuclear-tipped version was developed in tandem with the conventionally armed variant.[1] An upgrade under development was cancelled in 1991, but reports in 1998 suggested an upgraded Kh-15 might be fitted to Su-35 tactical aircraft.[2]

Design

The Kh-15 climbs to an altitude of about 40,000 m (130,000 ft) and then dives in on the target, accelerating to a speed of about Mach 5, which makes it the fastest aircraft-launched missile to date.[1]

Operational history

It entered service in 1980. It can be carried by the Su-33, Su-34, Tu-95MS-6 'Bear-H', Tu-22M3 'Backfire C', and Tu-160 'Blackjack'.[3]

Variants

Operators

Current

Former

Similar weapons

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Kh-15, RKV-15 (AS-16 'Kickback')", Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, 2008-08-01, retrieved 2009-02-03
  2. 1 2 "Kh-15 (AS-16 'Kickback'/RKV-15)", Jane's Strategic Weapon Systems, 2008-09-02, retrieved 2009-02-06
  3. http://www.ktrv.ru/about/structure/458/459/

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/22/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.