Posted on 12/10/2014 7:16:13 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
The KH-35U Uran
Russia’s principal new defense product is the winged KH-35U Uran missile. Its special feature is its unique self-guided head, which is immune to enemy radar interference. It works in two modes: active, when the missile turns on its guiding head for a split second to find the target, and passive, when it does not scan the space around it to detect the target, but merely perceives the impulses emitted by the target.
The Americans were very interested in this characteristic and wanted to purchase KH-35U self-guided missile heads for their Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
The KH-35U attacks the target at the height of almost three meters above sea level - lower than the ship's deck, which makes detecting it difficult for radar stations. Considering that all anti-aircraft systems work in the upper hemisphere, even if the KH-35U is detected, shooting it down is still not easy.
Such missiles can be placed on surface ships and in SSC-6 shore missile complexes. This system consists of two commanding machines, four launching installations, each equipped with eight batteries of missiles, and four transport loaders equipped with 32 secondary discharge missiles.
It only takes minutes to deploy the complex – which is capable of covering 220 miles of shoreline - and for it to find and hit its target. No anti-aircraft system today is capable of intercepting the 32 low-flying winged missiles.
The KH-31PM
Another novelty is the improved version of the KH-31PM, a missile that is already very well known in the U.S. Navy. The KH-31 was a missile that the American fleet bought from Russia in the 1990s as a target missile for developing ships' anti-aircraft systems.
The Americans used the KH-31PM to learn how to hit the Chinese 3M-54 Moskit anti-ship missiles, which had been produced by Russia. In the West the Moskit is codenamed “Sunburn”, due to its speed of over 1,700 mph and its all-destructive potential: No warship is currently capable of evading this missile.
The KH-31, which is very similar to the Moskit, is smaller and cheaper and is used for destroying above-water targets, radar stations and anti-aircraft missile complexes such as the Patriot. It can be installed in all types of Russian destroyers and bombers.
The new KH-31PM has an increased range of 160 miles. It also has a new guidance system and engine, which make its flight more unpredictable and deadlier for the adversary.
For example, the missile is equipped with the broadband guidance head, which can be used against practically all anti-aircraft systems. The earlier missiles were equipped with selective heads, which could only be used against one type of system.
The 3M-55 Yakhont
Perhaps the most impressive system is the winged 3M-55 Yakhont missile, which was used as a model for the Russian-Indian BraMos missile. The peculiarity of these missiles is their artificial intellect, which is comparable to that of the human, helping it function against a single ship on a "one missile-one ship" basis, or as a "flock" against a squadron of ships.
The missiles distribute and classify the targets according to their significance, choose an attack strategy and the plan of its realization. In order to exclude errors in selecting the maneuver and striking the assigned target, electronic "portraits" of all modern types of ships are installed in the anti-ship missile's onboard computing machine.
These are not only the dimensions and contours of the ship, but also data on the various electromagnetic and other force fields inherent only to this type of ship. The machine also has purely tactical data, such as data on the type of ship squadron, which helps the missile determine what is in front of it - aviation carriers or an amphibious group - and attack the target.
The onboard computing machine also has data on countering the adversary's electronic combat resources, which can interfere and lead the missiles away from the target, as well as tactical techniques of evading anti-aircraft defense fire.
The constructors say that after being launched, the missiles decide themselves which one will attack the target and which one will only imitate the attack, distracting the adversary's anti-aircraft systems.
When one missile destroys the principal target in the squadron, the remaining missiles attack the other ships, excluding the possibility of striking one target with two missiles.
In the course of modernizing the Russian Project 949 Antei nuclear submarines and the Project 1144 Orlan heavy nuclear missile cruisers, the Russian Navy is planning that instead of the 24 "old" Granit missile complexes, each missile silo will be installed with three Yakhont containers. As a result the ships' ordnance payload will be augmented from 24 to 72 new supersonic winged missiles.
Source: Russia Beyond the Headlines - http://rbth.com/defence/2014/12/10/new_tactical_rockets_keep_russia_at_forefront_of_missile_development_42131.html)
We’re at the forefront of community organizer development.
I would not place bets on hyped up stories of Soviet technology.
And I would bet you never worked in the defense world with info on threats that does not make it into the evening news.
The Russians have concentrated on missile tech since the 50's as a cost effective way to counter our navy. They know what they are doing.
Among other things, I worked on building simulators of Russian missiles for the navy to practice against. The navy takes these things very, very seriously.
In regards to the second photo, since when do Russian missles have “INERT” in English on them.
These are selling in free market for a long time. English marks makes perfect sense for customers who aren’t fluent in Russian.
To fool the silly Americans.
At a height of less than 3 meters ... put a few 5 in rounds into the water in front of it. Hitting heavy spray at missile speeds will probably destabilize it. Also wonder how it determines height? Radar or laser altimeter? Can that be jammed / spoofed into diving into the waves? Finally, passive attack just begs to be pulled off by an active decoy. Even an imaging backup seeker is then begging for a laser flash / blinding counter.
“I would not place bets on hyped up stories of Soviet technology.”
The recent combination of Russian equipment with Chinese electronics is making the new stuff exceptionally lethal.
Only a fool underestimates the enemy.
The checkerboard of geopolitics is profoundly and rapidly changing. As Russia faces economic implosion as the price of oil, gas and minerals plunges, it turns to China to sell these commodities and now, no doubt, offers an array of scary weapons systems. China, for its part, can use this technology and replicate it in its vast manufacturing system and flood the zone against American power in the Asia Pacific region. So we have one more reason for an axis to form between Russia and China with ominous implications for the US and our interests in the Pacific Rim.
As Chinese power waxes and American economic and military power wanes the nations occupying the rim around China must decide whether to stay with America, cut a deal with China, go nuclear or commit to some combination of these possibilities.
American military and economic power will continue to wane so long as we have a dysfunctional government. The recent betrayals of Boehner and McConnell make it clear that, even if we have a Republican Congress and a Republican president after 2016, the government will stay on course for the eclipse of America.
I have faith that America has weapons systems superior to the ones we see in this article but the margins are getting smaller and the pressure on our allies is getting greater. The deeper America gets into its morass the less political will can be summoned to correct course and the more political will shall be required.
I look at these pictures and I do not see missiles, I see a very bleak future.
Unlike many here, I have respect for how the Russians chose to counter the US superiority in blue water power projection.
They are masters at coming up with counters to whatever whiz-bang megabuck system comes along. How reliable they are would be the big question. Ours, and theirs.
There is no question our edge is vanishing in order to keep the obamafoams and EBT cards funded. Politicians on both sides do not care as long as they get reelected and feed at the trough.
Sir you are correct in your views!
Case in point: the development of the “Bradley Fighting Vehicle” It took 25 years, to get it up to service standards. How much money was wasted due to politicians and the donors (who made billions).
The Russians are not wasting time with technology. Clinton gave the Chinese our advanced military missal documents, and no peep was heard from the media. China has assuredly passed this on to Russia.
Our missal system’s are 30yrs. old. Obama gave all the ballistic missal locations to Russia, this is old, but ignored news.
The new US mantra: “Defeat is Victory”
“Smugness” and stupidity on the US defense capabilities are the reality of the day. The US needs war to hide it’s failing economy. Russia and China have been preparing for a long time, with the US’s help!
Americans have no clue!
The one I use is even older, 1962 Latin Mass.
military ping
“I would not place bets on hyped up stories of Soviet technology.”
Sure, they deserve that since propaganda is a primary practice for them. That said, they are pretty good a missiles since the USA uses them to get to space for both satellites and human travel.
This was in the article under the photo of the second missile:
The KH-31 was a missile that the American fleet bought from Russia in the 1990s as a target missile for developing ships' anti-aircraft systems.
Perhaps that is a photo of an American-owned missile? The aircraft does look like an F/A-18.
Never mind about the F/A-18. I see the Red Star on the tail now.
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