Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
February 11, 2012
IWG Report 2009
Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
Search
AS-4A
| Country: | Russian Federation |
|---|---|
| Alternate Name: | Kitchen, Kh-22NA, Burya |
| Class: | ALCM |
| Target: | Land |
| Length: | 11.67 m |
| Diameter: | 0.92 m |
| Wingspan: | 2.99 m |
| Launch Weight: | 6000.00 kg |
| Payload: | 200 kT nuclear |
| Propulsion: | Liquid |
| Range: | 310.00 km |
| Guidance: | INS |
| Status: | Operational |
| In Service: | 1965-Present |
Details
The AS-4A “Kitchen” (Kh-22NA Burya) is a short-range, air-launched, liquid-propellant, single warhead, air-to-surface cruise missile developed and manufactured by Russia. It was intended to replace the air-launched AS-3 “Kangaroo” for use against U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and carrier battle groups. The AS-4A carries a 1,000 kg nuclear warhead with a 200 kT yield. Two other versions have been developed, the conventionally armed AS-4B (Kh-22MP) and AS-4C (Kh-22N).
The AS-4A is 11.67 m in length, has a body diameter of 0.92 m, and has a launch weight of 6,000 kg. It has two delta-shaped wings at mid-body and delta-shaped tails and fin at the rear. It is guided by an inertial navigation system (INS) in the midcourse phase, and does not include a separate terminal guidance system. Powered by a liquid-propellant motor, the AS-4A is designed for high altitude release up to 22 km. Its cruising altitude is normally between 10 and 14 km, with a cruising speed of Mach 3.5 to 4.5. The midcourse phase is followed by a steep dive down onto the target in the terminal phase. The missile can also be released from a low level, and can be programmed to cruise at altitudes as low as 1,000 m.
The AS-4A entered service in 1965 and is deployed on Tu-16 “Badger” aircraft. The Tu-16 has been retired, but it is possible that the AS-4A has been fitted to the Tu-22M "Backfire" or the Tu-95 "Bear" aircraft. Ukraine initially retained 425 AS-4B and AS-4C variants, but it is believed that these have been destroyed. In June 2006 reports suggested that Russia would retain about 250 missiles of all AS-4 variants. It was expected that the new Kh-32 missile would eventually replace all AS-4 missiles, but the status of the Kh-32 program is unknown, and it may have been terminated.(1)
Footnotes
