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. »»
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AS-6
| Country: | Russian Federation |
|---|---|
| Alternate Name: | Kingfish, Kh-26, KSR-5, KSR-11 |
| Class: | ALCM |
| Target: | Land/Ship |
| Length: | 10.56 m |
| Diameter: | 0.92 m |
| Wingspan: | 2.60 m |
| Launch Weight: | 4500.00 kg |
| Payload: | 350 kT nuclear |
| Propulsion: | Solid |
| Range: | 400.00 km |
| Guidance: | INS |
| Status: | Obsolete, In Storage |
| In Service: | 1969-1994 |
Details
The AS-6 “Kingfish” (Kh-26/KSR-5/KSR-11) was a short-range, air-launched, solid-propellant, single warhead, air-to-surface cruise missile developed and manufactured by Russia. Development of the AS-6 began in the late 1960s. The missile appears very similar to the AS-4 “Kitchen,” although lighter with a smaller radar cross-section and a solid-propellant motor. It was intended for use as both a land-attack cruise missile and an anti-ship cruise missile.
Three major versions of the AS-6 exist. The first is known by the Russian designation Kh-26, and is guided by an inertial navigation system (INS) and carries a 350 kT nuclear warhead weighing around 1,000 kg. The second version is the Kh-26N, which is guided by an active radar in the terminal phase and carries either a nuclear or a 930 kg high explosive semi-armor piercing warhead. The third is the Kh-26MP, which has an anti-radar seeker with a high explosive blast/fragmentation warhead for use against land- or ship-based targets.
All three versions of the AS-6 are similar in appearance, with two delta-shaped wings at mid-body and delta-shaped tails and fin at the rear. The missile is 10.56 m long, has a body diameter of 0.92 m, a wingspan of 2.6 m, and has a launch weight of 4,500 kg. It is powered by a solid-propellant motor, and has a maximum supersonic speed of Mach 3.0 when cruising at high level or Mach 2.0 when cruising at low level. The cruise phase is followed by a steep dive onto the target in the terminal phase. The missile has a maximum range of 400 km when released from high level, or 250 km when released from low level.
The AS-6 is believed to have entered service in 1969, deployed on Tu-16 “Badger,” Tu-22M “Backfire,” and Tu-95M “Bear” aircraft (the same launch platforms as the AS-4 variants). In 1990, it was reported that around 100 missiles remained in service. In 1993, Russia offered for export an air-launched target version of the AS-6 designated the KSR-5NM or KSR-5MV. The following year, it was reported that a small number of AS-6 missiles had been exported to Iran for use from Tu-22 “Backfire” aircraft, although this report is now believed to have been false. The AS-6 “Kingfish” was most likely removed from service in 1994.(1)
Footnotes
