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-15C
| Country: | Russian Federation |
|---|---|
| Alternate Name: | Kent, Kh-555, Kh-55Sh, Kh-55SD, Kh-55SE |
| Class: | ALCM |
| Target: | Land |
| Length: | 6.04 m |
| Diameter: | 0.77 m |
| Launch Weight: | 1600.00 kg |
| Payload: | 200 kg HE, submunitions |
| Propulsion: | Turbofan |
| Range: | 3500.00 km |
| Guidance: | INS, TERCOM |
| Status: | Operational |
| In Service: | 2004-Present |
Details
The AS-15C “Kent” (Kh-555, KH55Sh, Kh-55SD, or Kh-55SE) is an intermediate-range, air-launched, turbofan-powered, single warhead cruise missile developed and manufactured by the Soviet Union.
Development of the air-launched AS-15A “Kent” began in 1971. U.S. sources claim that the AS-15 was based on the U.S. Tomahawk, the blueprints of which the Soviets acquired at an early design stage. In 1976, the Soviets also began developing two variants of the AS-15, the ground-launched SSC-X-4 “Slingshot” (RK-55 Granat) and the submarine-launched SS-N-21 “Sampson” (RK-55 Granat/3M10) cruise missiles. The missiles are believed to have been developed and manufactured by the Raduga Mechanical Design Bureau (MKB Raduga).
The AS-15A is deployed on Tu-95 MS6 “Bear H6” and Tu-142M “Bear F” aircraft, each of which carries six missiles on an internal rotary launcher. The missile is also deployed on the TU-95 MS16 “Bear H16,” which carries six missiles on an internal rotary launch and 10 externally on five underwing pylons. Russia also developed a longer range version of the AS-15A known as the AS-15B (Kh-55SM or RKV-500B). This version is deployed on the Tu-160 “Blackjack” aircraft, which carries up to 12 missiles internally in two rotary launchers.
The AS-15C (Kh-555, KH55Sh, Kh-55SD, or Kh-55SE) is a conventionally armed version of the AS-15B. The AS-15C is similar in size and shape to the AS-15B, but with larger fuel tanks. The missile is 6.04 m long, has a body diameter of 0.77 m, and has a launch weight of 1,600 kg. Guidance is provided by an inertial navigation system (INS), with terrain contour matching (TERCOM) providing terminal guidance. The guidance can also probably be equipped with an active radar seeker or an electro-optical correlation seeker. The AS-15A has a minimum range of 50 km and an increased maximum range of 3,500 km. It carries a 400 kg high explosive unitary, penetration, or submunitions warhead.
The AS-15C is believed to have entered service evaluation in October 2002 and the missile was moved to operational status in 2004. Reports indicate that some AS-15A and AS-15B missiles have been modified to the AS-15C standard, which are carried on Tu-95, Tu-142, and Tu-160 aircraft. Some reports also indicate that the AS-15C was simply an intermediate project whose performance specifications have been superceded by the Kh-101 missile. If this is the case, then production on the missile may have ceased. In May 2006 there were a reported 872 AS-15 missiles operational (of all variants). It is believed that 500 nuclear-armed AS-15 missiles will be kept in service with an unknown number of conventionally-armed missiles.(1)
Footnotes
