Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
August 8, 2008
IWG Report 2007
Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
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SS-N-7
| Country: | Russian Federation |
|---|---|
| Alternate Name: | Starbright, P-20L Ametist |
| Class: | SuLCM |
| Target: | Ship |
| Length: | 7.00 m |
| Diameter: | 0.55 m |
| Launch Weight: | 2950.00 kg |
| Payload: | 513 kg HE, nuclear |
| Propulsion: | Liquid w/ solid booster |
| Range: | 60.00 km |
| Guidance: | Autopilot, active radar |
| Status: | Obsolete, Unknown |
| In Service: | 1959-1995 |
Details
The SS-N-7 “Starbright” (P-20L Ametist) was a short-range, solid propellant, single warhead, submarine-launched, anti-ship cruise missile developed and manufactured by the Soviet Union.
In the early 1960s, the Soviet Navy was given the responsibility of engaging U.S. carrier groups that could launch nuclear attacks on the Soviet homeland. The first submarines given this anti-ship task were armed with a mixture of torpedoes and SS-N-3 “Shaddock” cruise missiles. The SS-N-3, however, could only be launched from the surface, which posed operational problems.
The SS-N-7 “Starbright” was the first Russian anti-ship missile capable of launch from a submerged submarine. Developed in the 1960s, it is believed to have been a modification of the SS-N-2 “Styx” (P-15/20/21/22/27), essentially an improved SS-N-2C (P-21) with an optional nuclear warhead. The SS-N-7 was deployed on “Charlie 1” and “Papa” class submarines. The missiles were stored in inclined ramp housings inside the boats with deck mounted hatches, but could also be launched from the submerged position.
The SS-N-7 was 7.0 m long, had a body diameter of 0.55 m, and had a launch weight of 2,950 kg. Midcourse guidance was by autopilot, with an active radar seeker for the terminal phase, and carried a 513 kg high explosive or nuclear warhead. It was powered by a liquid propellant motor, had a range of 60 km and a cruising speed of Mach 0.95. Later versions had an increased range of 80 km.
The SS-N-7 entered service with the Russian Navy in 1959. Improved versions became operational in 1960 and 1967. It is believed that about 200 missiles were produced. By 1991, about 100 missiles remained in service, deployed on “Charlie 1” class nuclear powered cruise missile submarines. All of these boats were decommissioned by 1995. The SS-N-9 “Siren” (P-50) is believed to have replaced the SS-N-7.
An unconfirmed report, however, suggested that Russia had sold SS-N-7 missiles to India from 1988 to 1991, which may still be operational.(1)
Footnotes
- Duncan Lennox, ed., Jane’s Strategic Weapons Systems 42 (Surrey: Jane’s Information Group, July 2005), p. 619; GlobalSecurity.org, “P-70 Ametiste 4K-66 / SS-N-7 Starbright,” available at http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/ss-n-7.htm, accessed on August 1, 2006.
