| Kh-58 (NATO reporting name: AS-11 'Kilter') |
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 Kh-58 in the Ukrainian Air Force Museum |
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| Type | air-launched anti-radiation missile |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1982-current[1] |
| Used by | Russia, India, FSU, Warsaw Pact[1] |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1970s |
| Manufacturer | Raduga NPO |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 650 kg (1,430 lb)[2] |
| Length | 480 cm (15 ft 9 in)[2] |
| Diameter | 38 cm (15.0 in)[2] |
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| Warhead | High Explosive[1] |
| Warhead weight | 149 kg (328 lb)[2] |
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| Engine | Solid rocket[1] |
| Wingspan | 117 cm (46.1 in)[2] |
| Operational range |
Kh-58 : up to 160 km (86 nmi) Kh-58U :250 km (130 nmi)[1] Kh-58E :46–200 km (25–110 nmi)[2] |
| Speed | Mach 3.6 |
| Guidance system |
Inertial with passive radar seeker[1] |
| Launch platform |
Su-24M,[1] Mig-25BM, [1] Su-22M4,[2] Su-25TK,[2] Su-30MK[3] |
The Kh-58 (Russian: Х-58; NATO:AS-11 'Kilter') is a Russian anti-radiation missile with a range of 120 km. As of 2004[update] the Kh-58U variant was still the primary anti-radiation missile of Russia and her allies.[1] It is being superseded by the Kh-31.
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Development
The Bereznyak design bureau had developed the liquid-fuelled Kh-28 (AS-9 'Kyle) and the KSR-5P anti-radiation missiles.[3] They merged with Raduga in 1967, so Raduga was given the contract in the early 1970s to develop a solid-fuel successor to the Kh-28 to equip the new Su-24M 'Fencer-D' attack aircraft.[3] Consequently the project was initially designated the Kh-24, before becoming the Kh-58.
During the 1980s a longer-range variant was developed, the Kh-58U, with lock-on-after-launch capability. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Raduga have offered several versions for export.[3]
Design
The design was based on the somewhat smaller Anglo-French Martel missile and was designed to be used in conjunction with the Su-24's L-086A "Fantasmagoria A" or L-086B "Fantasmagoria B" target acquisition system.[1] The range achieved depends heavily on the launch altitude, thus the original Kh-58 has a range of 36 km from low level, 120 km from 10,000 m (32,800 ft), and 160 km from 15,000 m (49,200 ft).[1]
Like other Soviet missiles of the time, the Kh-58 could be fitted with a range of seeker heads designed to target specific air defence radars such as MIM-14 Nike-Hercules or MIM-104 Patriot.[3]
Operational history
The Kh-58 was deployed in 1982 on the Su-24M 'Fencer D' in Soviet service.[1] The Kh-58U entered service in 1991 on the Su-24M and Mig-25BM 'Foxbat-F'.[1] The Kh-58E version can be carried on the Su-22M4 and Su-25TK as well,[2] whilst the Kh-58UshE appears to be intended for Chinese Su-30MKK's.[3]
Variants
- Kh-58 (Izdeliye 112) - original version for the Su-24M
- Kh-58U - improved version with longer range and lock-on-after-launch
- Kh-58E - export version first offered in 1991[3] a downgraded Kh-58U[1]
- Kh-58EM - another version offered for export in the 1990s[3]
- Kh-58UshE (Ulucsenaya Shirokopolosnaya Exportnaya : 'improved, wideband, export') - new wideband seeker in new radome, intended for Su-30MK.[3]
- Kh-58UShKE - version shown at MAKS 2007 with folding fins for semi-conformal carriage.[4]
Some Western sources have referred to a Kh-58A that is either optimised for naval radars or has an active seeker head for use as an anti-shipping missile - it probably represents another name for the Kh-58U.
Operators
Current
Russia[1]
India[1]
Malaysia
Peru- Islamic Republic of Iran
- Former Soviet republics and Warsaw Pact countries[1]
Former
Similar weapons
- Kh-28 (AS-9 'Kyle) - liquid-fuelled predecessor to the Kh-58
- Martel missile - Anglo-French collaboration with 60 km range
- AGM-88 HARM - Current US Air Force anti-radar weapon, range of 106 km
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Staff of Journal of Electronic Defense (2004), International Electronic Countermeasures Handbook, Artech House, pp. 149–150, ISBN 9781580538985, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Y8kePYFK1L8C&pg=PA149
- ^ a b c d e f g h i X-58E, Tactical Missiles Corporation JSC, 2004, http://eng.ktrv.ru/production_eng/323/511/516/
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Kh-58 (AS-11 'Kilter')", Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, 2007-10-24, http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Air-Launched-Weapons/Kh-58-AS-11-Kilter-Russian-Federation.html
- ^ "TMC unveils air-to-surface missiles at Moscow air show", Jane's Defence Weekly, 2007-08-29, http://www.janes.com/extract/jdw2007/jdw33997.html
External links
- Tuomas Närväinen's Homepage - useful details
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