| Kh-22 (NATO reporting name: AS-4 'Kitchen') |
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|---|---|
 Kh-22 under a Tu-22M2 |
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| Type | air-to-surface missile |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1962-2007 |
| Used by | Russia |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Raduga |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 5,820 kg (12,800 lb) |
| Length | 11.65 m (38.2 ft) |
| Diameter | 181 cm (71 in) |
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| Warhead | 900 kg (1,984 lb) HE shaped charge or 350–1000kT nuclear |
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| Engine | Liquid-fuel rocket |
| Wingspan | 300 cm (120 in) |
| Propellant | Hydrazine and IRFNA |
| Operational range |
up to 400 km (220 nmi) |
| Speed | Mach 4 |
| Guidance system |
inertial with terminal active seeker |
| Launch platform |
Tu-22M, Тu-22К, Тu-95К22 |
The Raduga Kh-22 (Russian: Х-22; AS-4 'Kitchen') is a large, long-range anti-ship missile developed by the Soviet Union. It was intended for use against US Navy aircraft carriers and carrier battle groups, typically with a nuclear warhead. The missile is considered a very powerful weapon, even when armed with a conventional warhead. Australian Air Power magazine describes it as "a formidable weapon by any measure."
Contents |
Development
The Kh-22 was developed from the late 1950s out of the official Soviet view that missiles were the wave of the future, and that manned bombers were obsolete. Faced with the threat that their bomber forces would be dismantled, Soviet VVS and AV-MF commanders set about to convert their heavy bombers as raketonosets, missile carriers. The Kh-22 (Complex 22) weapon was developed by the Raduga design bureau and used to arm the Tupolev Tu-22.
Design
The Kh-22 used an Isayev liquid-fuel rocket engine, fueled with hydrazine and IRFNA (inhibited red fuming nitric acid), giving it a maximum speed of nearly Mach 4 and a range of up to 400 km (220 nmi). It could be used in either high-altitude or low-altitude modes. In high-altitude mode it climbed to an altitude of 27,000 m (88,580 ft) and made a high-speed dive into the target, with a terminal speed of about Mach 4. In low-altitude mode, it climbed to 12,000 m (39,370 ft) and made a shallow dive at about Mach 1.2, making the final approach at an altitude under 500 m (1,640 ft). Guidance was by gyro-stabilized autopilot, with a radio altimeter.
It is claimed that when using a shaped charge 1000 kg warhead, it blew a hole 5 meters (15 feet) in diameter and penetrated 12 meters (38 feet) deep during Soviet tests.[1], [2]
Operational history
The first service-ready missiles were ready in 1962.
The main launch platform is the Tu-22M 'Backfire',.[3] [4] but Russia has also used it on the Тu-22К 'Blinder-B' and Tupolev Tu-95К22 'Bear-G'.
Variants
Two initial versions were built, the Kh-22A with a large conventional warhead and the Kh-22N, with a 350-1000-kiloton nuclear warhead.[5]. In the mid-1960s this was supplemented by the Kh-22P, an anti-radiation missile for the destruction of radar installations. In the 1970s the Kh-22 was upgraded to Kh-22M and Kh-22MA standard, with new attack profiles, somewhat longer range, and a datalink allowing mid-course updates.
- Kh-22E - a conventionally-armed version for export
Operators
Former Operators
Iraq- all retired after the US invasion.
Russia
Soviet Union- Passed onto successor states
Notes and references
- ^ http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-Regional-PGM.html#Raduga_Kh-22M_Burya
- ^ http://vs.milrf.ru/armament/marine/krm_x22.htm
- ^ Rosoboronexport Air Force Department and Media & PR Service, AEROSPACE SYSTEMS export catalogue, Rosoboronexport State Corporation, p. 122, http://www.rusarm.ru/cataloque/air_craft/aircraft.pdf
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=GYGV3VOUgxoC&pg=PA147&lpg=PA147
- ^ http://fly.hausnet.ru/spravochnik/5/05r/h-22/index.html
External links
- http://airwar.ru/weapon/kr/x22.html (Russian)
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