Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
August 29, 2008
IWG Report 2007
Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
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AS-15A
| Country: | Russian Federation |
|---|---|
| Alternate Name: | Kent, Kh-55, RVK-500A |
| Class: | ALCM |
| Target: | Land |
| Length: | 7.10 m |
| Diameter: | 0.51 m |
| Wingspan: | 3.10 m |
| Launch Weight: | 1210.00 kg |
| Payload: | 200-250 kT nuclear |
| Propulsion: | Turbofan |
| Range: | 2500.00 km |
| Guidance: | INS, TERCOM |
| Status: | Operational |
| In Service: | 1984-Presnt |
Details
The AS-15A “Kent” (Kh-55 or RKV-500A) 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 to develop 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).
Testing of the AS-15A began in 1976, and the missile entered service in 1984. It is currently deployed on Tu-95 MS6 “Bear H6” and Tu-142M “Bear F” aircraft, each of which carries six missiles on an internal rotary launcher. It 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.
The AS-15A is 6.04 m long (7.1 m including the boost motor), has a body diameter of 0.514, and has a launch weight of 1,210 kg. The engine is located inside the rear body while it is inside the aircraft, and then lowered on a short pylon at launch. The missile is powered by a turbofan engine, and has a cruise speed of Mach 0.5 to 0.8. Guidance was provided by an inertial navigation system (INS) in the midcourse phase, with terrain contour matching (TERCOM) providing terminal guidance. The AS-15A has a minimum range of 50 km and a maximum range of 2,500 km. It carries a 410 kg payload, and is fitted with a 200 to 250 kiloton nuclear warhead.
In 1987, an improved version, the AS-15B “Kent” (Kh-55SM or RKV-500B), was completed and deployed on Tu-160 “Blackjack” aircraft. In 1992, Russia released details of a conventional cruise missile variant of the AS-15 “Kent” known as the Kh-65SE, which carried a 410 kg high explosive warhead. This variant had a launch weight of 1,250 kg and a range of 600 km. In 1999, another conventionally armed version was reported, the AS-15C (Kh-555, KH55Sh, Kh-55SD, or Kh-55SE). 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. At present, approximately 624 AS-15 missiles are operational in Russia.(1)
Footnotes
- Duncan Lennox, ed., Jane’s Strategic Weapons Systems 42 (Surrey: Jane’s Information Group, July 2005), p. 196; GlobalSecurity.org, “Kh-55 Granat / AS-15 Kent,” available at http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/russia/as-15.htm, accessed on August 1, 2006.
