Kh-55

Kh-55
George Chernilevsky · Public domain · source
Name	Kh-55
Type	Air-launched cruise missile
Origin	Soviet Union
Used by	Russian Aerospace Forces
Designer	Raduga Design Bureau
Design date	1970s–1980s
Service	1983
Engine	Turbofan
Weight	1,700 kg (3,750 lb)
Length	6.04 m (19 ft 10 in)
Diameter	0.514 m (1 ft 8.2 in)
Wingspan	3.10 m (10 ft 2 in)
Speed	Subsonic
Range	2,500 km (1,600 mi)
Guidance	Inertial navigation system with TERCOM
Warhead	Nuclear (200 kt)
Launch platform	Tu-95MS, Tu-160

Kh-55. The Kh-55 is a Soviet-era, long-range, subsonic air-launched cruise missile designed for strategic nuclear strikes. Developed by the Raduga Design Bureau during the Cold War, it entered service with the Soviet Air Forces in the early 1980s as a key component of the nation's strategic arsenal. The missile is known for its TERCOM guidance system and significant operational range, primarily launched from heavy bombers like the Tu-95MS Bear and Tu-160 Blackjack.

Development and design

The development of the Kh-55 was initiated in the 1970s by the Raduga Design Bureau in response to the deployment of similar American systems like the AGM-86 ALCM. The program aimed to provide the Soviet Air Forces with a modern, long-range standoff weapon capable of penetrating sophisticated NATO air defenses. Key design challenges involved creating a compact, efficient turbofan engine and integrating a reliable guidance system combining an inertial navigation system with TERCOM for high accuracy over continental distances. The missile's design featured a streamlined airframe with folding wings and tail surfaces to fit inside the rotary launchers of the Tu-95MS and the internal bays of the Tu-160. The successful development and testing phase culminated in its official adoption by the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union in 1983.

Operational history

Entering service in 1983, the Kh-55 became a cornerstone of the Soviet Air Forces' strategic bomber fleet, significantly enhancing the standoff attack capabilities of the Long-Range Aviation branch. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the missiles and their launch platforms became assets of the newly formed Russian Aerospace Forces and the Ukrainian Air Force, leading to complex post-Soviet arms control and disposal negotiations. The Kh-55 has been used in Russian military exercises, such as those conducted over the Arctic Ocean and the Barents Sea, to demonstrate strategic reach. Notably, conventional variants derived from the Kh-55 design, such as the Kh-101, have been employed in combat operations during the Russian military intervention in Syria and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Variants

The Kh-55 family expanded to include several significant variants. The basic Kh-55 (NATO reporting name AS-15 Kent) was the original nuclear-armed model. The Kh-55SM (AS-15 Kent) featured extended range through conformal fuel tanks. A dedicated conventional version, the Kh-555, was developed with an improved guidance system and a non-nuclear warhead. The most advanced derivative is the Kh-101/Kh-102 stealth cruise missile system, with the Kh-101 carrying a conventional warhead and the Kh-102 designed for nuclear delivery. Ukrainian efforts to develop a domestic cruise missile, the Korshun, were based on Kh-55 technology acquired after independence.

Specifications

The Kh-55 is a subsonic cruise missile with a launch weight of approximately 1,700 kg (3,750 lb). It measures 6.04 meters (19 ft 10 in) in length, with a body diameter of 0.514 meters (1 ft 8.2 in) and a wingspan of 3.10 meters (10 ft 2 in) when extended. Propulsion is provided by a single Motor Sich R95-300 turbofan engine, giving it a maximum range of up to 2,500 km (1,600 mi). Its guidance system relies on an inertial navigation system updated by a TERCOM radar map-matching system. The primary warhead for the original variant is a 200-kiloton nuclear warhead.

Operators

The primary operator of the Kh-55 is the Russian Aerospace Forces, which deploys the missile on its fleet of Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited a considerable stockpile of Kh-55 missiles and Tu-160 aircraft. Under international pressure, particularly from the United States and Russia, and as part of disarmament agreements, Ukraine transferred its nuclear-capable Kh-55s to Russia and dismantled others in the 1990s and early 2000s. There are no other known current state operators of the original nuclear-armed Kh-55 system.

Category:Cruise missiles of the Soviet Union Category:Cruise missiles of Russia Category:Nuclear cruise missiles