Raduga missiles

Raduga missiles. The Raduga design bureau, formally known as MKB Raduga, is a historic Soviet and now Russian aerospace engineering firm renowned for developing long-range air-launched cruise missiles. Established from a division of the famed Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau, it became a leading center for strategic stand-off weapons during the Cold War. Its products, primarily carried by heavy bombers like the Tupolev Tu-95 and Tupolev Tu-160, formed a critical leg of the Soviet Union's nuclear triad and continue to serve in the arsenal of the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Overview

The enterprise originated as a specialized branch within the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, focusing on unmanned aircraft and missile systems before becoming an independent entity. Based in Dubna, Moscow Oblast, its close association with the Tupolev bureau for airframe integration was pivotal. Raduga's creations were central to the strategic doctrine of the Soviet Air Forces, providing the capability to engage heavily defended targets from outside the range of many NATO air defense systems. Key projects included the Kh-20, Kh-22, and the family of Kh-55/Kh-101 missiles, which posed significant challenges to Western air defenses during the Cold War and beyond.

Design and development

Early work at Raduga involved adapting manned aircraft designs into target drones and cruise missiles, such as the MiG-15-based KS-1 Komet. A major breakthrough was the Kh-20, a large, Mikulin turbojet-powered missile carried by the Tupolev Tu-95. The bureau later achieved notoriety with the Kh-22, a high-speed, long-range anti-ship missile designed to defeat United States Navy carrier battle groups. The most influential design was the Kh-55, a subsonic, terrain-following strategic cruise missile developed in response to the American AGM-86 ALCM; it utilized a small turbofan engine and sophisticated terrain contour matching guidance. Subsequent developments, including the conventional Kh-101 and nuclear Kh-102, were undertaken by the competing Tactical Missiles Corporation bureau NPO Mashinostroyeniya.

Operational history

Raduga missiles entered service with the Long Range Aviation branch of the Soviet Air Forces, arming regiments of Tupolev Tu-95MS and Tupolev Tu-160 bombers. They were a key component of Soviet strategic planning against targets in North America and Europe. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many missiles and their launch platforms were transferred to the Russian Air Force and the Ukrainian Air Force, with some later destroyed under treaties like START I. Russian forces have employed later-generation variants, such as the Kh-101, in combat during the Russian military intervention in Syria and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, launching them from bombers over the Caspian Sea and Black Sea.

Variants

The lineage encompasses several distinct families. The Kh-20 was an early strategic missile with a thermonuclear weapon warhead. The Kh-22 family included anti-ship and land-attack versions, known in the West as the AS-4 Kitchen. The revolutionary Kh-55 series, codenamed AS-15 Kent, spawned numerous derivatives including the Kh-55SM with extended range and the conventionally armed Kh-555. Further evolution led to the externally similar but advanced Kh-101/Kh-102 family, featuring stealth technology and new guidance systems, developed by a rival bureau. The Kh-15, a short-range, high-speed weapon akin to the American AGM-69 SRAM, was also a Raduga product.

Specifications

Representative specifications are from the foundational Kh-55 missile. It is a subsonic weapon with a length of approximately 8 meters and a launch weight around 1.5 metric tons. Propulsion is provided by a single Moscow Machine-Building Plant R-95-300 turbofan engine, with a range estimated between 2,500 to 3,000 kilometers. Guidance typically combines an inertial navigation system with mid-course updates and terminal terrain contour matching. The warhead is a single nuclear or conventional unit. Launch platforms historically include the Tupolev Tu-95MS, Tupolev Tu-160, and the Tupolev Tu-22M bomber.

Category:Cruise missiles of the Soviet Union Category:Cruise missiles of Russia Category:MKB Raduga