Tu-22M3: News

Kh-32 - a conventionally-armed deep upgrade variant of Kh-22 for modernised Tu-22M3

The principal weapon of modernised Tu-22M3 will be the Kh-32 supersonic air-to-surface missile developed by NPO Raduga as an upgrade of the familiar Kh-22. It features an improved rocket motor and a new seeker head.

The old Kh-22 anti-shipping missile was severely handicapped by its short range - a few hundred kilometers, that is, within visual range for a high flying aircraft. Over-the-horizon attacks were all but impossible, as the Kh-22's seeker head could not find the target.

Raguda's new Kh-32 is the solution. While the Kh-22 climbs to 22000m and accelerates to about 3600 km/h on the way to target, the Kh-32 at first soars up almost to space an altitude of some 44 km/27.3 miles then "looks beyond the horizon", detecting the target at 600 km or even 1000 km range. The warhead/seeker of the new missile is much smarter as it can classify the targets and select the priority target, which is the highest value target in a fleet. Usually, this would be an aircraft carrier or a guided missile cruiser.

Also the Kh-32 closes on the target at much higher speed, which makes it impossible to intercept. In Russia that this missile and the Tu-22M3 modernisation to carry it are considered a serious military deterrent and an effective weapon against the most powerful carrier task force. Test of the Kh-32 were successful Kh-32 - a conventionally-armed deep upgrade variant of Kh-22 for modernised Tu-22M3

The principal weapon of modernised Tu-22M3 will be the Kh-32 supersonic air-to-surface missile developed by NPO Raduga as an upgrade of the familiar Kh-22. It features an improved rocket motor and a new seeker head.

The old Kh-22 anti-shipping missile was severely handicapped by its short range - a few hundred kilometers, that is, within visual range for a high flying aircraft. Over-the-horizon attacks were all but impossible, as the Kh-22's seeker head could not find the target.

Raguda's new Kh-32 is the solution. While the Kh-22 climbs to 22000m and accelerates to about 3600 km/h on the way to target, the Kh-32 at first soars up almost to space an altitude of some 44 km/27.3 miles then "looks beyond the horizon", detecting the target at 600 km or even 1000 km range. The warhead/seeker of the new missile is much smarter as it can classify the targets and select the priority target, which is the highest value target in a fleet. Usually, this would be an aircraft carrier or a guided missile cruiser.

Also the Kh-32 closes on the target at much higher speed, which makes it impossible to intercept. In Russia that this missile and the Tu-22M3 modernisation to carry it are considered a serious military deterrent and an effective weapon against the most powerful carrier task force. Test of the Kh-32 were successfully completed back in late 1990 in so doing the long range aviation worked in close co-operation with the Navy, which willingly supplied decommissioned warships as targets.[6]ly completed back in late 1990 in so doing the long range aviation worked in close co-operation with the Navy, which willingly supplied decommissioned warships as targets.[6]

GarryB wrote:I must say I have only ever seen Backfires with Kh-15, Kh-22M, and dumb bombs on multiple ejector racks.

Правда, Х-101 все же получилась тяжелее Х-555 примерно в три-четыре раза. Поэтому нести ее могут только стратегические ракетоносцы Ту-160 и Ту-95. Бомбардировщик Ту-22 ее не поднимет. Вот поэтому «Бэкфайр» пока останется со старыми Х-555, — пояснил собеседник «Известий».

http://izvestia.ru/news/535063

Austin wrote:So what is the range of Kh-101 , I though it was 5500-6000 km but Izevesta is quoting at 10000 km.