Dagger anti-aircraft missile system characteristics. Nuclear "Dagger" and secret developments: what weapons did Putin talk about

How to counter an opponent with overwhelming superiority? Obviously, a way out of this situation will provide available means capable of inflicting unacceptable damage to the enemy. These requirements are met by the Russian hypersonic aviation missile system"Dagger". Its successful trial was officially announced on March 1, 2018.

As expected, most of the information about this weapon remained out of the public domain. But what has become known indicates that there are no world analogues of this complex yet.

Unique missile system

The Kinzhal hypersonic aviation missile system (ARC) is designed to deliver high-precision strikes against moving surface and stationary ground targets. It includes a high-speed carrier aircraft and an Kh-47M2 aeroballistic missile. Although this alphanumeric index has not yet been officially announced, a number of experts are inclined to just such a designation of the product.

This missile is capable of hitting a moving ship of the aircraft carrier-frigate class or a fortified ground object at hypersonic speed with high accuracy. As you know, hypersonic weapons include aircraft whose speed exceeds the speed of sound by at least five times.

X-47M2 missile

It was the hypersonic X-47M2 that became the main innovative element of the Kinzhal complex. Although, high or even, as some experts believe, overestimated performance characteristics have become the subject of controversy and mistrust. However, comparison performance characteristics missiles X-47M2 and its Western competitors clearly speaks in favor of domestic development.

Comparative characteristics air-launched missiles

This missile is considered not cruise, but aeroballistic: the flight range is determined by its speed. The aircraft launches at an altitude of about 15,000 m. Separating from the carrier, the rocket starts its own engine, and then climbs along the ballistic curve, which, according to various estimates, reaches 25 ... 50 thousand meters.

Upon reaching the upper point of the trajectory, the engine is turned off, the head of the rocket is separated and its descent begins. This start-up scheme allows you to develop top speed, as well as accumulate enough energy to maneuver with overloads of at least 25 units.

The capabilities of the ARC "Dagger" require a significant reduction in the reaction time of the enemy's air defense / missile defense.

Firstly, the specified launch range allows the carrier aircraft to bypass the radar detection zone.

At the same time, the enemy does not know where to expect a blow from. For example, the maximum detection range of an aircraft by the THAAD missile defense system is up to 1000 km. Theoretically, the AWACS aircraft would have corrected the situation with detection. But it is unlikely that the combat situation will allow him to do this.

Secondly, the hypersonic speed of approach to the target on an unpredictable flight path for the enemy (including an angle of attack up to 90 °) simply does not leave time to calculate the trajectory of the warhead and ensure a successful interception. In addition, most missiles do not have sufficient speed and the ability to maneuver with the necessary overloads, including the vaunted RIM-161 "Standard" SM3.

Obviously, such conditions impose specific requirements also on the guidance system of the Kh-47M2 missile itself. But it has to be judged so far only approximately. It can be assumed that the algorithm of the guidance system is as follows:

• after separation from the carrier, the primary correction of the trajectory is activated according to the data of the Russian satellite system GLONASS;
• after separation of the warhead - an inertial guidance system with satellite correction;
• at the target search point, the GOS is turned on - radar or optical.

Rocket complex "Dagger" according to current trends of the domestic rocket industry will be equipped with a wide range of warheads, including the nuclear version. Thanks to this, it will be able to effectively hit both point and dispersed targets.

Aircraft carrier MiG-31BM

The high-speed carrier aircraft MiG-31BM, the latest modification of the unsurpassed Russian fighter-interceptor, took part in the tests of the Kinzhal ARC. This choice was determined by the high speed of the aircraft, maximum value which - 3400 km / h.

All of them, except for the last one, are capable of carrying the Kh-47M2 on an appropriately upgraded external sling. And the "White Swan" can be equipped with four such missiles, using the internal weapons bays without significant alteration.

It is planned that the ARK "Dagger" will be included in the armament of a promising long-range aviation complex as a regular means of destruction.

Thus, the Kinzhal complex received another significant advantage - the versatility of the aircraft carrier.

Expert opinions

Despite the scarcity of information, the expert community is actively discussing the possibilities of the new complex. On the one hand, there is an external similarity between the Kh-47M2 and the 9M723 operational-tactical missile of the 9K720 Iskander-M complex. This suggested that the new missile is the result of a deep modernization of its ground-based counterpart.

Based on this, according to skeptics, the declared flight range could be achieved either at a much lower flight speed (transonic), or by drastically reducing the mass of the warhead.

On the other hand, upgrading a successful product has its advantages over creating a completely new weapon. Along with the unification of components and parts, there is a reduction in the time and cost of development and further production of a new model.

As for the indicated speed and flight range, these indicators are provided by the conditions for launching the rocket.

It is produced at supersonic flight speed of the carrier outside the dense layers of the atmosphere. Part of the flight path passes there, which significantly saves fuel. Therefore, by the time the warhead approaches the border of the air defense zone, its speed may well reach the declared value.

Another problem is the appearance of a plasma shell around a body moving in dense layers of the atmosphere with hypersonic speed. Due to overheating, air molecules break up and form a "cocoon" of ionized gas, which reflects radio waves. Therefore, the reception of navigation data from the satellite and the operation of the radar seeker becomes impossible.

It turns out that already at the time of the start of the search for the target, the speed of the X-47M2 does not reach hypersonic. In addition, maneuvering the warhead without a running engine should, in theory, reduce its speed to supersonic. It follows from this that the "Dagger" for the enemy's air defense poses a threat, albeit a serious one, but surmountable.

However, since the problem of the "plasma cocoon" is far from new, work to overcome it has been going on for a long time, including successful ones. It cannot be ruled out that the result of closed developments was a positive solution to this issue.

It is worth noting that the hypersonic speed of the rocket gives it kinetic energy comparable to the energy of the explosion of a conventional warhead.

In principle, if a large (500 kg) warhead mass prevents acceleration or reduces the missile's flight range, then it can be reduced to a minimum.

Even in this case, hitting the Kh-47M2, say, on an aircraft carrier will put it out of action. Damage to the flight deck or deprivation of the ship's progress, of course, will not drown such a "bearer of democracy", but it will definitely stop carrier-based aircraft from flying.

Summing up

Objectively weighing the pros and cons regarding the combat capabilities of the Kinzhal ARC, we can assume that they are achievable. Everything depends on the extent to which the Russian scientific potential has made it possible to overcome the above difficulties. Naturally, the successes of secret developments are not advertised ahead of time.

Thus, based on the declared characteristics of the Kinzhal ARC, this weapon will have the following decisive advantages:

1. The ability to overcome the opposition of enemy air defense / missile defense thanks to such capabilities as:

• launch range beyond the detection radius of the carrier aircraft by existing radar stations of a potential enemy;
• maneuvering at hypersonic speeds with overloads inaccessible to modern anti-aircraft missiles;
• the use of radio countermeasures.

It is expected that the adoption of the ARK "Dagger" will be a breakthrough in expanding the combat capabilities of the RF Armed Forces, although in the medium term it will not reduce the importance of the aircraft carrier groups of the "partner" countries.

Russia remains the largest nuclear power. Nobody listened to us, listen now,” with these words, Vladimir Putin announced the creation of new types of superweapons during his message to the Federal Assembly. the site has collected the most important samples, which the Russian president spoke about.

"Vanguard"

Able to carry out deep maneuvering, both lateral and in height, absolutely invulnerable to any means of anti-aircraft and missile defense the Avangard complex is not science fiction, but a real-life weapon model that has entered mass production.

The image is illustrative. Photo: army-news.ru

Vladimir Putin said that this is another type of Russian strategic weapon: “The use of new composite materials made it possible to solve the problem of a long-term controlled flight of a planning winged unit practically under conditions of plasma formation. It goes to the target almost like a meteorite. Like a burning ball fire ball. The temperature on the surface of the product reaches 1600-2000 degrees Celsius. At the same time, the winged unit is reliably controlled.

The Russian president also noted that due to great secrecy, it is not possible to show the image of the Avangard.

Perhaps we are talking about a hypersonic combat (object 4202, product 15Yu71), information about which was previously leaked to the media. The maximum warhead speed is Mach 15, and most of its flight takes place at an altitude of about 100 km.

Jane's analysts believe that the Yu-71 hypersonic vehicle, developed as part of the secret Object 4202 program, has already been tested more than once - launches were carried out in December 2011, September 2013, 2014 and February 2015.

"Sarmat"

Nuclear missiles are still the main trump card in the sleeve of the generals of the world's leading armies.

Once such a trump card for the Soviet military was the Voevoda missile system, which in the West for a terrifying firepower nicknamed "Satan". AT modern Russia more powerful weapon, which, unlike the "Voevoda" (flight range of 11 thousand km), has no range restrictions.

Putin said that "Sarmat" is capable of attacking targets both through the Northern and through South Pole: “With a weight of over 200 tons, it has a short active flight segment, which makes it difficult to intercept it with missile defense systems; the range of the new heavy missile, the number and power of warheads is greater than that of the Voyevoda. The warhead is equipped with a wide range of high-yield nuclear weapons, including hypersonic ones, and the most modern systems for overcoming missile defense.”

hypersonic weapons

Putin confirmed the presence hypersonic weapons. “Russia has such weapons. Already there,” the president said. One of these developments is already known for certain - this is the Zircon rocket, the speed of which on the march reaches Mach 8 (approximately 9792 km / h).

Zircon missiles can be launched from 3S14 universal launchers, which are also used for Caliber and Onyx missiles.

"Zircons" will arm the Russian nuclear super cruisers "Peter the Great" and "Admiral Nakhimov". The firing range of "Zircon", according to the open ones, is about 400 kilometers.

Nuclear "Dagger"

According to Putin, on December 1, 2017, a unique hypersonic aviation-missile complex"Dagger".

"Unique flight performance high-speed carrier aircraft make it possible to deliver the missile to the drop point in a matter of minutes, while the missile, flying at hypersonic speeds that exceed the speed of sound by 10 times, also maneuvers in all parts of the flight path. This also allows it to reliably overcome all existing and, I think, promising air and missile defense systems, delivering nuclear and conventional warheads to the target at a distance of up to two thousand kilometers, ”said the Russian president.

Underwater drone with nuclear weapons

Putin called this development "simply fantastic." According to him, Russia has created a unique submersible capable of moving at great depths.

“I would say, at a very great depth and at an intercontinental range at a speed that is a multiple of the speed of submarines, the most modern torpedoes and all types of even the fastest surface ships," he stressed.

Such a device can be equipped with both conventional and nuclear weapons, therefore it is capable of destroying wide range purposes: from infrastructure facilities to aircraft carrier groups. Russian President said that a long-term cycle of testing an innovative nuclear power plant to equip this autonomous uninhabited vehicle was completed in December 2017.

Putin stressed that the nuclear installation is distinguished by small dimensions: with a volume one hundred times smaller than that of modern nuclear submarines, it has greater power and two hundred times less time to enter combat mode.

At the end, the politician summed up that the results of the tests made it possible to start creating a fundamentally new type of strategic weapon equipped with high-yield nuclear weapons.

Most likely, Putin was talking about underwater nuclear weapons under the name "Ocean multi-purpose system "Status-6". Part of the Status-6 system is an unmanned underwater robot, which is a giant deep-sea high-speed torpedo with a nuclear warhead. Its range is 9977 km, the maximum speed is 56 knots. Not long ago, its existence is the Pentagon.

Weapon of which nothing is known

In his speech, Vladimir Putin also spoke about the development of such new types of strategic weapons that do not use ballistic flight paths at all when moving towards a target, which means that missile defense systems are useless and simply meaningless in the fight against them.

What it looks like and what kind of weapon it is is unknown, one can only guess, given the highest level secrecy.

Another super-secret novelty is a small-sized heavy-duty nuclear installation that can be placed in a cruise missile, which will provide the latter with an almost unlimited flight range and invulnerability from air defense and missile defense systems.

"Low-flying stealth cruise missile carrying a nuclear warhead, with a practically unlimited range, an unpredictable flight path and the ability to bypass interception lines, is invulnerable to all existing and future systems, both missile defense and air defense, ”Putin said.

Weapons based on new physical principles

Vladimir Putin also touched upon the topic of weapons created on new physical principles. According to him, significant results have been achieved in the creation of laser weapons, and this is no longer just a theory or projects, and not even just the start of production.

“Since last year, combat laser systems have already been supplied to the troops. I do not want to go into details in this part, it's just not the time yet. But experts will understand that the presence of such combat systems greatly expands Russia's capabilities in the field of its security," the Russian president said.

Dagger - anti-aircraft missile system.

The complex can fire up to four targets in the 60×60° sector, simultaneously aiming up to eight missiles at them, including up to three missiles per target. The reaction time is from 8 to 24 s. The radio-electronic means of the complex provide fire control for 30-mm anti-aircraft artillery guns AK-630. Combat capabilities"Dagger" is 5-6 times higher than the corresponding indicators of "Osa-M".

The use of a dual-processor digital computer system provides a high degree of automation of combat work. The choice of the most dangerous target for priority firing can be done both automatically and at the command of the operator.

The underdeck launcher ZS-95, developed at the Design Bureau "Start" under the direction of A. I. Yaskin, includes several modules, each of which is a drum with eight transport and launch containers (TPK). The cover of the launcher can rotate about the vertical axis of the drum. The rocket is launched after turning the cover of the launcher and bringing the hatch in it to the TPK with the rocket intended for launch. The start interval does not exceed 3 s. Given the relatively small dimensions of the complex, such a solution seems unnecessarily complicated compared to the launch of missiles from containers implemented later in foreign fleets, placed in simpler cell-type launchers.

Initially, it was planned to create the Kinzhal air defense system with weight and size characteristics not exceeding those implemented in Ose-M. Moreover, the designers had to achieve the possibility of installing the complex instead of the Osa-M on previously built ships in the process of modernization repairs. However, more priority considered the fulfillment of the specified combat tactical and technical characteristics. Weight and size indicators grew, so the succession of anti-aircraft missile systems "by seats" could not be ensured.

In itself, this was not so significant. With an extremely weak ship repair base of the fleet and the unwillingness of both the military and industry to divert shipyards for repair work by reducing the number of new ships built, the possibility of a radical modernization of combat units that had already served the Motherland was rather abstract.

More serious consequences of the "growth" of the "Dagger" were expressed in the impossibility of placing it on small ships, although formally it could be installed on ships with a displacement of more than 800 tons. As a result, even on such an innovative ship as designed at the Almaz Central Design Bureau ( chief designer- P.V. Elsky, then - V.I. Korolkov) missile carrier air cushion with skegs pr. 1239, I had to install the same Osu-MA. Ultimately, the Ose-M as the main means of protecting small ships was replaced by the Kortik anti-aircraft missile and artillery complex of the near line, and not the Dagger.

The development of "Thor" and "Dagger" was a significant lag behind the originally set deadlines. As a rule, earlier the land version was ahead of the ship version, as if paving the way for it. However, when creating the autonomous self-propelled complex "Tor", serious problems emerged associated with the development of a combat vehicle. As a result, joint flight tests of the Tor at the Emba training ground began even later than the Kinzhal at the Black Sea - in December 1983, but ended in December of the following year. The land air defense system was adopted by a decree of March 19, 1986, almost three years earlier than the ship.

The delay in the development of the land complex was an unfortunate circumstance, but its consequences were limited to an appropriate adjustment. production program. Factories instead of "Thor" for several more years produced a less perfect, but quite effective "Osu".

At sea, the situation is much more piquant. Since the end of 1980, one or two large anti-submarine ships of project 1155, the only anti-aircraft missile weapons which was supposed to be a pair of air defense systems "Dagger" with a total ammunition load of 64 missiles. The delay in its development led to the fact that for more than five years these large ships remained almost defenseless from air strikes: by the end of the 20th century. artillery could no longer provide them with cover from the effects of aviation. Moreover, the apparent absence of guidance stations in the places intended for them, as it were, urged the enemy pilots to send our ships to the bottom quickly and practically without any risk to themselves. True, at first, NATO experts did not understand such a scandalous situation and indulged in a riot of fantasy, arguing in the press about the presence on our new ships of some kind of super-promising, outwardly invisible means of guiding anti-aircraft missiles. One way or another, the lead ship of pr. 1155 - BOD "Udaloy" - had to wait almost a decade for the adoption of the "Dagger" into service (after commissioning in 1980).

Due to the delay in the development of air defense systems for two years, the small anti-submarine ship MPK-104 (building number 721), built according to project 1124K specifically for testing the "Dagger", could not be used for its intended purpose. It differed from its prototype - the ship pr. 1124M - not only in the natural absence of the means of the standard Osa-M air defense system. Too large weights and, more importantly, the high location of the multifunctional guidance station of the Dagger complex did not allow to install on it artillery armament and all regular radars, which, however, was not so important for an experimental ship. The formal entry into service took place in October 1980, while the ship was equipped with only a launcher with three modules, but the guidance station had not yet been delivered to the Black Sea. Subsequently, one of the two prototypes of the complex manufactured in 1979 was mounted on the MPK-104. Tests of air defense systems were conducted from 1982 to 1986 and did not go smoothly. The system was not sufficiently debugged in ground conditions - at the stands of the Research Institute "Altair" and at its test base "Bolshaya Volga". Fine-tuning was carried out mainly on the ship, in conditions that were not quite favorable for its implementation.

Once, during the firing, the engine thrown out by the catapult of the rocket did not turn on, which fell on the deck and fell apart into two parts. As for one half of the product, as they said, "it drowned." But the second part, with all its meek behavior, caused well-founded fears. After this incident, it was necessary to revise the main technical solutions for starting the engine, which increased the reliability of this process. Another time, due to the “human factor” (due to uncoordinated actions of personnel and industry representatives), an unauthorized launch of missiles took place. One of the developers, who was next to the launcher, barely managed to hide from the jet of the rocket engine.

Shortly before the completion of the tests in the spring of 1986, all four P-35 missiles used as targets, launched in one gulp, were very effectively shot down coastal complex. However, it was not until 1989 that the Kinzhal complex was officially adopted.

The Kinzhal air defense system ensured the destruction of targets flying at speeds up to 700 m / s in the altitude range from 10 to 6000 m at ranges from 1.5 to 12 km. The main carriers of the complex were to be large anti-submarine ships of project 1155. Initially, this ship was conceived as a development of the guard ship of project 1135, but by the time of laying it had turned into a BOD with twice the displacement. It was assumed that the ships of Project 1155 would solve anti-submarine missions together with the destroyers of Project 956, equipped with powerful strike and anti-aircraft missile weapons - Moskit and SAM complexes medium range"Hurricane". Therefore, taking into account the restrictions on displacement, due to the capabilities of the plants, it was decided to equip the BOD pr. 1155 only with the Kinzhal self-defense systems. Each ship was equipped with two air defense systems with a total ammunition load of 64 9M330 missiles and two missile guidance stations ZR-95 Lead ships at the Zavod im. Zhdanov "and the Kaliningrad plant" Yantar "were laid down in 1977 and went into operation almost simultaneously - in last days 1980 Since the development of the Kinzhal complex was thoroughly delayed, the acceptance of the ships by the fleet was more than conditional. Several ships, up to the fifth in the series, surrendered without missile guidance stations.

In total, at the “Plant them. Zhdanov" until the autumn of 1988, four ships were built under serial numbers from 731 to 734: "Vice-Admiral Kulakov", "Marshal Vasilevsky", "Admiral Tributs", "Admiral Levchenko". Until the end of 1991, eight BODs were built at the Yantar plant in Kaliningrad under serial numbers from 111 to 117: Udaloy, Admiral Zakharov, Admiral Spiridonov, Marshal Shaposhnikov, Simferopol, Admiral Vinogradov, "Admiral Kharlamov", "Admiral Panteleev".

Over the years BOD services pr. 1155 as a whole have proven themselves to be reliable and efficient ships. It is significant that in the difficult period of the 1990-2000s. of the 11 BODs built, only the first three ships built by the Kaliningrad plant and Marshal Vasilevsky were decommissioned, and most of the ships of Project 1155 are part of the fleet. At the same time, Udaloy, Marshal Vasilevsky and Vice Admiral Kulakov never received the Kinzhal complex. In addition to 12 large anti-submarine ships pr. 1155 and one improved, built according to pr. 11551 - "Admiral Chabanenko", four "Dagger" complexes with 192 missiles were installed on the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser pr. 11434 "Baku" (since 1990 - "Admiral of the Fleet Soviet Union Gorshkov”) and on the only aircraft carrier of our fleet, pr.11435, which has changed many names and is now called “Admiral Kuznetsov of the Fleet of the Soviet Union”. By the time these ships were being designed, a common understanding had been established among sailors and shipbuilders that ships of this class should carry only self-defense weapons, and air cover tasks on distant approaches should be solved by air defense systems installed on escort ships. Two Kinzhal complexes with eight launch modules for 64 missiles were supposed to be installed as an auxiliary "anti-aircraft caliber" on the nuclear heavy missile cruiser pr. 11442 "Peter the Great", but in fact the ship was equipped with only one antenna post.

One Kinzhal air defense system with an ammunition load of 32 missiles was placed on ships pr. gg.

Thus, apart from the experimental MPK-104, a total of 36 Kinzhal anti-aircraft missile systems (1324 missiles) were installed on 17 ships of our fleet. Since 1993, the export modification of the "Dagger" complex under the name "Blade" has been repeatedly demonstrated at various international exhibitions and salons, but there is no information about its deliveries abroad. Nevertheless, the Kinzhal air defense system has become one of the most advanced examples of domestic missile weapons, which most fully meets the modern conditions of anti-aircraft combat at sea. The relatively short range of defeat is not its significant drawback.

Low-altitude targets, in the first place - guided weapons, one way or another will be detected at a small distance. As the experience of local wars testifies, their carriers, apparently, will soar over the radio horizon only for an extremely short period of time to clarify the location of the ship they are attacking and launch their missiles. Therefore, the defeat of carrier aircraft by longer-range anti-aircraft systems seems unlikely. But sooner or later, the missiles launched by the planes will approach the object of attack. And here all the advantages of one of the most advanced domestic anti-aircraft systems"Dagger" - short reaction time, high fire performance, multi-channel, effective operation of the warhead in an adaptive mode of use against targets of various classes.

History of creation

In the 80s, in the NPO "Altair" under the leadership of S.A. Fadeev, the Kinzhal short-range defense air defense system was created.

The Kinzhal air defense system is a multi-channel, all-under, autonomous system capable of repelling a massive raid of low-flying anti-ship, anti-radar missiles, guided and unguided bombs, aircraft, helicopters, etc.

The complex is equipped with its own radar detection equipment (module K-12-1), which provides the complex with complete independence and prompt action in the most difficult environment. The multi-channel basis of the complex is phased antenna arrays with electronic beam control and a fast-operating computer complex. The main mode of operation of the complex is automatic (without the participation of personnel), based on the principles of "artificial intelligence". The television-optical target detection tools built into the antenna post not only increase its noise immunity under conditions of intense radio countermeasures, but also allow personnel to visually assess the nature of tracking and hitting targets. The radar facilities of the complex were developed at the Research Institute "Kvant" under the direction of V.I. Guzya and provide a range of detection of air targets of 45 km at an altitude of 3.5 km.

"Dagger" can simultaneously fire at up to four targets in a spatial sector of 60 degrees. at 60 degrees, while simultaneously aiming up to 8 missiles.

The reaction time of the complex is from 8 to 24 seconds, depending on the mode of the radar.

The combat capabilities of the "Dagger" in comparison with the "Osa-M" air defense system are increased by 5-6 times.

In addition to missiles, the Kinzhal complex can control the fire of 30-mm AK-360M assault rifles, completing the firing of surviving targets at a distance of up to 200 meters.

The complex uses a remote-controlled anti-aircraft missile 9M330-2, unified with the rocket of the land complex "Tor". The launch of the missile defense system is vertical under the action of a catapult with a further declination of the rocket by a gas-dynamic system towards the target. The engine is started at a safe altitude for the ship after the rocket is declining.

Undermining the warhead is carried out directly at the command of a pulsed radio fuse in the immediate vicinity of the target. The radio fuse is noise-immune and adapts when approaching the water surface. Warhead - high-explosive fragmentation type. Missiles are placed in transport and launch containers (TLC). Rockets do not need to be tested for 10 years.

Launchers complex "Dagger" developed by Design Bureau "Start" under the leadership of chief designer A.I. Yaskin. The underdeck launcher consists of 3-4 drum-type launchers, each with 8 TPKs with missiles. The weight of the module without missiles is 41.5 tons, the occupied area is 113 sq. m. Calculation of the complex 8 people.

Ship tests of the complex were launched in 1982 on the Black Sea on a small anti-submarine ship, pr. 1124. During demonstration firing in the spring of 1986, 4 cruise missiles P-35. All P-35s were shot down by 4 Kinzhal missiles.

The tests were difficult and with the failure of all deadlines. So, for example, it was supposed to arm the Novorossiysk aircraft carrier with the Kinzhal, but it was put into service with holes for the Kinzhal. On the first ships of project 1155, the complex was installed one instead of the prescribed two.

And finally, in 1989, the Kinzhal air defense system was officially adopted by large anti-submarine ships, pr. 1155, on which 8 modules of 8 missiles were installed.

Currently, the Kinzhal air defense system is in service with the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the nuclear-powered missile cruiser Peter the Great (project 1144.4), large anti-submarine ships pr.1155, 11551 and the latest patrol ships of the Neustrashimy type.

The air defense complex "Dagger" is offered to foreign buyers under the name "Blade".

Developers

Complex as a whole - NPO "Altair"

ZUR - MKB "Torch"

The main characteristics of the complex

Target engagement range, km	1,5 - 12
when connecting a 30 mm gun mount	from 200 m
Height of hitting targets, m	10 - 6000
Target speed, m/s	up to 700
Number of simultaneously fired targets
The number of simultaneously induced missiles
SAM guidance method	telecontrol
Target detection range at an altitude of 3.5 km from own detection tools, km
Basic mode of operation

Sources of information

Military parade

A. Shirokorad "Rockets over the sea", magazine "Technique and Weapons" No. 5, 1996

Petrov A. M., Aseev D. A., Vasiliev E. M. and others. "Weapon Russian fleet 1696-1996. St. Petersburg: Shipbuilding

A.V. Karpenko "Russian missile weapons 1943-1993". St. Petersburg, "PIKA", 1993

On the first day of spring, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the Federal Assembly with his annual message. The head of state spoke about recent successes and set new tasks. In addition, he touched upon the topic of strategic weapons designed to ensure the country's security. New systems in the future will receive all major branches of the armed forces, including combat aviation. Together with existing aircraft, it is proposed to use the Kinzhal aviation missile system.

The story about the new weapon for the aerospace forces V. Putin began with a reminder of the current trends in the field of aerospace technology. Now the leading countries with great scientific potential and modern technologies, develop the so-called. hypersonic weapons. Then the president gave a short "lecture" on physics and aerodynamics. He pointed out that the speed of sound is traditionally measured in mach, a unit named after the Austrian physicist Ernst Mach. At an altitude of 11 km, Mach 1 equals 1062 km/h. Speed ​​from M=1 to M=5 is considered supersonic, more than M=5 - hypersonic.

Weapons with hypersonic flight speed give the armed forces the most serious advantages over the enemy. Such weapons can be highly powerful, and high speed protects them from interception by air or missile defense. Interceptors simply cannot catch up with the attacking product. As the president stated, it is understandable why the world's leading countries are striving to acquire such weapons. And Russia already has such funds.

The most important step in the creation modern means weapons, V. Putin called the development of a high-precision aviation missile system, which, allegedly, has no analogues in foreign countries. Tests of this system have already been completed. Moreover, from December 1 new complex used in the order of experimental combat duty at the airfields of the Southern Military District.

MiG-31BM takes off with a Kinzhal missile

According to V. Putin, a rocket with the help of a high-speed carrier aircraft should reach the launch site in a matter of minutes. After being dropped, the rocket develops a speed ten times the speed of sound. Throughout the trajectory, despite the high speed, the product is able to perform maneuvers. The ability to change the flight path allows you to protect the missile from enemy defenses. According to the president, the new missile is guaranteed to overcome modern and, possibly, advanced air defense and missile defense systems. A hypersonic missile is capable of flying at a range of up to 2,000 km and delivering a conventional or nuclear warhead to the target.

Unlike some others promising developments, presented last week, the aviation missile system has already received its own name. It was designated as "Dagger". Other names and designations, such as the GRAU index, the working code of the project, etc. the President did not.

As is the case with others the latest samples weapons, the words of the president were followed by a demonstration video showing the most interesting footage from the tests of a promising missile system. Video filming most clearly confirms V. Putin's statements about the testing. Some of the stages of one of the test launches, filmed by military operators, were allowed to be used in a video for showing to the general public.

The plane before the missile drop

The video begins with shots of the MiG-31BM fighter-interceptor taking off. Already during the takeoff, it is clear that not the usual and standard ammunition load is suspended under the bottom of its fuselage, but some new weapon. The interceptor lifts a large and massive new type of missile into the air. Part of the further flight with access to the launch point, however, was shown using simplified computer graphics. But then again there was a video recording of real tests with a real rocket launch.

Being on a given course and maintaining a certain height and speed, the carrier aircraft dropped the Kinzhal missile. In free flight, she "failed" in height, after which she dropped the tail fairing and started the sustainer engine. The flight of the rocket was again not shown in the form of documentary footage and was depicted schematically. In the next episode, the computer model of the plane dropped an animated rocket, which ballistic trajectory went to the ship of the conditional enemy. It is worth noting that the painted target ship had a recognizable appearance and looked like a real sample.

Product X-47M2 separated

The last stages of the missile's flight, entering the target area, and then pointing at it, were shown using graphics. Moreover, this time the “camera” was located directly on board the rocket. The product headed for the enemy ship, went into a dive, and then the video signal, as expected, disappeared. However, in the video they showed the defeat of the target, although it was different. The ammunition fell on the land fortification and blew it up. The carrier aircraft MiG-31BM, in turn, returned to the airfield and landed.

Shortly after the end of the president's speech, new information about the Dagger project appeared. So, the Russian press gave the second designation of the new missile - X-47M2. The Commander of the Aerospace Forces, Colonel General Sergei Surovikin, indicated that the new missile belongs to the class of hypersonic aeroballistic weapons. According to him, state tests of the new complex have already been carried out at the training grounds of the Ministry of Defense. During the checks, he fully confirmed his effectiveness. All missile launches ended with the exact defeat of the intended targets.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces also revealed some details of the combat work of the Kinzhal product. So, in the final ballistic phase of the flight, the rocket uses an all-weather homing head. This makes it possible to use the missile at any time of the day with the required accuracy and selectivity of hitting the target. The maximum speed of a rocket in flight is 10 times the speed of sound. The firing range, as confirmed by the commander-in-chief, reaches 2 thousand km.

Resetting the tail fairing

Thus, in the interests of the Aerospace Forces, the latest aeroballistic missile was developed, suitable for the destruction of various ground or surface objects. The Kh-47M2 "Dagger" product can carry both a conventional and a special warhead, which expands the range of tasks to be solved. MiG-31 interceptors are now used as a carrier latest modification"BM".

One of the most interesting features project "Dagger" is the choice of carrier aircraft. They decided to use the air-to-surface missile with a fighter, the basis of whose weapons are air-to-air products. The reasons for this are obvious. The maximum speed of the MiG-31BM aircraft at an altitude reaches 3400 km/h, which allows it to reach the launch point in the shortest possible time. Besides, high speed carrier flight during a missile drop allows you to get some advantages. At the moment of release, the rocket already has a high initial speed, and therefore the energy of its engine is spent only on subsequent acceleration with access to a quasi-ballistic trajectory.

Engine starting

Thus, the potential of the rocket, provided by hypersonic flight speed, is not reduced due to insufficient parameters of the carrier. From the point of view of flight speed, preliminary acceleration of the rocket and the speed of solving combat missions, the MiG-31BM is the most successful platform.

The X-47M2 product has a very simple shapes and outlines. The rocket received a conical nose fairing, which accounts for about half the length of the product. The second half of the body is formed by a cylindrical section, equipped with X-shaped planes in the tail section. A smooth tail section of the hull for the duration of the flight under the aircraft is equipped with a drop fairing having the shape of a truncated cone. Exact information about the design of the product has not yet been given, but now we can say that it is equipped with a solid propellant propulsion engine. The type of homing head is unknown.

It should be noted that the new aircraft rocket Outwardly, it is very similar to the ballistic ammunition of the Iskander operational-tactical complex. In the past, there were rumors at various levels about the possible creation of an aviation modification of this system, but they still have not received official confirmation. The characteristic exterior of the newest Kinzhal missile can serve as a kind of confirmation of the rumors of the recent past. At the same time, similarities can only be associated with similar technical requirements and tactical roles.

The rocket headed towards the target

It is alleged that the Kinzhal missile belongs to the aeroballistic class. This means that the product is dropped from the carrier aircraft, after which it turns on the engine and with its help enters the ascending trajectory. Further, the flight is almost the same as in the case of other ballistic missiles. The difference between the X-47M2 and other systems is due to the use of a homing head. Instruments, the type of which has not yet been specified, are used to detect the target and correct the missile's course at all stages of flight, including the descending part of the ballistic trajectory. In the latter case, the most accurate hit on the specified target is ensured.

The promising Kinzhal, like the already well-known Iskander, has characteristic capabilities: the missiles of both complexes are capable of maneuvering along the trajectory. Because of this, enemy anti-missile systems lose the ability to timely calculate the trajectory of an incoming missile and correctly intercept. On the descending section of the trajectory, the rocket develops a maximum speed, up to M=10, which drastically reduces the allowable reaction time. As a result, the Kinzhal system is really capable of showing the highest combat performance and breaking through the existing air and missile defense system.

Demonstration of flight trajectory principles

First, Vladimir Putin, and then Sergey Surovikin spoke about recent work within the framework of the project with the cipher “Dagger”. Not later than the autumn of last year, the industry and the Ministry of Defense conducted all the necessary tests of the latest missile, and also completed its fine-tuning. Already on December 1, an order appeared to take the new missile into experimental combat operation. The X-47M2 product is operated as part of a full-fledged complex, which also includes the MiG-31BM carrier aircraft. So far, only aviation units from the Southern Military District have new weapons.

Apparently, in the foreseeable future, the armed forces will complete trial operation the latest weapons, and shortly after that, the Kinzhal complex will receive a recommendation for adoption. The result of this will be the re-equipment of aviation units, accompanied by a significant increase in the strike potential of tactical aviation.

The rocket falls on the target

It should be recalled that on this moment Russian tactical aviation has at its disposal only air-to-surface systems with a launch range of tens or hundreds of kilometers. Products capable of flying thousands of kilometers are in service only in strategic aviation. The Kinzhal missile system with a launch range of up to 2,000 km will actually occupy an intermediate position between purely tactical and exclusively strategic weapons. With its help, it will be possible to strike as quickly as possible at enemy targets at operational-strategic depths.

Greater flexibility of use will be provided by the existence of special and non-nuclear warheads. Depending on the task and the type of object being attacked, it will be possible to choose one or another warhead. Thus, the combat qualities of the X-47M2 missile will fully correspond to its "intermediate" position. Tactical aviation, in turn, will bring its capabilities closer to strategic ones.

All promising samples strategic weapons, presented by Vladimir Putin last Thursday, were created in the interests of nuclear forces and in order to ensure the deterrence of a potential adversary. The Kinzhal aviation missile system is fully consistent with such tasks, although it turns out to be more flexible and versatile in comparison with other systems. Depending on the situation in the theater of operations, it can become a means of a powerful strike by tactical aviation forces or solve tasks inherent in strategic complexes.

The Kinzhal missile system has already passed almost all stages of inspections, including state tests. According to the results of development work, he was put on experimental combat duty in parts of the Aerospace Forces. Thus, the armed forces have already received one of the latest strike weapons and are now mastering it. In the foreseeable future, upon completion of all the required checks and trial operation, the new missile will be put into service and will go to the warehouses of parts. The potential of the Aerospace Forces will grow noticeably, and with it the country's defense capability will improve.