Anti-aircraft missile system "Dagger. The danger of a complete replacement of "Daggers" and "Daggers" with new shipborne air defense systems "M-Tor" and "Osa" of the XXI century Sea-based anti-aircraft missile systems dagger

The unique research of Russian scientists and the development of engineers made it possible to create the unique Kinzhal hypersonic aviation missile system, which, according to independent experts, is today one of the best and most powerful weapons in the world. In fact, Russia became the first country to successfully test and start using hypersonic weapons, which the United States has so far only dreamed of, which in turn ensures the country's high defense capability and high military potential. What is the Kinzhal hypersonic aviation missile system?

What is a "dagger"?

Due to the fact that the development of domestic scientists and engineers is unique and secret, the true information about the purpose and capabilities of the Kinzhal hypersonic aviation missile system is not disclosed, however, it is known that it includes a carrier aircraft and a hypersonic missile. The warhead of the Kinzhal complex missile can be equipped with both a conventional warhead and a nuclear warhead, which makes it possible to inflict colossal damage on the enemy. The maximum flight speed of the rocket of the Kinzhal air-missile system is about 12250 km / h, which means that the rocket will be able to cover a distance of 2000 kilometers in less than 10 minutes.

Given the hypersonic speed of the missile, the Kinzhal air-to-air missile system renders air defense and missile defense systems useless, which is already a matter of concern to the US Department of Defense, as this means that there is simply no protection against modern Russian weapons.

An equally important key feature of the Kinzhal hypersonic aviation missile system is that a missile with a warhead can maneuver in any part of the terrain, which makes its flight invisible.

Carrier aircraft for "Dagger"

Given the fact that the Kinzhal air and missile system is a modern development, the Russian Su-57 fighter-bomber will most likely be used as a carrier aircraft. There is no official confirmation of this yet, however, given the fact that the aircraft has not yet begun to enter service with the Russian army, it is likely that this model is the best suited for the intended purposes.

Skepticism and facts

Despite the fact that Vladimir Putin himself announced the completion of testing and development of the Kinzhal hypersonic aviation missile system, noting that the complex itself is already on experimental combat duty at the airfields of the Southern Military District, this statement has a lot of skeptics. Skepticism is primarily due to the fact that on the presented video materials, traces of editing were noticed, on which, a few moments before the rocket explosion, the substitution of the object that was struck was visible.

Of course, this can be explained by the fact that the developers, due to the secrecy of the air-missile complex, decided not to disclose its real capabilities, however, this is unlikely.

No less skepticism is caused by the fact that Russian scientists have not previously announced the development of hypersonic weapons, and the implementation of the project itself would most likely take at least 5-6 years, not to mention the allocation of colossal financial resources.

Be that as it may, given the officially presented data, today the Kinzhal hypersonic aviation missile system is an absolute weapon, while, with a high degree of confidence, we can say that scientists will certainly continue to improve it.

1960s in our country and abroad, the first ship-based low-altitude anti-aircraft missile systems were developed - "Osa-M", "Sea Sparrow", "Sea Ket" and "Sea Wolf", which forced once again to reconsider the tactics of naval aviation.
Previously, the Americans, relying on overwhelming superiority in surface ships, rested on the laurels of their victories in the Pacific War and hoped to sink the ships of a potential enemy with aircraft strikes with conventional, unguided weapons.

By the beginning of the 1970s. equipping the Soviet fleet with anti-aircraft missiles, its rapid quantitative growth, access to the Mediterranean Sea and other areas of the World Ocean for permanent combat service forced the Americans to consider it as a serious enemy. They had to equip aircraft with guided missile and bomb weapons, i.e. to a certain extent catch up with the Soviet naval aviation, which has already become missile-carrying. This was also facilitated by the experience of the Vietnam War that was going on in those years, which showed that effective destruction of even stationary small-sized objects is achievable only with the use of guided weapons. And the ships, not only move, but also energetically maneuver under the threat of a bomb attack. In addition to the possibility of hitting a target with one or two ammunition, the transition to guided weapons ensured at least the relative safety of its carriers. The launch was carried out from a distance exceeding the range of actual fire not only of anti-aircraft artillery, but also of self-defense missile systems.

In addition, also in the “race for the Soviets” mode, ship-based cruise missiles were also created abroad, the most common of which were the Exoset and Harpoon. Unlike their Soviet counterparts, they were characterized by small dimensions and weight, which made it possible to gradually equip almost all new ships of the United States and their allies, starting with corvettes and frigates, with them.

In the 1970s the most urgent task of the developers of anti-aircraft missiles was the creation of an air defense system to destroy not so much aircraft as guided weapons (precision weapons). As targets, they had certain specifics compared to manned aircraft. Firstly, the effective scattering surface was reduced by one or two orders of magnitude compared to aircraft due to the small size and cleanliness of the external forms of missiles. Secondly, the absence of a pilot on board made it possible to take greater risks and reduce the flight altitude to several meters above the water surface. Thirdly, the placement of several guided weapons on board the carrier aircraft greatly increased the number of targets simultaneously attacking the ship, compared with a direct bombing and assault strike by aircraft.

In general, guided weapons became, if not invulnerable, then at least extremely difficult targets for previously developed systems, which could no longer provide ship protection with an acceptable probability.

The need for a similar complex for protection against high-precision weapons was also realized by the Ground Forces. As in the development of "Osa" and "Osa-M", it was considered expedient to create for both types of Armed Forces the most unified systems with a single anti-aircraft missile.

By a resolution of the party and government of February 4, 1975, the development of the Tor air defense system for the Ground Forces and the Dagger for the Navy was given. The lead developer of the Tor complex, as before when creating the Wasp, was determined by the NIEMI (later - NPO Antey), and V.P. Efremov. However, NIEMI, extremely loaded with the most difficult work being carried out at the same time on the S-300V complex for the Ground Forces, was not involved in the creation of a self-defense ship complex. This was entrusted to the organization that developed almost all naval air defense systems - the Altair Research Institute (chief designer - S.A. Fadeev). A single rocket for both complexes was created at the Fakel Design Bureau (chief designer - P.D. Grushin).

The new complexes retained a number of expedient solutions implemented in the Osa air defense system - the use of cost-effective radio command guidance of missiles, the inclusion in both complexes of their own radar means of reconnaissance of targets, the use of a tail on the rocket that rotates relative to the longitudinal axis of the product. On the other hand, innovations were also required. The task of repulsing sudden massive raids required the provision of an extremely short reaction time and high fire performance of the complex. The technical means of fulfilling these tactical requirements were multi-channel, achieved through the use of a phased antenna array (PAR) in the guidance station, and vertical launch of missiles. The implementation of the latter not only eliminated the time spent on reloading the launcher and turning it towards the next incoming target, but also made it possible to avoid all the design difficulties associated with the use of a launcher hiding under the deck in the Osa-M complex.

The 9M330 solid-propellant rocket was made according to the "duck" scheme and consisted of five compartments. The first compartment was a radio-transparent fairing made of AG-4V material.

At the front end of the second compartment, made of AMG-6 alloy, a radio fuse transmitter is fixed, the antenna of which is located under the fairing. In front of the compartment, rudders, a block of four steering machines with a gas distribution system are mounted on a single board, and behind them there is a block of hot gas sources, consisting of a gas generator and a gas jet inclination system.

The third compartment, also made of AMG-6, serves to accommodate on-board equipment, the elements of which (autopilot, radio caller receiver, radio control unit, power supply) are mechanically connected by four longitudinal stringers into a monoblock, screwed to the compartment shell. To the right and left along the sides of the compartment are the receiving antennas of the radio fuse, above and below - the receiving and transmitting antennas of the radio control and radio vision unit. Further in the compartment is a high-explosive fragmentation warhead with a safety-actuating mechanism.

The fourth compartment is a dual-mode solid-propellant engine, the starting thrust of which is approximately four times higher than the thrust in the cruising section. The engine housing is made of high-strength steel with rolled shell and stamped bottoms. On the rear bottom there is a seating surface for the inner bearing ring of the fifth compartment.

The fifth (tail) compartment is a wing block with a power frame and a shell made of sheet aluminum. As on the Osa-M missile system, the wing consoles are mounted on a bearing, which reduces disturbances from oblique blowing.

In the SAM of the Kinzhal complex, folding wing consoles are used, which, after leaving the container, are opened by torsion bars enclosed in cylindrical casings. In the transport position, the consoles are folded in pairs towards each other. The powder catapult is located outside the rocket body.
The application of 9M330 is as follows. When launched, the rocket is ejected by a catapult vertically upwards at a speed of about 25 m/s. The declination of the SAM at a given angle, the magnitude and direction of which are entered into the autopilot before launch, is carried out before the rocket engine is started due to the reactive force when the combustion products of a special gas generator exhaust through four double-nozzle gas distributor blocks installed at the base of the aerodynamic rudder. At the same time, missile control is provided in all three channels. The control force changes in proportion to the angle of rotation of the aerodynamic rudder. Combining the aerodynamic rudder and gas distributor into a single unit made it possible to eliminate the use of a special drive for the declination system. The gas-dynamic device tilts the rocket in the right direction, and then, before turning on the solid propellant engine, stabilizes it in the direction of the subsequent flight.

The rocket engine is launched at a height of 16-21 m from the cutoff of the launcher on command issued either after a specified one-second delay from the start, or when the rocket axis deviates from the vertical by an angle of more than 50°. As a result, almost the entire thrust impulse of the engine is spent on giving the rocket speed in the direction of the target. The rocket speed reaches 700-850 m/s at a distance of 1.5 km from the launch. The command guidance process starts from a range of 250 m. The missile is capable of practicing maneuvers with overloads up to 30 units and hits targets maneuvering with overloads up to 12 units. Due to the wide range of linear dimensions of possible targets (from 3-4 to 20-30 m) and the parameters of their movement (from 10 to 6000 m in height and from 0 to 700 m/s in speed at a distance of up to 12 km) for optimal when they are covered with fragments of the warhead from the guidance station on board the missile, the value of the time delay for the detonation of the warhead is given in relation to the moment the radio fuse is triggered. As a result, aircraft are hit in the center of the fuselage, elements of high-precision weapons - in the area where the control system and warhead are located. At low altitudes, the underlying surface is selected and the radio fuse is triggered only from the target.

The launch weight of the 9M330 rocket is 165 kg (of which about 15 kg is for the warhead); its length is 2.9 m, body diameter is 235 mm, wingspan is 0.65 m.

The ship's multifunctional control system includes a ZR-95 missile guidance station and an air target detection system. The latter was developed by the Research Institute "Kvant" under the leadership of V.I. The system allows you to detect targets at ranges up to 45 km. The antenna post includes two oppositely directed lattice parabolic antennas located on top of the antenna base housing. Circular rotation of the antenna post of the guidance station is provided.

The spherical body of the antenna base is stabilized to compensate for the ship's roll and pitch. On the sides of the case there are rectangular containers with transmitter and receiver equipment, connected by a truss structure for rigidity. In front of the containers, the equipment of television-optical sights is placed, used as a backup means of tracking targets. A phased antenna array, missile capture and narrow beam antennas are fixed in front of the hull. The housing of the phased antenna array is manufactured using advanced technology using pressed and stamped plastic parts. The design of the drive provides limited rotation of the antenna base in a fairly wide range of heading angles.

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. The combat capabilities of the "Dagger" are 5-6 times higher than the corresponding indicators of the "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.

Underdeck launcher ZS-95, developed at the Design Bureau "Start" under the leadership 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, the fulfillment of the given combat tactical and technical characteristics was considered a higher priority task. 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) hovercraft missile carrier with skegs pr. 1239, 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 Thor 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 the corresponding adjustment of the 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, project 1155, were commissioned annually by the Navy, the only anti-aircraft missile armament of which was to be a pair of Kinzhal air defense systems 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 project 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 much weight and, more importantly, the high location of the multifunctional guidance station of the Kinzhal complex did not allow the installation of artillery weapons and all standard radars on it, which, however, was not so important for the 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, then, 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. On another occasion, 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 end of the tests in the spring of 1986, all four P-35 missiles used as targets, launched by a salvo of the coastal complex, were shot down very effectively. 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 - the Moskit complexes and the Uragan medium-range air defense system. 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 ZR-95 missile guidance stations.

The lead ships at the "Plant them. Zhdanov" and the Kaliningrad plant "Yantar" were laid down in 1977 and went into operation almost simultaneously - in the last days of 1980. Since the development of the "Dagger" 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 of service, the BOD Project 1155 has generally proven itself to be a reliable and efficient ship. 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 the 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 of 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 of pr. 11434 "Baku" (since 1990 - “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov”) and on the only aircraft carrier of our fleet, pr.11435, which has changed many names and is now called “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov”. By the time these ships were being designed, a sound 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, primarily guided weapons, will one way or another be detected at a short 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" should be fully manifested - a short reaction time, high fire performance, multi-channel, effective operation of the warhead in an adaptive mode of use against targets of various classes.

V. Korovin, R. Angelsky

based on the materials of the journal "Technology and Armament" No. 5, 2014

“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 vertical, absolutely invulnerable to any means of air defense 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, like a fireball. 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 speed of the warhead 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 was nicknamed "Satan" for its terrifying firepower. In modern Russia, an even more powerful weapon was created, which, unlike the Voyevoda (flight range of 11 thousand km), has no range restrictions.

Putin said that the Sarmat is capable of attacking targets both through the North and the South Pole: “Weighing 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 of 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, the unique Kinzhal hypersonic aviation and missile system was put on duty in the Southern Military District.

“The unique performance characteristics of a high-speed carrier aircraft make it possible to deliver a missile to a release point in a matter of minutes, while a missile flying at a hypersonic speed that is 10 times the speed of sound 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 underwater vehicle capable of moving at great depths.

“I would say, at a very great depth and at an intercontinental range with 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 a wide range of targets: from infrastructure facilities to aircraft carrier groups. The Russian president said that a multi-year 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.

The report of the US military, which featured an underwater intercontinental drone "Status-6". Photo: vk.com/bolshayaigra

Most likely, Putin was talking about an underwater nuclear weapon called the Status-6 Ocean Multi-Purpose System. 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 of 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.

“A 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.

Laser machine. Photo: vk.com/bolshayaigra_war

“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.

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 aircraft. 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 leading countries with great scientific potential and modern technologies are developing 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.

V. Putin called the development of a high-precision aviation missile system, which, allegedly, has no analogues in foreign countries, the most important stage in the creation of modern weapons. Tests of this system have already been completed. Moreover, since December 1, the new complex has been 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 other 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 in the case of other latest weapons, the president's words 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 aircraft dropped an animated missile, and it headed towards the mock enemy ship along a ballistic trajectory. It is worth noting that the painted target ship had a recognizable appearance and looked like some kind of 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 of the latest BM modification are now used as carriers.

One of the most interesting features of the Kinzhal project 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. In addition, the high speed of the launch vehicle 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 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 missile looks 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 the trial operation of the latest weapons, and soon after that the Dagger 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 at the moment, only air-to-surface systems with a launch range of tens or hundreds of kilometers are at the disposal of Russian tactical aviation. 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 models of 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.

The Kinzhal air defense system is a multi-channel, all-under, autonomous short-range anti-aircraft missile system capable of repelling a massive raid of low-flying anti-ship, anti-radar missiles, guided and unguided bombs, aircraft, helicopters, etc. Able to act on surface ships and ekranoplans of the enemy. It is installed on ships of various classes with a displacement of more than 800 tons.

The lead developer of the complex is NPO "Altair" (chief designer - S.A. Fadeev), anti-aircraft missile - MKB "Fakel".

Ship tests of the complex were launched in 1982 on the Black Sea on a small anti-submarine ship pr. 1124. In the course of demonstration firing in the spring of 1986, 4 P-35 cruise missiles were launched at the MPK from coastal installations. 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 equip 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.

Only 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".

In the west, the complex received the designation SA-N-9 GAUNTLET.

Compound

The complex uses a 9M330-2 remote-controlled anti-aircraft missile, unified with 9M330 and 9M331 missiles (see description) of the Tor and Tor-M1 land-based anti-aircraft systems. 9M330-2 is made according to the "duck" aerodynamic scheme and uses a freely rotating wing unit with folding wings. The launch of the missile defense system is vertical under the action of a catapult with further declination of the rocket by a gas-dynamic system, with the help of which in less than one second, in the process of rising to the launch altitude of the sustainer engine, the rocket turns towards the target.

Undermining the warhead of a high-explosive fragmentation type is carried out 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. The missiles are placed in transport and launch containers and do not need to be checked for 10 years.

The control system of the Kinzhal anti-aircraft missile system is designed for the simultaneous use of the ship's missile and artillery weapons against any of the tracked targets, includes a detection module that solves the following tasks:

• detection of air, including low-flying, and surface targets;
• simultaneous tracking of up to 8 targets;
• analysis of the air situation with the arrangement of targets according to the degree of danger;
• generation of target designation data and output of data (in terms of range, bearing and elevation);
• issuance of target designation to the ship's air defense systems.

The Kinzhal air defense system is equipped with its own radar detection equipment - the K-12-1 module (see photo), which provides the complex with complete independence and prompt action in the most difficult environment. The multichannel complex is based on phased antenna arrays with electronic beam control and a high-speed computing complex. The main operating mode 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 leadership 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 ° by 60 °, while simultaneously guiding up to 8 missiles. The reaction time of the complex is from 8 to 24 seconds, depending on the mode of the radar. In addition to missiles, the fire control system of the "Dagger" 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 4S95 launcher of the Kinzhal complex was developed by the Start Design Bureau 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.

Tactical and technical characteristics

Range, km	1.5 - 12
Height of hitting targets, m	10 - 6000
Target speed, m/s	up to 700
Number of simultaneously fired targets	up to 4
The number of simultaneously induced missiles	up to 8
Reaction time for a low-flying target, s	8
Rate of fire, s	3
Time to bring the complex into combat readiness:
from a cold state, min	no more than 3
from standby mode,	15
Ammunition SAM	24-64
Weight of missiles, kg	165
Warhead mass, kg	15
Mass of the complex, t	41
Personnel, pers.	8
Target detection range at an altitude of 3.5 km (with autonomous operation), km	45

SAM "KLINOK"
Number of simultaneously fired targets, pcs	4
Number of launch modules, pcs	3-16
Number of missiles on the launch module	8
Type of missiles used	9M330E-2, 9M331E-2
Firing range, km	12
Target height min/max, m	10/6000
Maximum speed of the hit target, m/s	700
Reaction time, s	from 8 to 24 (depending on the operating mode of the detection radar)
Number of channels by target, pcs	4
Number of channels per rocket, pcs	8
Ammunition, pcs	24-64
Dimensions and weight characteristics:
mass of the complex (without ammunition), t	41
area (required), m 2	113
rocket weight (launch) 9M330E, kg	167
warhead mass with missiles, kg	15