High-precision air-based missiles have been actively used in a special military operation since the first days. It was the X-31PM aircraft missiles that destroyed almost all the air defense radars of the armed forces of Ukraine.
This is a special anti-radar missile launched from a range of about 300 km. The main carriers of it, working within the framework of the special operation, are Su-35S fighters. There is also an anti-ship variant of the X-31AD.
According to the NATO codification, the X-35 in any modification is called AS-17 Krypton (Krypton). The control complex includes an inertial system and a wide-range passive radar homing head. That is, you can enter the exact coordinates of the target into the "brain" of the rocket, and it will be hit. This is done if the enemy radar is turned off. However, when the X-31PM approaches the air defense positions, the radar stations will inevitably be turned on, than they will sign their death sentence.
Also, the missile can independently search for a target by scanning significant areas of the ground or surface surface. For this ability in the West, she received the nickname Bloodhound - a bloodhound in Russian translation.
According to experts, the use of the X-31PM made it possible to destroy the radar stations of the air defense of Ukraine in the shortest possible time, blinding its anti-aircraft missile systems.
It is known that such missiles can be used "swarm". A group launch from several carriers allows you to simultaneously suppress the air defense of a significant area. The peculiarity of the X-31PM is that missiles can be used against radars of any type, including modern NATO complexes.
Several times, the most powerful strategic cruise missile X-101 was used against the most important infrastructure facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was adopted in the last decade, but has already established itself as a formidable and high-precision weapon. At a range of 5,500 km, the circular probable deviation does not exceed 7 meters, and at a range of several hundred kilometers, it falls literally into the "top ten". The power of its high-explosive warhead is more than 400 kg.
Strategic missile carriers that have undergone the necessary modernization are used as carriers of the X-101. The Tu-160 can carry up to 12 such missiles on internal drum installations. Tu-95MS - 8 missiles on four pylons under the wing.
Reports on the use of high-precision missile weapons against enemy targets on the territory of Ukraine do not always indicate the type of missiles. However, videos have appeared on the Web that clearly show the flight of the X-101, which has a characteristic silhouette. Experts believe that these missiles destroyed many strategically important objects for Ukraine.
X-35 missiles are being used more and more actively against ground targets. These are small-sized tactical subsonic missiles, which were originally developed to destroy combat naval ships with a displacement of up to 5,000 tons. Adopted in 2003.
During the tests, it turned out that the X-35 guidance system perfectly distinguishes not only surface, but also ground targets. The rocket has become universal. It can be used from helicopters, ships and ground launchers.
The missile has an active radar homing head. The launch range is up to 260 km. The high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighs 145 kg. The main advantages of the X-35 include: a combined flight path, including at low altitude with the circumference of the terrain, as well as small dimensions and weight with a relatively powerful warhead.
Sergey Ptichkin
