Zvezda Kh-35U Russian Cruise Missile

The Zvezda Kh-35U is the jet-launched version of a Russian subsonic anti-ship missile. The same missile can also be launched from helicopters, surface ships and coastal defence batteries with the help of a rocket booster, in which case it is known as Uran ('uranium';SS-N-25 'Switchblade'; GRAU 3M24) or Bal ('whale';SSC-6 'Stooge';GRAU 3K60). It is also nicknamed Harpoonski for its similarity to the AGM-84 Boeing Harpoon. It is designed to attack vessels up to 5000 tonnes.

Zvezda Kh-35U started work on the Kh-35 in 1983 as a surface-to-surface missile to replace the SS-N-2 'Styx' for export markets.

The Zvezda Kh-35U missile is a subsonic vehicle featuring a normal aerodynamic configuration with cruciform wings and fins and a semisubmerged air duct intake. The propulsion unit is a turbofan engine. The missile is guided to its target at the final leg of the trajectory by commands fed from the active radar homing head and the radio altimeter.

Target designation data can be introduced into the missile from the carrier aircraft or external sources. A flight mission data is inserted into the missile control system after input of target coordinates. An inertial system controls the missile in flight, stabilizes it at an assigned altitude and brings it to a target location area. At a certain target range, the homing head is switched on to search for, lock on and track the target. After that, the inertial control system turns the missile toward the target and changes its flight altitude to the extremely low one. At this altitude, the missile continues the process of homing by the data fed from the homing head and the inertial control system until a hit is obtained.

Variants

• Kh-35U (AS-20 'Kayak', Article 78U) - launched from fast jets.
• Kh-35E Uran (SS-N-25 'Switchblade', 3M24) - launched from helicopters, coastal defence batteries, and ships such as the Neustrashimy frigates, Tartarstan/Gepard frigates and as upgrades to two Krivak frigate. It comes in a containerised launcher with four missiles.
• 3M24M Bal (SSC-6 'Stooge') - coastal defence version, very similar to Kh-35E
• IC-35 - target drone
• Kh-35UE - upgrade with smaller engine allowing increased fuel capacity, and increased range.
• Kh-37 (3M24E1) - proposed upgrade with 250 km range and land-attack capability, GPS mid-course guidance and an imaging infrared seeker akin to the Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM). Some sources attribute the name Uran or Bal to this variant.

Zvezda Kh-35 (NATO reporting name: AS-20 'Kayak') 3M24 Uran (SS-N-25 'Switchblade') 3K60 Bal (SSC-6 'Stooge')
Type	air-to-surface, surface-to-surface missile
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1983
Used by	Russia
Production history
Designer	Zvezda
Manufacturer	Tactical Missiles Corporation
Specifications
Weight	520 kg (1,150 lb) 610 kg (1,340 lb) (heli version)
Length	385 cm (152 in) 440 cm (173 in) (heli version)
Diameter	42.0 cm (16.5 in)
Warhead	HE shaped charge
Warhead weight	145 kg (320 lb)
Wingspan	133 cm (52.4 in)
Operational range	{130km)-(70nm)
Speed	Mach 0.8
Guidance system	inertial and active radar
Launch platform	MiG-21, MiG-29SMT, Su-30, Su-35, Ka-27, Ka-28