Kh-29
Kh-29 (NATO reporting name: AS-14 'Kedge') |
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Kh-29L
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Type | air-to-surface missile |
Place of origin | Soviet Union |
Service history | |
In service | 1980s-current |
Used by | Warsaw Pact, China, India, Iraq |
Wars | Iran-Iraq War 2014 Libyan conflict Russian-led military intervention in Syria |
Production history | |
Designer | Matius Bisnovat Georgiy I. Khokhlov |
Designed | 1975 |
Manufacturer | Vympel / Tactical Missiles Corporation[1] |
Produced | 1980-current[2] |
Specifications | |
Weight | Kh-29L :Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). [3] Kh-29T :Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). [3] Kh-29TE :Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). [3] |
Length | Kh-29L/T :390 cm (12 ft 10 in)[3] Kh-29TE :387.5 cm (12 ft 9 in)[3] |
Diameter | 38.0 cm (15.0 in) [3] |
Warhead | HE armour-piercing[1] |
Warhead weight | 320 kg (705 lb)[1] |
Detonation
mechanism |
Impact [1] |
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Engine | Fixed thrust solid fuel rocket[1] |
Wingspan | 110 cm (43 in) [3] |
Operational
range |
Kh-29L :Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value).[3] Kh-29T :Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). [3] Kh-29TE :Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). [3] |
Speed | 1,470 km/h (910 mph)[4] Kh-29ML :900–1260 km/h (560–780 mph)[5] |
Guidance
system |
Kh-29L : semi-active laser guidance Kh-29T/TE : passive homing TV guidance Kh-29D : infrared homing guidance (IIR)[6][7] Kh-29MP : active radar homing [8] |
Launch
platform |
Kh-29L&T : MiG-27K,[3] MiG-29M,[3] Su-27UB,[3] Su-30MK,[3] Su-39[3] Kh-29L only : Su-25[3] |
The Kh-29 (Russian: Х-29; NATO: AS-14 'Kedge'; GRAU: 9M721) is a Soviet air-to-surface missile with a range of 10–30 km. It has a large warhead of 320 kg, has a choice of laser, infrared, active radar or TV guidance, and is typically carried by tactical aircraft such as the Su-24, Su-30, MiG-29K as well as the "T/TM" models of the Su-25, giving that craft an expanded standoff capability.
It has been compared to the United States' AGM-65 Maverick, but the AGM-65 is a much smaller missile than the Kh-29, and weighs less than half as much.[10] The Kh-29 is intended for primary use against larger battlefield targets and infrastructure such as industrial buildings, depots and bridges,[10] but can also be used against ships up to 10,000 tonnes, hardened aircraft shelters and concrete runways.[1]
Contents
Development
Design started in the late 1970s at the Molniya design bureau in Ukraine on what would be their only air-to-ground munition, but when they moved exclusively to space work Vympel took over development of the Kh-29.[10] The first firing of the missile took place in 1976 and after extensive trials the Kh-29 was accepted into service in 1980.[4]
Design
The basic aerodynamic layout of the Kh-29 is similar to the Molniya R-60 (AA-8 'Aphid'), reflecting Molniya's heritage in air-to-air missiles.[10] The laser guidance head came from the Kh-25 (AS-10 'Karen') and the TV guidance from the Kh-59 (AS-13 'Kingbolt'), mated to a large warhead.[9]
Operational history
The Kh-29 entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1980, and has been widely exported since.
The Kh-29L were used by Sukhoi Su-34 and Su-24 aircraft in the 2015 Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War.[11]
2014 Libyan conflict
Libyan Su-24-borne Kh-29Ts supplied in large quantities to Muammar Gaddafi's Jamahiriya have been used by Islamist factions against pro-government forces around Tripoli during the current low-level civil war (they were seized from Ghardabiya Air Base depots). Their use, however, was in an unguided ground-to-ground role, launched from modified trucks and with their fins and ailerons at the front and back removed for a somewhat more stable flight path.[12][13]
Variants
- Kh-29L (Izdeliye 63, 'Kedge-A')[10] uses semi-active laser seeker and has a range of 8–10 km.[3]
- Kh-29ML is an upgraded version of the Kh-29L.[10]
- Kh-29T (Izdeliye 64, 'Kedge-B')[10] is the TV-guided version which is fitted with automatic optical homing to a distinguishable object indicated by the pilot in the cockpit.
- Kh-29TE is a long-range (30 km) development of the Kh-29T.[3] Minimum range is 3 km; launch altitude is 200-10,000 m.[3]
- Kh-29MP is a third generation guidance variant with active radar homing, makes it a fire-and-forget weapon. It has a large 250 kg warhead with 12 km range.[6][8]
- Kh-29D is a fourth guidance variant (fire-and-forget) of the Kh-29TE, using imaging infrared.[6][7]
Operators
Current Operators
- Russia: Russian Air Force
- India: Indian Air Force- on its on new Su-30MKIs[4] and Indian Navy- on its on new MiG-29Ks.[14]
- Algeria: Algerian Air Force [15]
- Belarus: Belarusian Air Force- on its modernized MiG-29BMs.[4]
- Bulgaria: Bulgarian Air Force- on its Su-22M4s,[4] which were withdrawn from service in 2004 and now used only for reconnaissance. Currently used on Su-25.
- Georgia: Georgian Air Force- on its SU-25KM Scorpion [16]
- Indonesia: TNI-AU = Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Udara (Indonesian Air Force) on its Su-30MK2[17]
- Iran: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force on its Su-24 Fencer
- Libya: Islamist militias
- Malaysia: Malaysia Air Force
- North Korea
- People's Republic of China: People's Liberation Army Air Force- received 2000 Kh-29T's in 2002[18] for use on their Su-27SK's, Su-27UBK's, Su-30MKK's, Shenyang J-11's and possibly their JH-7's ('Flounder') and Q-5's ('Fantan').[19]
- Poland: Polish Air Force- on its on Su-22M4s.[4]
- Syria: Syrian Air Force
- Ukraine: Ukrainian Air Force.[4]
- Peru: Peruvian Air Force on its Su-25
- Venezuela: Venezuelan Air Force on its Su-30
- Vietnam: Vietnam People's Air Force on its Su-30MK2V
Former Operators
- Czechoslovakia: Czechoslovak Air Force- passed onto successor states.[4]
- East Germany: East German Air Force.[4]
- Germany: Phased out after the German reunification.
- Hungary: Hungarian Air Force - on Su-22M3s
- Iraq: Iraqi Air Force- all retired
- Libyan Arab Jamahiriya: Libyan Air Force - Left without launch platforms after Su-24s were destroyed in the civil war and subsequent NATO bombing. Seized by rebels and militias.[12]
- Slovakia: Slovak Air Force- Su-22M4s.[4]
- Soviet Union: Soviet Air Force- passed onto successor states
See also
- Kh-25 (AS-10/12 'Karen/Kegler') - 320 kg missile with 90 kg warhead and 10–25 km range
- AGM-65 Maverick - 200–300 kg missile with 57–135 kg warhead and 27 km range
- AGM-62 Walleye I - 1967 US glide bomb delivering 385 kg warhead over 30 km.
Notes
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vympel Kh-29. |
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References
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- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Written by Polish former Su-22 pilot
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- ↑ 7.0 7.1 [1]
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- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.waronline.org/mideast/algir.htm
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- ↑ 2011 Annual Report of Tactical Missile Corporation, http://bmpd.livejournal.com/290141.html
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