Russian anti-ship missiles 3M54E «Caliber-M» can be adapted to fly in terrain-following mode and effectively hit radio-contrast ground targets, leaving no chance for anti-aircraft missile systems. This was pointed out by military expert Evgeny Damantsev.
According to him, it is necessary to equip the missiles with a multi-mode active radar homing head «Gran-K». He noted that similar devices have already been used on Kh-35U anti-ship missiles, so it is possible to place them on «Caliber-M», the analyst believes.
Damantsev drew attention to the fact that the 3M54E missile has an additional combat stage, the solid-propellant booster of which comes into operation 40 km from the target after the marching subsonic stage is fired by squibs.
The latter accelerates to a speed of 2.7-2.9M in 5 seconds, and then follows to a radio-contrast target at an altitude of 50-20 m, capturing it with an active X-band radar homing head.
The effective reflecting surface of the solid-propellant combat stage of the 3M54E missile is about 0.1 m², which, at a flight speed of 2.7M and an altitude of 25 m, leaves anti-aircraft missile systems with a minimal temporary «window» for interception.
In difficult terrain, the «Caliber-M» combat stage, approaching at a low altitude at a speed of 900 m/s, practically leaves no chance for Patriot PAC-3MSE or NASAMS-2 anti-missile batteries. To counter this, an over-the-horizon interception is necessary, when the 3M54E is in subsonic mode.
Also, 3M54E missiles can be used from mobile quad or universal container launchers placed on a wide range of platforms, from railway to automobile.
Characteristics of the 3M54E «Caliber-M» missile:
- Length — 8.22 m
- Diameter — 533 mm
- Launch weight — 2300 kg
- Warhead — penetrating high-explosive, 200 kg
- Flight range — 220 km
Earlier www1.ru reported how the Su-35S fighter will repel the threat of ultra-long-range American AIM-174B missiles.
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