Crews of the Russian Aerospace Forces use high-precision air-to-surface missiles of the Kh-38 ML/MT/MA series produced by the Tactical Missiles Corporation in combat conditions. These missiles are the main trump card of the Su-34NVO, Su-30 SM1/2 and Su-35S aircraft, said military analyst Evgeny Damantsev.
To destroy bridges and key links of the enemy's transport and logistics highways, Russian pilots use missiles in the Kh-38 ML modification with semi-active laser homing heads (GOS). Targets for missiles are illuminated by laser rangefinders-target designators located on ZALA 421-16E HD, "Орлан-30", and "Гранат-4" drones. According to Damantsev, laser GOS are simple and accurate products, but their effectiveness decreases in difficult weather conditions or with a thermal smoke screen.
The developers solved this problem by supplementing the missile line with Kh-38 MT, Kh-38 MA and Kh-38 MK modifications. They received a thermal imaging and active radar homing head, as well as a GLONASS-/GPS-correction radio navigation module. All three missile modifications operate on the "launched-forgot" principle (the principle of combat use of aviation weapons that do not require flight correction after launch).
To destroy stationary enemy objects, including pillboxes, fortifications, fortified areas and warehouses in industrial zones in difficult weather conditions, Kh-38 MK modifications with a GLONASS/GPS-correction radio navigation module are used.
Technical characteristics of the Kh-38 missile line:
- dual-mode solid-propellant rocket engines
- initial speed - 2.4 thousand km/h
- flight speed - up to 1.7 Mach
- range when launched from a height of 12.5 thousand m - up to 70 km
- range when launched from low-altitude cabriering (aircraft flight with altitude gain and nose raised above the horizon) - up to 27 km
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