Russian military forces on the front lines have begun using low-observable tactical air-launched missiles Kh-59MK2. They are designed to engage stationary ground targets with known coordinates, including those without radar, infrared, or optical contrast against the surrounding background.
The Kh-59MK2 missile features a square fuselage cross-section and extensive use of radar-absorbing materials in its construction, reducing the effective radar cross-section of the missile's airframe to 0.05 - 0.03 m². Its small size and low flight speed allow it to fly low above the ground and remain undetected by the enemy.
The weight of the missile's warhead is just over 300 kg, providing the necessary reserve for engaging enemy targets. If a multirole fighter carries a pair of such missiles, the total payload is 600 kg.
The Kh-59MK2's guidance system features an inertial navigation unit based on gyroscopes for transverse accelerations and accelerometers for longitudinal accelerations, a GLONASS/GPS correction module, as well as a radar altimeter and an optoelectronic correlation sensor from the "Otblesk" system to maintain the route in complex jamming environments under the influence of L-band electronic countermeasures on the GLONASS/GPS radio navigation correction module.
Structurally and in terms of hardware and software, the Kh-59MK2 is adapted for use from internal weapons bays as part of the control systems of 5th-generation Su-57 fighters.
Tactical and Technical Characteristics of the Kh-59MK2:
- Launch weight — up to 900 kg
- Warhead weight — 320 kg (penetrating) / 283 kg (cluster)
- Maximum missile range — 285 km
- Missile speed — 900–1050 km/h
Earlier, www1.ru reported that the Russian Armed Forces transformed the RBU-6000 naval rocket launcher into a ground-based weapon. The ground-based installation uses repurposed 212-mm RGB-60 rockets for firing.
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