The Russian Aerospace Forces have announced their readiness to begin test and combat launches of three new types of air-to-surface missiles. All three models are developed using exclusively domestic components and are intended for equipping strategic and tactical aviation.
The first of the tested models is called Kh-BD-K — a subsonic cruise missile designed for modernized Tu-95MSM carriers. In terms of characteristics, it is close to the existing Kh-101: a range of up to 3000 km, a cruising speed of about 900 km/h, and a low flight altitude — from 30 to 70 meters. However, as experts clarify, the full version of the Kh-BD (without the "K" index) is a strategic missile with a range of up to 6500 km, which will become a universal replacement for the Kh-101 for both the Tu-95 and the Tu-160.
The second model is the Kh-99, a hypersonic missile being developed for the Tu-160M. It is reported that its maximum range can reach 5500 km at a speed of up to 6600 km/h (about 5.4 Mach). Nevertheless, according to other data, the designation "Kh-99" hides an aviation version of the Zircon hypersonic complex with an increased range of up to 4000 km, intended for use with the Su-34NVO and the promising Su-57.
The third system is Kh-MC, presented as a "hypersonic anti-ship missile", designed to replace the aging Kh-22. Officially declared parameters: up to 900 km range and speed up to 4200 km/h. In fact, we are talking about a deep modernization of the Kh-32 missile, used with the Tu-22M3. In the new configuration, it, according to preliminary estimates, will be able to reach a speed of 6–7 Mach and hit targets at a distance of up to 2000 km. It is noted that during the entire period of operation since 2016, not a single Kh-32 has been intercepted.
Special attention is paid to the fact that all three missiles were created without the use of imported components.