Kh-35

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Soviet anti-ship missile

title: "Kh-35" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["anti-ship-cruise-missiles-of-russia", "cruise-missiles-of-russia", "submarine-launched-cruise-missiles-of-russia", "tactical-missiles-corporation-products", "military-equipment-introduced-in-the-2000s"] description: "Soviet anti-ship missile" topic_path: "geography/russia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kh-35" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Soviet anti-ship missile ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox weapon"]

FieldValue
is_missileyes
nameKh-35
(NATO reporting name: AS-20 'Kayak')
3M24 Uran (SS-N-25 'Switchblade')
3K60 Bal (SSC-6 'Sennight')
imageKh-35E fol maks2009.jpg
image_size300
captionKh-35E in MAKS-2009
originSoviet Union
typeAir-to-surface
Surface-to-surface missile
Cruise missile
Anti-ship missile

| | used_by | Russian Navy Indian Navy Vietnam People's Navy | | designer | Zvezda | | design_date | 1983–2003 | | manufacturer | Tactical Missiles Corporation | | unit_cost | $500,000 (2010) | | propellant | kerosene | | production_date | 1996 for export, 2003 for Russia | | service | 2003 | | engine | R95TP-300 Turbofan | | engine_power | 360 kgf | | weight | 520 kg (air version) 610 kg (surface & heli version) | | length | 385 cm (air version) 440 cm (surface & heli version) | | diameter | 42.0 cm | | wingspan | 133 cm | | speed | 0.8-0.85 Mach | | vehicle_range | 130 km 300 km (upgrade version, 2015) | | altitude | 10-15 m en route and about 4 m at terminal area | | filling | HE fragmentation shaped charge | | filling_weight | 145 kg | | guidance | inertial guidance and ARGS-35E X-band terminal active radar homing | | launch_platform | Tupolev Tu-142, Su-24, MiG-29M/K, Sukhoi Su-35, Su-27SM, Su-30MKI//Su-30SM, Su-34, HAL Tejas, Ka-27, Ka-28, Ka-52, Su-57, also ships and boats, coastal, ALCM, TEL variants. | ::

| is_missile = yes | name = Kh-35 (NATO reporting name: AS-20 'Kayak') 3M24 Uran (SS-N-25 'Switchblade') 3K60 Bal (SSC-6 'Sennight') | image = Kh-35E fol maks2009.jpg | image_size = 300 | caption = Kh-35E in MAKS-2009 | origin = Soviet Union | type = Air-to-surface Surface-to-surface missile Cruise missile Anti-ship missile

Land-attack missile | used_by = Russian Navy Indian Navy Vietnam People's Navy | wars = | designer = Zvezda | design_date = 1983–2003 | manufacturer = Tactical Missiles Corporation | unit_cost = $500,000 (2010) | propellant = kerosene | production_date = 1996 for export, 2003 for Russia | service = 2003 | engine = R95TP-300 Turbofan | engine_power = 360 kgf | weight = 520 kg (air version) 610 kg (surface & heli version) | length = 385 cm (air version) 440 cm (surface & heli version) | diameter = 42.0 cm | wingspan = 133 cm | speed = 0.8-0.85 Mach | vehicle_range = 130 km 300 km (upgrade version, 2015) | altitude = 10-15 m en route and about 4 m at terminal area | filling = HE fragmentation shaped charge | filling_weight = 145 kg | guidance = inertial guidance and ARGS-35E X-band terminal active radar homing | launch_platform = Tupolev Tu-142, Su-24, MiG-29M/K, Sukhoi Su-35, Su-27SM, Su-30MKI//Su-30SM, Su-34, HAL Tejas, Ka-27, Ka-28, Ka-52, Su-57, also ships and boats, coastal, ALCM, TEL variants.

The Zvezda Kh-35 (, NATO reporting name AS-20 'Kayak') is a Soviet turbojet subsonic cruise anti-ship missile. The missile can be launched from helicopters, surface ships and coastal defence batteries with the help of a rocket booster, in which case it is known as Uran ('Uranus', NATO reporting name **SS-N-25 'Switchblade'''', GRAU 3M24) or Bal ( NATO reporting name **SSC-6 'Sennight'''', GRAU 3K60). It is designed to attack vessels up to 5,000 tonnes.

Development

The previous anti-ship missiles made in USSR were highly capable, but they also were large and expensive. Therefore, the Soviet Navy found that a similar, small and very low flying missile would be useful. This new system was planned as small, cheap, and easy to install missile for a variety of platforms. This new system, called 3M24 Uran (in western nomenclature, SS-N-25) was originally meant for small surface combatants such as frigates, like the Krivak, Gepard and Neustrashimy. It was the answer to western missiles like the US Harpoon. Informally, it was also known as 'Harpoonski', as it was broadly comparable, especially in appearance, with the American missile.

The initial development started in Zvezda-Strela State Scientific-Industrial Center (GNPTs) group in 1972 or 1977, depending on the sources. Zvezda received the official go ahead to begin work on the Kh-35 in 1983–1984 by a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers and the USSR CPSU Central Committee to arm ships of medium tonnage.

Test launches began in 1985, but there were several problems and failures with the miniaturized active radar system. It was first displayed in 1992 and listed as only being intended for export, when it was, in fact, not yet for production. In 1994 India ordered Uran missiles (the Kh-35E export variant). This led to the full development, and deliveries started to the Indian Navy in 1996. Russia adopted it only in 2003 (for ships), and 2004 (Bal, coastal system). The air-launched variant (originally made for Indian Il-38SD patrol aircraft) was completed in 2005 and later deployed on Russian Federation aircraft.

The KH-35 can be considered the successor to the SS-N-2 Styx missile, albeit much smaller and more modern. It boasts greater range than legacy missile systems, and is much cheaper than other contemporary anti-ship missiles like Kalibr or Oniks, costing an estimated $500,000 USD per missile.

Design

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Seeker_Kh-35E_maks2005.jpg" caption="MAKS]] 2005"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Kh-35E_maq_maks2009.jpg" caption="Kh-35E model at MAKS 2009"] ::

The Kh-35 missile is a subsonic weapon featuring a normal aerodynamic configuration with cruciform wings and fins and a semisubmerged air duct intake. The propulsion unit is a turbofan engine. The missile is guided to its target at the final leg of the trajectory by commands fed from the active radar homing head and the radio altimeter.

Target designation data can be introduced into the missile from the launch aircraft or ship or external sources. Flight mission data is inserted into the missile control system after input of target coordinates. An inertial system controls the missile in flight, stabilizes it at an assigned altitude and brings it to a target location area. At a certain target range, the homing head is switched on to search for, lock on and track the target. The inertial control system then turns the missile toward the target and changes its flight altitude to an extremely low one. At this altitude, the missile continues the process of homing by the data fed from the homing head and the inertial control system until a hit is obtained.

The Kh-35 can be employed in fair and adverse weather conditions at sea states up to 5–6, by day and night, under enemy fire and electronic countermeasures. Its aerodynamic configuration is optimized for high subsonic-speed sea-skimming flight to ensure stealthy characteristics of the missile. The missile has low signatures thanks to its small dimensions, sea-skimming capability and a special guidance algorithm ensuring highly secure operational modes of the active radar seeker.

Its ARGS-35E active radar seeker operates in both single and multiple missile launch modes, acquiring and locking on targets at a maximum range of up to 20 km. A new radar seeker, Gran-KE has been developed by SPE Radar MMS and will be replacing the existing ARGS-35E X band seeker.

::data[format=table]

Kh-35Kh-35U
4 m
::

Operational history

The Kh-35 missile entered service with Russian Navy only in 2003. In July 2003, the system created by the "Tactical Missiles Corporation" passed the state tests and began to come into service of ships of the Russian Navy. It has also been acquired by India. The Bal coastal missile system showed excellent results in state tests in the fall of 2004, and entered service in 2008. The tests of the upgraded Kh-35UE missile were completed as of June 2021.

A Bal system has four self-propelled launcher vehicles each carrying eight missiles for a total of 32 missiles in a salvo, plus reloads for another wave. The launchers can be up to 10 km from the coast and hit targets at ranges up to 120 km. Currently, the Bal system is equipped with an upgraded version of the Kh-35E increasing the range to 300 km. At IMDS 2019, a new version of the Russian Bal-E coastal defence system was presented for the first time. The four-tube Rubezh-ME, dedicated to the export market, is based on a Kamaz 63501 8x8 chassis which is more compact than the MZKT-7930 of the original Bal-E. As reported on October 19, 2021 by the TASS news agency, a new missile of the Bal coastal missile complex developed and manufactured by Tactical Missile Armament Corporation (KTRV) will allow hitting targets at a distance of over 500 km. The new capabilities of the complex made it comparable in range and the possibility of firing on the ground with the Bastion missile system using the Onyx supersonic missile, a source in the defense industry said.

On 20 August 2024, at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi for the first time announced data on how many weapons Russia has used since 2022, as well as how many were intercepted. The report said that only 1/15 (6.7%) of Kh-35s were intercepted by Ukraine’s air defenses.

Variants

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Yaroslav_Mudry_Uran_missiles.jpg" caption="The KT-184 quadruple launcher mounted on [[Russian frigate Yaroslav Mudry"] ::

  • Kh-35 (3M-24) - Base naval version for Russia (2003).
  • Kh-35E (3M-24E) - Export version of Kh-35 (1996).
  • Kh-35U - Base upgrade unified missile (can be used with any carrier), version for Russia in production (as of July 1, 2015). Capable of striking land targets.
  • Kh-35UE - Export version of Kh-35U, in production.
  • Kh-35UV - Helicopter-launched version, intended for the Kamov Ka-52K.
  • Kh-35EMV - Export version of Kh-35 missile-target without warhead for Vietnam.
  • '*Kh-35E (*Uran-E)''''' (SS-N-25 'Switchblade', 3M-24) - Shipborne equipment of the control system with a missile Kh-35/Kh-35E.
  • Bal/Bal-E - Coastal (SSC-6 Sennight) missile complex with Kh-35/Kh-35E missiles (2008).
  • Rubez-ME - Coastal missile complex with 4 Kh-35/Kh-35U missiles. Compact version of the Bal-E, dedicated for the export .
  • [[File:536th Coastal Missile Artillery Brigade's "Bal" coastal missile system firing (2021-11-19).webm|thumb|Bal - coastal mobile missile complex]]Kumsong-3 (KN-19) - Reported North Korean copy of the Kh-35U. Kumsong-3 is a North Korean domestic variant/clone of Kh-35 likely based on Kh-35U due to range. Demonstrated range in 8 June 2017 test is 240 km.
  • Neptune - Ukrainian derivative

Operators

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/KH-35_operators.jpg" caption="Map with Kh-35 operators in blue"] ::

Current operators

  • – Kh-35U derivative Kumsong/GeumSeong-3 (Venus 3) 금성3호 金星3号.
  • Mobile coastal defence (anti-ship) system KN-19 on a tracked chassis.
  • Believed to be also able launched with Ilyushin Il-28/H-5 due to missiles being stored at Uiju Airfield, home to these bombers.
  • – 112 Kh-35 (3M-24) delivered in 2009–2010.
  • Bal coastal missile brigades deployed by the Russian Navy:
    • 11th Black Sea Fleet Brigade, Utash, Krasnodar
    • 46th Separate Division of the Caspian Flotilla, Dagestan
    • 15th Black Sea Fleet Brigade, Sevastopol, Crimea
    • 72nd Pacific Fleet Regiment, Smolyaninovo, Primorsky Krai
    • At least one more complex was delivered to the Western Military District in mid-2016.
    • Two Bal missile systems delivered in 2017 and one more in November 2018 for the BSF. Three more systems in 2019 and 2020 for the PF, CFl and BF.
    • A deployment was moved to the Sredny Peninsula in 2019.
  • The Russian Air Force has acquired since 2014 an unknown number of Kh-35U missiles integrated with the Sukhoi Su-35S fighter aircraft and the Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers.
  • – Bal Coastal missile complex being delivered.
  • – 340 Kh-35E missiles delivered in 2001–2021. A local copy designated as VCM-01 is being developed by Viettel.
  • – Kh-35 derivative Neptune

Failed bid

  • – Bal Coastal missile complex suspended

References

External sources

  • KH-35 at CSIS Missile Threat

References

  1. "Annual Report", Tactical Missiles Corporation (2010), p.92.
  2. "About".
  3. (2 February 2012). "ОАО "АМНТК "Союз" – Продукция – Авиационные двигатели".
  4. Ponomarev, Vadim. (25 May 2015). "Новая ракета X-35: гроза американских эсминцев".
  5. "ARGS-35E (Algeria), Airborne fire-control radars".
  6. (24 October 2017). "Kh-35U ASM enters Su-35S fighter jet weapon package".
  7. "Kh-35 (AS-20 "Kayak") Anti-Ship Cruise Missile".
  8. "Zvezda Kh-35".
  9. "Zvezda Kh-35".
  10. "Aerospace Systems Export Catalogue".
  11. "Tactical Anti-Ship Missile Kh-35E".
  12. "Радиолокационная Головка АРГС-35Э".
  13. (26 August 2011). "Russia: JSC Tactical Missile Arms Presents New Target Seeker". Naval Today.
  14. "Tactical Guided Missile Kh-35UE".
  15. (2008-08-01}}{{dead link). "Kh-37". Jane's Air-Launched Weapons.
  16. "Бал-Э» принят на вооружение".
  17. "Глава КТРВ Обносов: мы разрабатываем новое морское оружие России".
  18. (5 December 2011). "Bal-E coastal missile system with Kh-35 antiship missile to defend Russia coast of Caspian Sea".
  19. (28 October 2015). "Russia's Bal-E coastal defense system to be equipped with upgraded Kh-35 missile".
  20. (15 July 2019). "Для КТРВ 2018 год стал рекордным с точки зрения объемов экспорта".
  21. (11 July 2019). "IMDS 2019: First public appearance of the Rubezh-ME coastal defence system".
  22. Novichkov, Nikolai. (15 July 2019). "Russia unveils export-oriented Rubezh-ME coastal defence missile system".
  23. "Russia's Bal coastal defense system to strike targets at over 500 km with new missile".
  24. "Missile terror of Ukraine turns against Russia. Analysis of strikes".
  25. (1 July 2015). ""Тактическое ракетное вооружение" за три года запустило в серию 14 видов ракет". ТАSS.
  26. "Kh-35UE".
  27. "ОАО "Корпорация Тактическое Ракетное Вооружение"".
  28. (2022). "Ka-52 Hokum". Key Publishing.
  29. "Корабельная аппаратура системы управления «Уран Э".
  30. (8 October 2020). "Rubez-ME Coastal Tactical Missile System".
  31. "Coastal tactical missile system Rubez-ME | Catalog Rosoboronexport".
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  33. Panda, Ankit. (July 26, 2017). "North Korea's New KN19 Coastal Defense Cruise Missile: More Than Meets the Eye".
  34. Episkopos, Mark. (2019-02-06). "Ukraine Is Building Anti-Ship Missiles (In Part Thanks to Russia)".
  35. Akramov. (2021-09-24). "L'Algérie muscle sa défense côtière".
  36. "Tactical Missiles Corporation Missile Exportation Since 1992". [[Moscow Defense Brief]].
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  38. "ALCMs in Uiju".
  39. ''Annual Report'', Tactical Missiles Corporation (2010), p.92.
  40. (21 October 2016). "Russian Navy received more than 100 Kalibr, Onix missiles in 3rd quarter".
  41. (31 January 2018). "National Centre for State Defence Control hosts Military Acceptance Day chaired by Russian Minister of Defence".
  42. (6 December 2018). "За последний месяц в войска ЮВО поставлено около 200 ед. новой и модернизированной техники".
  43. (22 February 2019). "Advanced coastal defense missile systems to protect Russia's Caspian Flotilla base".
  44. (26 February 2019). "Новые береговые ракетные комплексы "Бал" прибыли на Тихоокеанский флот".
  45. (12 January 2021). "В 2020 году Балтийский флот пополнился кораблями и новейшей военной техникой".
  46. (7 August 2019). "Russia deploys missile system 70 km from Norway's Vardø radar". The Barents Observer.
  47. (24 October 2017). "Kh-35U ASM enters Su-35S fighter jet weapon package".
  48. (25 September 2018). "Пуски с самолетов Су-34 противокорабельных ракет Х-35У по морским целям".
  49. (28 May 2020). "Vietnam unveils its new VCM-01 anti-ship cruise missile".
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  51. (5 December 2018). "Коммерсантъ» узнал об отказе Москвы поставить ракетные комплексы Баку".

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