/Pogled.info/ The Russian army is increasingly using its new long-range Kh-69 air-launched cruise missiles in the area of the Northern Military District. So far, Russia has used heavier and larger X-101s, which are launched from the Tu-160 strategic bomber, writes the specialized publication The Eurasian Times. Besides the Tu-160, other aircraft in this category are the Tu-22 and the Tu-95MS.
Naturally, the appearance of the latest Russian missile in the zone of the Northern Military District caused heated discussions among Western analysts.
The US Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote that “Russia is unlikely to be able to produce them (the new missiles) at significantly faster rates or in greater quantities than other missiles.”
However, a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) says just the opposite: it is “unrealistic” to expect that Russia will ever run out of missiles.
“Sanctions and export controls may at best temporarily limit the quantity and quality of assault weapons that Russia can acquire.
Russian production of higher-end cruise and ballistic missiles will never drop to zero. Despite Western sanctions and controls on the export of key microelectronic components, Russia has found workarounds to continue missile production, the CSIS report said.
The fact that Russian rocket scientists are doing their job, despite the sanctions, became clear after the Dubai International Air Show in November 2023. At the Dubai Air Show, the X-69 was shown for the first time to promote export markets.
“Russia would not start such a commercial project requiring mass production of a missile in the event of receiving foreign orders if its military factories were not up to the task,” the Ukrainian state propaganda Eurasian Times refutes.
The X-69 missile is designed to combine the destructive power and accuracy of the X-101 and X-555 missiles. With a flight weight of 770 kg, the missile has a range of 290 km.
However, the Ukrainians themselves discovered that the missile could reach a distance of 400 km. The missile can be equipped with both high-explosive and cluster warheads.
The X-69 uses an inertial navigation system with course correction based on data from GLONASS navigation satellites during the cruise phase of flight and an opto-electronic homing system, The Eurasian Times reports.
The combination of these guidance technologies gives the missile incredibly high accuracy with a circular error probability of less than 5 meters. Before launch, the missile can also be programmed to change direction and attack from a new angle as it approaches the target. This can confuse Ukrainian medium- and short-range air defense systems.
Interestingly, the prototypes of the missiles are designated as X-59MK2 in honor of the version tested during the anti-terrorist operation in Syria by the Su-57 aircraft.
In February 2018, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu actually renamed the missile as it had technically fully matured into a completely different missile from its predecessor.
The missile has a rectangular cross-section and is reportedly made of a radiation-absorbing composite body that makes it undetectable. This allows the missile to be placed in the internal weapons bay of the Su-57 stealth fighter.
The Eurasian Times writes that the X-69’s design includes folding wings, allowing the missile to maintain its stealth profile at some distance after being launched from an aircraft.
— The missile can also be launched from the Su-35 and Su-34. Russia needed a missile that is not as large and heavy as the X-101, which can also be launched from other small aircraft, writes The Eurasian Times.
This makes it possible to reduce the wear and tear of extremely valuable strategic bombers (such as the Tu-160), giving unit commanders an alternative.
The Eurasian Times writes that Russia will actively study the successful use of the Kh-69 against Ukrainian targets, make improvements to new production batches and advertise the missile even more actively at future defense industry exhibitions.
In addition, the X-69 is ideal for countries that already use the Su-30 or Su-35 (and these include such large markets for Russian weapons as China, India, Indonesia, Algeria, Vietnam and many others). It is not yet clear whether the missile is intended to be launched from a MiG-29 or a MiG-35.
But it is known that it is the MiG-35 and Su-35 that are contenders for participation in the project to create a multi-role fighter (MRFA) of the Indian Air Force.
In addition, Russian platforms compete with other aircraft such as Lockheed Martin’s F-21, Dassault’s Rafale, Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon.
The Indian Air Force plans to equip the new fighter with BrahMos missiles, which have already been tested with the Su-30MKI. The X-69 is significantly lighter than the air-launched BrahMos, which simplifies logistics.
If India does choose the X-69, it may also be in talks with Rosoboronexport to help integrate the new missile’s navigation with the Indian Constellation (NavIC) satellite navigation system.
Therefore, for the successful expert future of the X-69, its successful use in the SVO area is important.
Translation: SM
