Thread: Carrier killers (an article from JED online)

Originally Posted by lurker

I think this one will be interesting to the public, since not everrybody have an access to JED.

Carrier Killers

The Cold War required the Soviet Union to compete with the US on the high seas. Never being a naval power, the Soviets had to find a way to bypass US dominance in blue waters. The answer was the submarine and the guided missile. As the aircraft-carrier battlegroup is a symbol of US naval power, the missile-armed submarine became a symbol of Soviet naval power. Russia continues in this line, hoping to restore some of its former glory.

After WWII, it was obvious that reaching naval parity with the US Navy was too difficult a task for the Soviet Navy. But new weapons and technology would provide adequate capabilities. Therefore, three parallel anti-ship missile programs started in 1947: Kometa (AS-1), air launched; Shchuka, sea launched; and Shtorm, shore launched. In February 1953, only the first of these missiles was accepted to service, while the other programs were terminated due to the lack of satisfactory results. Further analyses revealed that treating the missile as a pilotless airframe was the wrong approach to the problem. As a result, since early 1954, all missile programs in the Soviet Union and then Russia have been led by the guidance-system design facility, not by the missile-design facility.

In 1955 the Shchuka program was restored under the codename "KSShch" and led by the guidance-system designer. The missile was actually fielded in moderate numbers on Kildin- (56EM/M) and Krupny-class destroyers. It was a complete failure, though. Designed as a long-range attack system with a theoretical range of 185 km, the operational range was limited to only 30-35 km by its poor guidance system. The missile was radio-command guided to the target, which was observed by the destroyer's radar. The KSShch-B version with active-radar guidance and target designation by Ka-15RC helicopter was never fielded, since the radar and targeting equipment were too heavy to be carried by a light shipboard helicopter. The whole system was withdrawn in the mid-1960s. All the later anti-carrier missiles were developed by OKB-52 (NPO Mashinostroyenia since 1983) in Reutovo near Moscow. The organization was lead by the famous Valdimir N. Chelomey until his death in 1984 and then by Gerberd A. Efremov. The OKB-52/NPO Mashinostroyenia also developed some Soviet/Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

Get the Carrier: P-6/P-35 Progress (SS-N-3 Shaddock, Sepal)

The first priority of the Soviet Navy was to defend coastal areas to provide security for land operations. The second task of the Red Fleet was to disrupt US/NATO shipping across the Atlantic and in European waters. In the early 1950s, it became clear that the aircraft-carrier battlegroup represented the most significant threat to the Soviet Navy. Carrier battlegroups could hamper any Soviet naval operations, defensive or offensive.

To fight the carrier battlegroup, it was decided in August 1956 that a long-range anti-ship cruise missile would be developed. The basis for it was to be the P-5 Progress (4K95; SS-N-3A Shaddock) supersonic land-attack cruise missile with a range of 500 km. The P-5 had inertial autonomous guidance, and the modernized P-5D version had Doppler radar mid-course correction. The missile, developed by OKB-52 (presently NPO Mashinostroyenia) in Moscow, had a solid-propellant booster and an air-breathing turbojet sustainer. The missile's wings unfolded after launch, which reduced the size of the launch container.

From the outset, two versions of the missile were developed: the surface-ship-based P-35 (SS-N-3B Sepal) and the submarine-based P-6 (SS-N-3C Shaddock). For both, a guidance system was developed with INS/Doppler for the mid-course phase and an active-radar seeker for the terminal phase. The first (land) tests began in October 1959 for the P-6 and the following December for the P-35. During the years 1963-68, eight surface ships were equipped with P-35 missiles: four Kynda-class cruisers with two four-tube SM-70 launchers and four Kresta I-class large frigates with two twin-tube KT-35 launchers. From 1963 to 1968, 16 Juliet-class diesel submarines were also fielded, with each submarine carrying four launch tubes and the same number of P-6 missiles. In 1966 it was also decided that the P-5 land-attack cruise missiles that armed five Echo I-class nuclear submarines would be withdrawn from service, with the subs being converted into torpedo-armed attack submarines. Between 1963 and 1966, 16 Echo II-class nuclear submarines were built for the Northern Fleet and 13 for the Pacific Fleet, all of which were armed with P-6 anti-ship missiles. Each Echo II sub carried six launch tubes and the same number of missiles.

The P-6 and P-35 missiles, which differ only in minor ways, were fitted with the same guidance system and warhead. The latter could be either a 800-kg high explosive (HE) or a 100-kT-yield (approximately) nuclear weapon. After launch, the missile climbed to a high altitude, accelerated to Mach 1.5, and started searching the front area with its radar seeker. The resulting picture was transmitted to the launching ship via a TV channel. When a target was acquired, the operator on the ship verified whether it was the desired target (e.g., the aircraft carrier in the group). If so, the operator designated it as such and turned the missile's seeker on automatic-track mode. Thereafter, the missile descended to low altitude, remaining at supersonic speed. The missile was intended to hit the water 10-20 m before the target and dive to detonate underwater to increase damage. The range of the missile was 300-350 km.

The P-6/P-35 Progress missiles gave the Soviet Navy long-range anti-ship capabilities for the first time. Prior to that, only Tu-16KS maritime bombers, armed with K-10 anti-ship cruise missiles, had such reach. Nevertheless, the whole system was cumbersome and full of shortcomings. A single salvo took 8-12 minutes to reach the target, depending on range. Then it took 4-6 minutes to prepare for the the next salvo, followed by another 8-12 minutes of flight. Thus, the whole missile-launch sequence for six missiles from a nuclear submarine, or eight from a cruiser, took 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, the attack force, consisting of surface ships or submarines (which had to remain surfaced), was exposed to enemy counterattacks. Moreover, only three or four ships, launching no more than 12 missiles between them, could operate at the same time against a given carrier battlegroup due to the number of radar and datalink channels available. It was determined that two to four hits with nuclear-armed missiles would be enough to disable the entire carrier battlegroup. The situation was different in the case of conventional warheads, and Soviet commanders knew that, in this case, the task was unachievable.

However, even this thin threat led the US Navy to seek a fighter capable of engaging multiple aircraft and cruise missiles at long range. As there was no time to conduct traditional intercept (a F-4 Phantom armed with AIM-7 Sparrow missiles was inadequate for this task), the AN/AWG-9 fire-control system and AIM-54 Phoenix missile systems were developed, initially for the the F-111B and then for the F-14A Tomcat. Teams of E-2B Hawkeyes and F-14s working together could provide early warning of cruise-missile launches. A single F-14 could engage six targets simultaneously with AIM-54A missiles. The E-2 and F-14 tandem became a nightmare for Soviet long-range reconnaissance and missile-carrying aircraft for years to come, and the danger was also appreciated by submarine commanders, who understood that many of their cruise missiles had little chance of reaching the target.

In the early years, the biggest problem was targeting. To find and track an carrier group on the ocean was an extremely difficult task. The answer was found in the use of signals- intelligence (SIGINT) and radar- reconnaissance aircraft, typified by the Tu-16RM Badger D and Tu-95RC Bear D, respectively. The Badger D SIGINT aircraft would pick up radar and radio signals emitted by a carrier group and direct a Bear D, equipped with a long-range sea-search radar. Both aircraft cooperated but operated independently. There was no need for SIGINT aircraft to approach the deadly zone around the carrier, and when the radar track was established, the SIGINT aircraft would search other areas.

The MRSC-1 Uspekh system was developed specifically for target acquisition and designation for anti-ship missiles. It consisted of a Tu-95RC Bear D with its radar and a data-exchange system with aircraft and ship interfaces. Echo II submarines used the Argument fire-control system for presetting a missile's INS and for data exchange with the missile in flight. The whole system was fielded the in latter half of the 1960s. Two new systems were developed in the early 1970s. First was the more capable Uspekh-U, which was based on a modernized Tu-95RC aircraft. The other became the primary targeting means of the Soviet - and presently the Russian - Navy. This was the MKRC Legenda space-based system, operational in 1979, the main element of which is radar-equipped 17F16 satellites that use onboard miniature nuclear reactors for power. Again, the system consisted of both SIGINT- and radar-equipped components, but in this case they were satellites. The Legenda system did not replace the Uspekh-U, which also remains in service, but provides greater coverage and flexibility. The deployment of both systems solved the problem of targeting for cruise-missile-armed units, both surface warships and submarines. The latter, equipped with the Kasatka (and later-model) receiving equipment, are able to receive basic targeting information from the Legenda reconnaissance system, even when submerged. This feature greatly improved submarine survivability.

P-70 Ametist (SS-N-7) and P-120 Malakhit (SS-N-9)

The development of an anti-ship missile system for underwater launch was initiated in April 1959, and the OKB-52 Design Bureau, led by Vladimir Chelomey, was appointed to the task. At the same time, development of the first submarine to be armed with the new system, the Papa class, also started in 1959. The submarine was nuclear powered and armed with 10 launchers for P-70 missiles.

The P-70 Ametist (SS-N-7, 4K66) had a small delta wing and was powered by a solid-propellant sustainer. It was also provided with four small boosters that worked underwater. It had a programmable INS guidance system and an analog radar seeker with some anti-jamming capabilities. The missile itself had a very small frontal radar cross-section. The missile could be launched from depths of up to 30 m. It flew to the target at an altitude of 40-60 m using a radar altimeter at a high subsonic speed. Maximum range of the missile was 70-80 km when the target was designated from a third source, or about 50 km when the target was detected by the launching sub's powerful MGK-300 Rubin digital sonar. The missile had a 1,000-kg conventional warhead or a 200-kT-yield nuclear one. The first underwater launch of a 4K66 Ametist missile from a special stand occurred in June 1961. From July to December of 1964, the missile was tested on a modified Whisky-class experimental submarine. The missile was accepted to service in June 1968.

The construction of K-162, the first Papa-class boat, began in 1962 and continued through 1969. The long construction period was a result of the use of many revolutionary systems at the same time: a titanium hull, a modern nuclear reactor, and a lot of digital and analog- digital electronic equipment. Due to the enormous costs, the navy called the ship "Golden Fish." During trials, the submarine's performance was excellent. For example, the underwater speed was 42 knots, and in 1971 the ship established a still-unbeaten underwater speed record of 44.7 knots. The tactics of attack required a quiet approach to the target as long as possible and missile launch from maximum range. Escape maneuvers were then to be performed at maximum speed.

K-162, however, was to be a one-of-a-kind ship, since it was too expensive and complicated. Instead, from 1967 to 1973, eleven Charlie I-class submarines were built with more conventional equipment. The MGK-100 Kerch analog passive sonar had a range of 30-35 km. Each submarine was armed with eight launchers (small silos) for the P-70 system. The Brest analog fire-control system had interfaces to the Legenda and Uspekh systems. Most of the Charlie Is served with the 11th Division of the 1st Flotilla of the Northern Fleet, while some formed the 10th Division of the 2nd Flotilla of the Pacific Fleet. All of these submarines were withdrawn from service by 1993.

From very beginning, it was obvious that the P-70 Ametist system would have little chance of successfully engaging a target. The main limitation came from the relatively short range of the launching sub's sonar. Even when the target's position was known before approaching the group, sonar contact (in passive mode) was desired to update the location of moving targets. Therefore, in February 1963, the decision was made to develop a longer-range missile, while work on new, long range sonars was underway. In the mid-1970s, the Charlie I class was equipped with the digital, long-range (150-200 km) MGK-300 Rubin sonar and, in the late 1970s, with the even more capable MGK-400 Rubikon sonar with a range of over 200 km. The foundation for a longer-range, underwater-launched missile has been laid.

Soviet planners determined that approaching a US carrier group closer than 100 km was suicide for a submarine, so a minimum range requirement of 120 km was set. The new P-120 Malakhit (SS-N-9 Siren) missile was also developed by the Chelomey-led CKBM Design Bureau (presently NPO Mashinostroenia). It was based on the earlier P-70 Ametist missile, though larger to meet the range requirement. Contrary to its predecessor, which could be launched only from submarines, the P-120 had a universal booster that enabled launch from both surface ships and subs. It could be launched from a depth of 50 m. The P-120 was powered by a solid-fuel sustainer that gave the missile high subsonic speed as it flew at an altitude of 40 m. The range was dictated by the aforementioned requirement, though some sources say it could reach 150 km. A modernized terminal-phase guidance system had two sensors combined in one: a traditional but improved active-radar seeker supported by a passive infrared seeker mounted beneath. This measure improved resistance to countermeasures launched by defending ships. The missile had either a 500-kg HE or 200-kT-yield nuclear warhead.

The P-120 Malakhit system was accepted to service in March 1972. Tests of the underwater system took longer, and the P-120 missile was accepted into service onboard submarines in November 1977. The new missiles armed small, fast corvettes of the Nanuchka I class. In all, from 1969 to 1976, 18 of these ships were built, followed by 21 Nanuchka III-class ships. Today, though, only the latter remain in service. Between 1973 and 1980, six Charlie II-class submarines were built. Each sub had eight missile tubes and usually carried six conventional and two nuclear missiles. All of the submarines had the MGK-400 Rubikon sonar system. In the early 1980s, the Rubikon sonar was replaced by the MGK-500 Skat system, which used a much more capable digital computer and advanced signal processing. Launch of P-120 missiles (all eight could be launched in a quick salvo) was directed by the Raduga fire-control system. Submarines were provided with a Molnia digital interface to the Uspekh and Legenda targeting systems, along with a Paravan towed array for very-low-frequency communications. All of the Charlie II submarines were very recently withdrawn from service, but P-120 missiles continue to be used on Nanuchka III corvettes.

P-500 Bazalt (SS-N-12 Sandbox) and P-1000 Vulkan

Presently, the P-500 Bazalt (SS-N-12 Sandbox) remains only on surface ships, but it is still one of the most capable Russian naval weapons. For a long time it was underestimated in the West. Since the missile was similar in appearance to the P-6/P-35 series, it was not even recognized for a long time, especially as the main armament of Echo II submarines.

Development of the intended P-6/P-35 replacement was initiated on the very same day as the P-120 Malakhit program (February 28, 1963). It was to be a surface-launched missile for both submarines and surface ships. To avoid any counterattack from a carrier group, the missile's range was to be 500 km, outside the usual operational radius of carrier-protection forces. At the same time, the guidance system and missile survivability were to be greatly improved and in line with evolving tactics. For the first time, it was assumed that any attack on a carrier group would be of a massive character. The tactics of such an attack is described later, but it is worth describing some P-500 Bazalt features beforehand.

The P-500 missile is similar in appearance to the P-6/35 and was powered by a liquid-fuel sustainer and solid-rocket booster. It has a speed of Mach 2 at high altitude and Mach 1.5-1.6 at low altitude. The flight profile of the missile varies from 30 to 7,000 m (low-low or low-high). Guidance is based on a digital INS on a gyro- stabilized platform and an active-radar seeker, which periodically switches to passive mode. For the first time, the missile was equipped with a digital computer (Tsifrova Vichislenna Mashina, "digital computing device"). The guidance system was also equipped with a datalink to communicate between missiles in a salvo, with a salvo consisting of eight missiles launched at short intervals. Usually, one of the missiles flies high (5,000-7,000 m) to pick up the target, while the rest remain at medium to low altitude with their radar seekers switched to passive mode. The leading missile then transmits targeting data to the others and allocates individual targets, with half of the salvo directed at the aircraft carrier and half at other ships in the area, one apiece. The onboard radar seekers are turned on at the last moment, just before reaching the target. If the lead missile is shot down, another one (in a programmed sequence) takes over and climbs to a higher altitude to continue directing the salvo. All the missiles have active radar jamming to disrupt any defensive action from fighters and shipboard air-defense systems. In addition, vital parts of the P-500 missile are armored to increase survivability.

Early trials of the first version of the P-500 system were conducted from 1969 to 1970, and from 1971-75, tests of the final version, with a 550-km range, were completed. The missile has a 1,000-kg HE warhead or a 350-kT-yield nuclear warhead. In 1975 the P-500 system was introduced to service on 10 out of the 29 Echo II-class submarines then in service. Nine of them received the Kasatka-B system for receiving data from the Uspekh and Legenda targeting systems (radar picture only), while one received the Uspekh interface only, without access to the Legenda space targeting system. Communications with targeting systems could be conducted from periscope depth with the antenna above the surface. Usually, Soviet submarines carried six conventional and two nuclear P-500 missiles on combat patrols. All of the submarines armed with P-500 missiles were withdrawn from service in the mid-1990s.

The P-500 Bazalt system, however, was not only used on submarines. In 1977 the system was accepted into service onboard Kiev-class aircraft carriers, four of which were built. The first three had a battery of eight launchers in the forward deck. The last ship of the class, commissioned the Baku in 1987, was built to a modified design and had no less than 12 launchers. All of these ships were withdrawn from service in the 1990s, but the last ship, renamed Admiral Gorshkov , is to be sold to India - after stripping off the P-500 missiles.

The only ships still armed with the P-500 Bazalt system are Slava-class cruisers. The first ship of the class, commissioned in 1983, underwent a major overhaul in the 1990s and was renamed the Moskva . It serves with the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet. The Northern Fleet operates the Marshal Ustinov , commissioned in 1986, while the Pacific Fleet operates the Varyag , commissioned in 1989. According to unconfirmed sources, however, the last was re-armed with the P-1000 system (see below). The first two ships (and possibly all three) have a tremendous battery of 16 P-500 Bazalt missiles, which can be directed at targets with the assistance of embarked Ka-27 Helix helicopters. A fourth cruiser, the Ukrainian Ukraina , was armed with the P-500 system. The ship was completed in late 2001, but after lengthy deliberations, it never entered service with the Ukrainian Navy. Declared spare, it now is to be sold abroad.

The P-1000 Vulkan was one of the most mysterious missiles in Soviet service. It was also the last Russian missile that required a submarine to surface for launch. Its existence was never discovered by NATO, despite the fact it was operational on five submarines. It was generally similar to P-500 but had titanium armor, and many of its steel parts were replaced by titanium ones. This enabled a significant decrease in launch weight. At the same time, a more powerful booster and a more powerful and more fuel-efficient sustainer turbojet engine was employed. This increased the range to about 700 km. Its development was initiated in May 1979, and it underwent tests in the mid-1980s. The P-1000 was introduced into service in about 1987. In the late 1980s, five Echo II-class submarines were modernized to accommodate the new P-1000 Vulkan system, but all five were withdrawn from service in the mid-1990s. Thus, it was in front-line service for only about seven or eight years (unless it has, in fact, been installed on the Varyag ).

P-700 Granit (SS-N-19 Shipwreck)

The development of the P-700 missile system started in 1969, but it was prolonged due to its complexity. It was assumed that the main source of information would be the satellite-based reconnaissance network, and from the very beginning, it was believed that the missile would be able to communicate with it directly after launch. The initial targeting information was to be received by a submarine cruising at a depth of about 30 m via a long-wave communications system from ground bases. The attack was to be coordinated with a group of long-range Tu-22M anti-ship aircraft. The underwater attack group consists of three to five Oscar and Oscar II subs, each armed with 24 P-700 missiles. The subs were to launch 70-120 such missiles against a single carrier group in a single mass attack. Roughly 30-50% of them are aimed at the carrier, while the others go after accompanying ships. Another salvo of 12-24 missiles was to be launched by aircraft, mainly to saturate the carrier group's defenses. The 30-knot speed of the Oscar I/II submarines enables a rapid approach to the launch area, about 450-500 km from the carrier group, and equally quick evasion after the attack.

The missile employs all of the techniques from the Bazalt/Vulkan. One lead missile per every 24 in the salvo flies at high altitude to reconnoiter the target, using its radar in active and passive modes. The active mode is used in quick "looks," then turned off to increase the penetration probability. The lead missile assigns targets to all subordinate missiles and communicates with the other lead missiles in the massive salvo to coordinate the attack. To achieve this, the missile is equipped with a powerful digital computer with three processors. The missile has an onboard integrated electronic-countermeasures suit for avoiding enemy anti-missile attacks using a combination of maneuver and deception jamming. The computer could order the missile to one of various stored courses with multiple altitudes. At high altitude, the missile speed is Mach 2.5, while at low (sea-skimming) altitude, it is Mach 1.5. Vital parts of the missile are armored to increase penetration against fire from Phalanx-type close-in weapon systems and against fragments of closely exploding air-defense missiles. The missile has a conventional 750-kg HE warhead or a nuclear warhead with an unknown yield (reportedly 500 kT, but that seems too high).

The guidance system was developed by TsNII "Granit." The missile itself was developed in OKB-52 (later NPO Mashinostoyeniya) under the direction of Chelomey and, after his death in 1984, under Gerberd Efremov. First tests of the missile started in November 1975. Numerous difficulties prolonged the factory tests until 1979, and in autumn of that year, the missile began state trials. Technical difficulties further prolonged the trials through October 1983, and the missile was officially accepted into service in March 1983. At this time, the space-based Legenda reconnaissance system had been fully deployed. In addition to the satellite system, the submarine could also use its own MGK-540 Skat-3 sonar system for targeting.

Only two Oscar I ships have been built: the K-525 (Arkhangelsk ) and K-206 (Murmansk ), commissioned in 1981 and 1983, respectively. Both remain in service with the Northern Fleet, and each are armed with 24 missiles and have Kasatka-U receivers for communication with the Legenda system. The subs were followed by the "ultimate" Oscar II class, of which 11 have been commissioned since 1986. The Northern Fleet operates the K-119 (Voronezh ), K-148 (Krasnodar ), K-410 (Smolensk ), K-266 (Orel ), K-186 (Omsk ), and K-150 (Tomsk ). The K-141 (Kursk ) exploded and sank on August 13, 2000. The Pacific Fleet operates the K-132 (Irkutsk ), K-173 (Krasnoyarsk ), K-442 (Chelabinsk ), and K-456 (Vyluchinsk ). The Russian Navy plans to commission a replacement for the Kursk, the K-329 (Belgorod ).

The P-700 missile was also introduced to service as a weapon for surface ships. Four Kirov-class nuclear cruisers were commissioned between 1980 and 1998: the Kirov (renamed Admiral Ushakov ), Frunze (renamed Admiral Lazarev ), Kalinin (renamed Admiral Nakhimov ) and Yuriy Andropov (renamed Pyotr Velikiy ). They were armed with 20 semi-vertical (with some oblique, like in submarines) P-700 Granit launchers. The system was directly adapted from submarines - to the point where the launchers have to be filled with water before launch. Fire control is provided by the MR-212 Vaygach-U onboard radar and other ships' electronic systems (the Gurzuf or Kantata-M passive reconnaissance systems, for example). The first two cruisers were withdrawn from service in the late 1990s, but the Admiral Nakhimov and the Pyotr Velikiy continue to serve. The only other ship equipped with P-700 Granit system is the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznietsov , commissioned in 1990 and operational with Russian Northern Fleet since 1995. The ship is armed with 12 P-700 launchers.


P-6 Progress




P-35 Progress


The P-35 Progress system is a long-range anti-ship missile that originated as a strategic cruise missile (P-5 Pityorka). It can carry out over-the-horizon attacks on hostile ships. A P-5S coastal-defense variant is known by the NATO designation of SSC-1 Sepal. The missile's guidance is by command and an active-radar/passive-IR seeker. Because of the very long range of this missile (450 km), the P-6D Progress version was introduced with mid-course guidance provided by a Tu-95 Bear D reconnaissance aircraft using its Big Bulge I-band search radar to locate the target and pass information back to the main control. The Big Bulge has a range of 350-400 km at 4,000-m altitude and is used to transmit radar pictures of the target to the missile-launching vessel. After launch, the missile climbs to about 400 m to enable the radar seeker to lock on as early as possible and to relay information back to the fire-control system. Final attack is in the form of a shallow dive. The P-7D Progress version has a radar altimeter to enable a more controled flight profile.

Manufacturer : Chelomey Designation : P-6, P-35 Progress Guidance : Mid-course autopilot (some versions with command update by datalink), terminal active radar Warhead : 800-kg HE or 100 kT nuclear Propulsion : Turbojet Range 460 km Speed : Mach 1.4 Length : 1,000 cm Body Diameter: 90 cm Wingspan : 260 cm Launch Weight : 4,500 kg Date Operational : 1960s Platforms : Ships; land Users : Russia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Syria, Angola


P-70 Ametist


The P-70 was the first Soviet ASM that could be launched by a submerged submarine. It is a medium-range missile with mid-course guidance by autopilot, with a J-band active-radar seeker for the terminal phase. Initial detection of the target is by either the submarine's ESM system or by the Snoop Head search radar operating in the ESM mode. Normally, the missile is launched from ranges up to 65 km, after which it climbs to about 100 m before the seeker locks on. Final approach for the attack is in the form of a shallow dive. Externally, the P-70 is cylindrical in shape, with a sharply pointed nose and a prominent reinforcing member or wiring duct along the underside of the body. There are short, folding, swept-back wings midway up the body in the rear half and three rear-facing cooling ducts around the wing leading edge.

Manufacturer : Chelomey Designation : P-70 (4K66) Guidance : Mid-course autopilot; terminal active-radar seeker Warhead : 500-1,000 kg HE or 200-kT nuclear Propulsion : solid-state rocket Range : 65 km Speed : Mach 0.9 Length : 670 cm Wingspan : 1,200 cm Launch Weight : 3,375 kg Date Operational : 1968 Platforms : Ships: Projects 670 (Charlie I)- and 661 (Papa)-class submarines Users : Russia


P-120 Malakhit


The P-50 Malakhit was developed as a "universal" anti-ship missile for submarines and surface ships. It was intended to replace the high-altitude, relatively slow P-35 Progress (SS-N-3 Shaddock). Before the project was completed, it was replaced by a more advanced design - the P-120. The missile entered service in 1969. It was initially deployed on surface ships and subsequently on the Charlie II submarines. It also has longer range than the Ametiste (SS-N-7 Starbright) (70 km when submarine launched and 110 km surface-ship launched). The fire-control radar normally associated with the missile is either the Band Stand or the Plank Shave. The Band Stand operates over the D to F frequency bands and is used for target acquisition and tracking. The Plank Shave is a missile-control radar of which very few details are available. The missile's guidance is identical to that of the Ametiste with one important distinction: it can receive mid-course command updates from the launching platform or a third party.

Manufacturer : NPO Mashinostroenia Designation : P-120 (4K85) Guidance : Mid-course autopilot; terminal active-radar seeker Warhead : 1,000-kg HE or 200-kT nuclear Propulsion : solid-fuel booster and sustainer Range : 110 (surface launch) 70 (submarine) km Speed : Mach 0.9 Length : 884 cm Launch Weight : 3,000 kg Date Operational : 1972 Platforms : Ships: Project 670M (Charlie II) submarines, Project 1234 (Nanuchka), and Project 1240 (Sarancha) fast missile boats Users : Russia


P-500 Bazalt


The P-500 is a long-range, supersonic cruise missile. The development of the missile started in 1963 as the P-350 (4K77) program, which was canceled but subsequently evolved into the P-500 (4K80) project. It was accepted to service in 1973 and became operational two years later. It has a cylindrical body, the front of which is slim with a sharply pointed nose. Two-thirds of the way along, it bulges before tapering toward the rear. The missile is powered by a turbojet, and there is a small air intake about halfway along the body. The missile features command or inertial guidance with the option of mid-course updates. Aircraft such as the Tu-95RC Bear D, the Ka-25 Hormone B, and the Ka-27 Helix B may be used for over-the-horizon (OTH) targeting. Terminal-phase guidance is either by an active-radar seeker or by passive radar homing. The payload consisted of either a 1,000-kg high-explosive warhead or a 350-kT nuclear device, but the latter has now been removed. It can be launched from surface ships or submarines, although the latter must surface to launch. Associated radars are the H/I-band Front Door or the Front Door C system, which both provide mid-flight updates to the missile if required. The former is a missile-guidance radar that has a multiple antenna system and is primarily for submarine use. The Front Door C is used by surface vessels and features a "hidden" antenna that hinges out when needed.

Manufacturer : Chelomey Designation : P-500 (4K80) Guidance : Mid-course autopilot; terminal active-radar seeker Warhead : 1,000-kg HE semi-armor piercing or 350- kT nuclear Propulsion : liquid-fuel rocket Range : 550 km Speed : Mach 2.5 Length : 1,700 cm Body Diameter: 90 cm Wingspan : 260 cm Launch Weight : 5,000 kg Date Operational : 1975 Platforms : Project 1143 (Kiev) aircraft carriers, Project 1164 (Slava) cruisers, Project 675 (Echo II) submarines Users : Russia


P-700 Granit


The improved US ASW defenses around carrier battlegroups during the 1970s increasingly restricted the effectiveness of Soviet submarines carrying the Ametist/Malakhit (SS-N-7/9 Starbright/Siren) missiles. At the same time, the Soviet Navy wished to strengthen the defenses of its SSBN bastions, and this led to a requirement for a new missile. The P-700 Granit was developed as a more successful turbojet alternative to the Bazalt (SS-N-12 Sandbox) from which it was derived and whose liquid rocket proved troublesome. The long-range, sea-skimming anti-ship missile is launched from both surface ships and Oscar-class submarines. In the mid-course, it has an autopilot and can receive course updates by X-band datalink. It has a Ku-band active radar for terminal guidance and has a radar-homing capability.

Manufacturer : NPO Mashinostroenia Designation : P-700 (3M45) Guidance : Mid-course autopilot; terminal active-radar seeker and passive anti-radiation Warhead : 750-kg HE or 500-kT nuclear Propulsion : Two solid-fuel boosters one turbojet sustainer Range : 550 km Speed : Mach 1.6 Length : 10 m Body Diameter: 85 cm Launch Weight : 7,000 kg Date Operational : 1980 Platforms : Project 949 (Oscar) and 949A (Oscar II) submarines, Project 1143.5 (Kuznetsov) aircraft carriers, Project 1144 (Pyotr Velikiy) cruisers Users : Russia


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Gee......Nice history, but I really need to ask. Has the "Mighty" Soviet Navy ever sunk a carrier? In All Of It's Glory and Grandeur - Have the Soviet's even obtained a bead on a US Super (Nimitz Class) Carrier?
Be........Real.