Kh-15

Air-launched ballistic missile

Maximum speed Up to Mach 5^[1]

Guidance
system

inertial guidance, active radar homing, or anti-radiation missile

Launch
platform

Tu-22M3, ^[1]

The Raduga Kh-15 or RKV-15 (Russian: Х-15; NATO: AS-16 "Kickback"; GRAU:) is a Russian hypersonic aero-ballistic air-to-ground missile carried by the Tupolev Tu-22M and other bombers. Originally developed as a standoff nuclear air-to-ground missile similar to the U.S. Air Force's AGM-69 SRAM, versions with conventional warheads have been developed.

As of early 2019, it was uncertain whether the Kh-15 was in service, with rumors that it had been retired or placed in storage.^[2]

Development

In 1967, MKB Raduga started developing the Kh-2000 as a replacement for the Kh-22 (NATO reporting name AS-4 Kitchen) heavy anti-shipping missile.^[1] Development of the Kh-15 started some time in the early 1970s.^[3] The sophistication of the design made it suitable for other roles, and a nuclear-tipped version was developed in tandem with the conventionally armed variant.^[1] An upgrade under development was cancelled in 1991, but reports in 1998 suggested an upgraded Kh-15 might be fitted to Su-35 (Flanker-E) tactical aircraft.^[3]

Design

The Kh-15 climbs to an altitude of about 40,000 m (130,000 ft) and then dives in on the target, accelerating to a speed of about Mach 5.^[1]

Operational history

It entered service in 1980. It can be carried by the Su-33, Su-34, Tu-95MS-6 'Bear-H', Tu-22M3 'Backfire C', and Tu-160 'Blackjack'.^[4]

Variants

Kh-15 (RKV-15) - the original version with nuclear warhead and inertial guidance
Kh-15P - passive seeker for anti-radar use
Kh-15S - active radar seeker for anti-shipping use^[1]

Operators

Current

Russia

Former

Soviet Union - Passed onto successor states

Similar weapons

KSR-5 (AS-6 'Kingfish') - heavy anti-surface missile carried under the wings of Tu-22M
Kh-59 (AS-13 'Kingbolt') - ASM for tactical aircraft, up to 285 km range
Kh-37 (updated version of AS-20 'Kayak') - land attack version of subsonic Kh-35 Anti-Ship missile, 250 km range
AGM-69 SRAM - 1000 kg US missile with up to 170 km range

Photo Gallery

Kh-15 from rear
Mission profile

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Kh-15, RKV-15 (AS-16 'Kickback')", Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, 2008-08-01, archived from the original on 2019-10-18, retrieved 2009-02-03
^ Kristensen, Hans M.; Korda, Matt (4 March 2019). "Russian nuclear forces, 2019". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 75 (2): 73–84. Bibcode:2019BuAtS..75b..73K. doi:10.1080/00963402.2019.1580891.
^ ^a ^b "Kh-15 (AS-16 'Kickback'/RKV-15)", Jane's Strategic Weapon Systems, 2008-09-02, archived from the original on 2019-10-18, retrieved 2009-02-06
^ "АО "Корпорация Тактическое Ракетное Вооружение"". Archived from the original on 2014-08-06. Retrieved 2016-08-25.

References

Gordon, Yefim (2004). Soviet/Russian Aircraft Weapons Since World War Two. Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-188-1.
Healey, John K. (January–February 2004). "Retired Warriors: 'Cold War' Bomber Legacy". Air Enthusiast. No. 109. pp. 75–79. ISSN 0143-5450.

NATO designation for Russian and former Soviet Union missiles

Air-to-air
(full list)

AA-1 Alkali
AA-2 Atoll
AA-3 Anab
AA-4 Awl
AA-5 Ash
AA-6 Acrid
AA-7 Apex
AA-8 Aphid
AA-9 Amos
AA-10 Alamo
AA-11 Archer
AA-12 Adder
AA-13 Arrow
K-74M2 (R-73M)
K-77M (R-77M)
KS-172

Air-
to-surface
(full list)

10Kh 14Kh 18Kh RV-1
AS-1 Kennel
AS-2 Kipper
AS-3 Kangaroo
AS-4 Kitchen
AS-5 Kelt
AS-6 Kingfish
AS-7 Kerry
AS-8 Kokon AT-6
AS-9 Kyle
AS-10 Karen
AS-11 Kilter
AS-12 Kegler
AS-13 Kingbolt
AS-14 Kedge
AS-15 Kent
AS-16 Kickback
AS-17 Krypton
AS-18 Kazoo
AS-X-19 Koala
AS-20 Kayak
AS-X-21
AS-22 Kh-59MK2S/69
AS-4M Kh-32
AS-23 Kh-38/36
AS-24 Kh-36
Kh-45
AS-25 Kh-50
AS-26 Kh-BD
Kh-90
AS-27 Sunburn A Kh-41
AS-28 Strobile A Kh-61
AS-29 Sizzler Club A
Hermes A ATS
Kh-50
LMUR Izd. 305
Iz 85 Kh-MD-E
Kh-74M2 "GZUR"
AS-X-36 Stone AH (Kh-76)
AS-37 BrahMos AL
Zirkon (Kh-72) ASM
BrahMos-II

Anti-tank
guided
(full list)

Surface-
to-air
(full list)

Ground- based	SA-1 Guild SA-2 Guideline SA-3 Goa SA-4 Ganef SA-5 Gammon SA-6 Gainful SA-7 Grail SA-8 Gecko SA-9 Gaskin SA-10 Grumble SA-11 Gadfly SA-12 Gladiator/Giant SA-13 Gopher SA-14 Gremlin SA-15 Gauntlet SA-16 Gimlet SA-17 Grizzly SA-18 Grouse SA-19 Grison SA-20 Gargoyle SA-21 Growler SA-22 Greyhound SA-23 Gladiator/Giant SA-24 Grinch SA-29 Gizmo Morfey S-350 Sosna-R/RA
Naval- based	SA-N-1 Goa SA-N-2 Guideline SA-NX-2C M-3 SA-N-3 Goblet SA-N-4 Gecko SA-N-5 Grail SA-N-6 Grumble SA-N-7 Gadfly SA-N-8 Gremlin SA-N-9 Gauntlet SA-N-10 Grouse SA-N-11 Grison SA-N-12 Grizzly SA-N-14 Grouse SA-N-20 Gargoyle SA-N-21 Greyhound 9K 96 Redut Palash/Palma
Anti- ballistic	ABM-1 Galosh ABM-3/53T6 Gazelle S-500 A-235

Surface-
to-surface
(full list)

Ground- based	SS-1 Scunner/SS-1 Scud (Scud-A/-B/-C/-D) SS-2 Sibling SS-3 Shyster SS-4 Sandal SS-5 Skean SS-6 Sapwood SS-7 Saddler SS-8 Sasin SS-8B Sasin 2 SS-9 Scarp SS-10 Scrag SS-11 Sego SS-12 Scaleboard SS-X-13 Savage SS-13 Savage SS-14 Scamp/Scapegoat SS-15 Scrooge SS-16 Sinner SS-17 Spanker SS-18 Satan SS-19 Stiletto SS-20 Saber SS-21 Scarab SS-22 Scaleboard SS-23 Spider SS-24 Scalpel SS-25 Sickle SS-26 Stone SS-27 Sickle B SS-28 Saber 2 SS-29 Sickle C SS-X-30 Satan 2 SS-X-31 Sickle D SS-X-32Zh Scalpel B Avangard / HGV Yu-7# SS-X-33 Stone AN
Naval- based	14KhK1 15Kh 17Kh KS-1 Komet P-20 Sokol P-40 P-47 SS-N-1 Scrubber SS-N-2 Styx SS-N-3c Shaddock SS-N-3a Shaddock 3b Sepal SS-N-4 Sark SS-N-5 Sark/Serb D-6 D-6M D-7 R-15M SS-N-6 Serb SS-N-7 Starbright SS-N-8 Sawfly SS-N-9 Siren SS-N-12 Sandbox SS-NX-13 Serb SS-N-14 Silex SS-N-15 Starfish SS-N-16 Stallion SS-N-17 Snipe SS-N-18 Stingray SS-N-19 Shipwreck SS-N-20 Sturgeon SS-N-21 Sampson SS-N-22 Sunburn SS-N-23 Skif R29RM SS-N-23A Skif SS-N-23B Skif SS-NX-24 Scorpion SS-N-25 Switchblade SS-N-26 Strobile SS-N-27 Sizzler SS-N-30A 3M-14 SS-NX-28 SS-N-29 SS-N-32 SS-NX-33 SS-NX-34 Skif SS-N-35 SS-N-36 SS-NX-37 SS-NX-38 Canyon
Ship- to-ship	10KhN SSC-1B Sepal Redut SSC-2 Salish/Samlet AS/KS-1 P-20 Sokol SSC-K P-1 Schuka KSShch SSC-3 Styx Rubezh SSC-4 Slingshot SSC-X-5 Scorpion SSC-6 Sennight SSC-7 Stone KS 9M728 SSC-8 Stone KB 9M729 SSC-14 Klub N/M 3M14/54 SSC-13 BrahMos SSC-10/SSC-5 Stooge Bastion P/S SSC-7/12 3M-80MV SSC-X-11 "GZUR" SSC-X-15 Skif SSC-X-9 Stone AN Hermes M ATS Hermes K ATS