Raduga KSR-5

From Citizendium
(Redirected from AS-6 KINGFISH)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This article is developing and not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.

The Raduga KSR-5/NATO: AS-6 KINGFISH is a large Russian/Soviet air-to-surface missile, launched from long-range aircraft such as the Tu-22M/NATO: BACKFIRE. It may have a nuclear or conventional warhead. The mass and speed of the missile, combined with conventional explosives, make it a much greater threat against ships, for example, than the smaller AGM-84 Harpoon or Exocet anti-shipping missiles.

It may be guided by a surface search radar, typically against ship targets, or by a radar-homing receiver when used as an anti-radiation missile against land or sea targets.

The missile flies at supersonic speed (Mach 3.5 range), and high altitude (est. 65,000 feet/20 KM). While it is not believed to use evasive maneuvering, it flies above the range of many small surface-to-air missiles. Its final approach is as a high-speed dive.

There may be a smaller version to be carried by lighter long-range aircraft, such as the Tu-16/NATO: BADGER. While it is primarily used by Russian Naval Aviation, it may have been exported.