Kh-25
Encyclopedia
The Kh-25/Kh-25M is a family of Soviet lightweight air-to-ground missiles with a modular range of guidance systems and a range of 10 km. The anti-radar variant (Kh-25MP) is known to NATO as the AS-12 'Kegler' and has a range up to 40 km. Designed by Zvezda-Strela, the Kh-25 is derived from the laser-guided version of their Kh-23
(AS-7 'Kerry'). It has now been succeeded by the Kh-38 family, but the Kh-25 remains in widespread use.
, was first tested in 1968 but problems with the guidance system meant that it would not enter service for another five years. So in 1971 work began on a version with a semi-active laser seeker, which became the Kh-25. This was initially known in the West as the Kh-23L. State testing began on 24 November 1974, and the Kh-25 entered production in 1975.
Work began on an anti-radar missile derived from the Kh-66 in 1972, using a passive radar seeker and SUR-73 autopilot. The long-range Kh-31
anti-radar missile came out of the same project. The Kh-27 began state testing on a Mig-27 on 8 August 1975 but did not enter service until 2 September 1980. It was assigned the NATO reporting name
AS-12 'Kegler' and in effect it replaced the much heavier Kh-28
(AS-9 'Kyle').
In 1973 Victor Bugaiskii was appointed head engineer of the bureau and he started work on combining the Kh-23M, Kh-25 and Kh-27 into a single modular system to reduce costs and improve tactical flexibility. This was completed by the end of 1978, resulting in the Kh-25MP (anti-radar), Kh-25ML (laser-guided) and Kh-25MR (radio-guided) family. NATO continued to refer to these as the AS-12 and AS-10 respectively, even though they could now be switched by a simple change of seeker head.
The Kh-25MP has two versions of its homing head, 1VP and 2VP, sensitive to different frequencies.
, MiG-27 and Sukhoi Su-17
M. Since then it has been cleared for use on the MiG-21
, MiG-29
, Sukhoi Su-17/20/22 family, Sukhoi Su-24
, Su-25
and Su-27
. It can also be carried by attack helicopters such as the Kamov Ka-50
.
The Kh-25MP can be fitted to the MiG-23/27, Su-17/22, Su-24 and Su-25.
Training rounds have "U" designations, so e.g. for the Kh-25ML there is :
Kh-23
The Zvezda Kh-66 and Kh-23 Grom are a family of early Soviet tactical air-to-surface missiles with a range of 10 km. They were intended for use against small ground or naval targets. The Kh-66 was effectively a heavy-warhead, beam-riding version of the K-8 air-to-air missile rushed into...
(AS-7 'Kerry'). It has now been succeeded by the Kh-38 family, but the Kh-25 remains in widespread use.
Development
Based on an air-to-air missile, the beam-riding Kh-66 had been the Soviet Union's first air-to-ground missile for tactical aircraft, entering service in 1968. However it proved difficult to use in practice as the launch aircraft had to dive towards the target. A version with radio-command guidance, the Kh-23Kh-23
The Zvezda Kh-66 and Kh-23 Grom are a family of early Soviet tactical air-to-surface missiles with a range of 10 km. They were intended for use against small ground or naval targets. The Kh-66 was effectively a heavy-warhead, beam-riding version of the K-8 air-to-air missile rushed into...
, was first tested in 1968 but problems with the guidance system meant that it would not enter service for another five years. So in 1971 work began on a version with a semi-active laser seeker, which became the Kh-25. This was initially known in the West as the Kh-23L. State testing began on 24 November 1974, and the Kh-25 entered production in 1975.
Work began on an anti-radar missile derived from the Kh-66 in 1972, using a passive radar seeker and SUR-73 autopilot. The long-range Kh-31
Kh-31
The Kh-31 is a Russian air-to-surface missile carried by aircraft such as the MiG-29 or Su-27. It is a sea skimming cruise missile with a range of or more and capable of Mach 3.5, the first supersonic anti-ship missile that could be launched by tactical aircraft.There are several variants, it is...
anti-radar missile came out of the same project. The Kh-27 began state testing on a Mig-27 on 8 August 1975 but did not enter service until 2 September 1980. It was assigned the NATO reporting name
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
AS-12 'Kegler' and in effect it replaced the much heavier Kh-28
Kh-28
The Kh-28 was the first Soviet anti-radiation missile for tactical aircraft. It entered production in 1973 and is still carried on some Sukhoi Su-22s in developing countries but is no longer in Russian service...
(AS-9 'Kyle').
In 1973 Victor Bugaiskii was appointed head engineer of the bureau and he started work on combining the Kh-23M, Kh-25 and Kh-27 into a single modular system to reduce costs and improve tactical flexibility. This was completed by the end of 1978, resulting in the Kh-25MP (anti-radar), Kh-25ML (laser-guided) and Kh-25MR (radio-guided) family. NATO continued to refer to these as the AS-12 and AS-10 respectively, even though they could now be switched by a simple change of seeker head.
Design
The Kh-25 is very similar to the later version of the Kh-23, with cruciform canards and fins.The Kh-25MP has two versions of its homing head, 1VP and 2VP, sensitive to different frequencies.
Operational history
The original Kh-25 entered service with the Soviet Air Force between 1973-5, equipping the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 "Foxbat"...
, MiG-27 and Sukhoi Su-17
Sukhoi Su-17
The Sukhoi Su-17 is a Soviet attack aircraft developed from the Sukhoi Su-7 fighter-bomber. It enjoyed a long career in Soviet, later Russian, service and was widely exported to communist and Middle Eastern air forces, under names Su-20 and Su-22.-Development:Seeking to improve low-speed and...
M. Since then it has been cleared for use on the MiG-21
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
, MiG-29
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
, Sukhoi Su-17/20/22 family, Sukhoi Su-24
Sukhoi Su-24
The Sukhoi Su-24 is a supersonic, all-weather attack aircraft developed in the Soviet Union. This variable-sweep wing, twin-engined two-seater carried the USSR's first integrated digital navigation/attack system...
, Su-25
Sukhoi Su-25
The Sukhoi Su-25 is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. It was designed to provide close air support for the Soviet Ground Forces. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 22 February 1975...
and Su-27
Sukhoi Su-27
The Sukhoi Su-27 is a twin-engine supermanoeuverable fighter aircraft designed by Sukhoi. It was intended as a direct competitor for the large United States fourth generation fighters, with range, heavy armament, sophisticated avionics and high manoeuvrability...
. It can also be carried by attack helicopters such as the Kamov Ka-50
Kamov Ka-50
The Kamov Ka-50 "Black Shark" is a single-seat Russian attack helicopter with the distinctive coaxial rotor system of the Kamov design bureau. It was designed in the 1980s and adopted for service in the Russian army in 1995...
.
The Kh-25MP can be fitted to the MiG-23/27, Su-17/22, Su-24 and Su-25.
Variants
NATO refers to all of the Kh-25 family as AS-10 'Karen' apart from the anti-radar variants. An "M" designation stands for "Modulnaya" - modular (seeker head).- Kh-25 (Izdeliye 71, Kh-23L) - original laser-guided variant
- Kh-25ML - semi-active laser guidance with tandem warhead that can penetrate 1 metres (39 in) of concrete
- Kh-25MA - active radar guidance, first offered for export in 1999
- Kh-25MAE - Kh-25MA update announced for export in August 2005 with Ka-band seeker, probably PhazotronPhazotronJSC Phazotron , is Russia's largest developer of military radars and avionics. Named after one of the major projects and the most important one it was involved in, the first cosmotron in the former-USSR, it was first formed in 1917 to produce aviation instruments...
's PSM which can detect a tank at 4000 m (4,374.5 yd) and which can also be used on the Kh-25MA - Kh-25MS - satellite navigation (GPS or GLONASSGLONASSGLONASS , acronym for Globalnaya navigatsionnaya sputnikovaya sistema or Global Navigation Satellite System, is a radio-based satellite navigation system operated for the Russian government by the Russian Space Forces...
) - Kh-25MSE - export version of Kh-25MS, announced August 2005
- Kh-25MT - TV guidance
- Kh-25MTP - infra-red guidance variant of Kh-25MT
- Kh-25R/Kh-25MR - Radio-command guidance variant, it has a bigger 140 kg (309 lb) warhead.
- Kh-27 (Kh-27/M, AS-12 'Kegler') - original anti-radiation missile
- Kh-25MP (AS-12 'Kegler') - modular anti-radiation variant
- Kh-25MPU (AS-12 'Kegler') - Updated Kh-25MP
Training rounds have "U" designations, so e.g. for the Kh-25ML there is :
- Kh-25MUL - combat training Kh-25ML
- Kh-25ML-UD - functional training missile
- Kh-25ML-UR - sectional training missile
Similar weapons
- Kh-23Kh-23The Zvezda Kh-66 and Kh-23 Grom are a family of early Soviet tactical air-to-surface missiles with a range of 10 km. They were intended for use against small ground or naval targets. The Kh-66 was effectively a heavy-warhead, beam-riding version of the K-8 air-to-air missile rushed into...
M (AS-7 'Kerry') - predecessor to the Kh-25 had some technology "backported" from the Kh-25 - Kh-29Kh-29The Kh-29 is a Soviet air-to-surface missile with a range of 10–30 km. It has a large warhead of 320 kg, has a choice of laser, infrared, active radar or TV guidance, and is typically carried by tactical aircraft such as the Su-24, Su-30, MiG-29K as well as the "T/TM" models of the...
(AS-14 'Kedge') - 320 kg warhead; semi-active laser, IIR, passive radar and TV guidance with 10-30 kmKMKM, Km, or km may stand for:*Kilometre *Kernel methods*Kettle Moraine High School*Khmer language *Kuomintang , a centre-right political party in the Republic of China on Taiwan...
range - Kh-59Kh-59The Kh-59 Ovod is a Russian TV-guided cruise missile with a two-stage solid-fuel propulsion system and 115 km range. The Kh-59M Ovod-M is a variant with a bigger warhead and turbojet engine...
(AS-13 'Kingbolt') - longer range Kh-25, with heavier warhead and TV guidance - Kh-38 - successor to the Kh-25
- AGM-65 MaverickAGM-65 MaverickThe AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile designed for close-air support. It is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, ground transportation and fuel storage facilities....
- similar lightweight missile in US service which has seen numerous guidance and warhead variants - AGM-45 ShrikeAGM-45 ShrikeAGM-45 Shrike is an American anti-radiation missile designed to home in on hostile antiaircraft radars. The Shrike was developed by the Naval Weapons Center at China Lake in 1963 by mating a seeker head to the rocket body of an AIM-7 Sparrow. It was phased out by U.S...
- US equivalent to the Kh-25MP anti-radar missile