The time when the main weapon of aircraft was an automatic cannon has long passed. Of course, there is one on board every modern combat fighter or interceptor, but its real significance is very small. The basis of the combat power of the modern Air Force is a cruise missile. Kh-55 is one of the first and most effective models of this type of weapon, which was adopted by the Soviet army.
Begin development
It all started way back in 1975. Then the staff of the ICB "Rainbow" came up with the initiative to create a new type of small-sized missiles with a nuclear warhead, which can significantly increase the combat power of the domestic Air Force. It is not known for what reasons, but the proposal was initially rejected. However, the very next year it was accepted, and, moreover, the plant began work on the accelerated development of this type of weapon. Thus, the Kh-55 missile was conceived and brought to life by the talented team of the Raduga Design Bureau. Of course, it took some time to succeed.
First samples and field trials
First samplesbegan to collect in Dubna, and this happened in 1978. But due to the fact that the enterprise was loaded with the production of Kh-22 missiles, it was decided to deploy production in Kharkov. In the early years, the Kharkov plant only partially produced the main components of the rocket, while the finished products were assembled in Dubna, but soon the enterprise completely switched to a closed production cycle.
At the very beginning of 1978 (even before the completion of all stages of testing), the government of the USSR decides to start serial production of these missiles as soon as possible. At the end of 1980, the first serial X-55 missile was solemnly handed over to the customer. From the very beginning, it was assumed that the White Swans Tu-160 and Bears Tu-95 would become carriers of the new powerful weapon. X-55 tests were carried out at the Faustovo training ground.
First failure
The first serial X-55 rocket flew on February 23, 1981. In total, a dozen launches were carried out, and the product failed in only one. Moreover, the matter turned out not to be in some kind of design flaw, but in the failure of the electric generator. But why is it needed at all in the design of such a specific ammunition, if it is possible to provide a structurally high-capacity battery?
The fact is that missiles with a nuclear warhead were originally designed in such a way that, if necessary, to maximize their practical range. Standard batteries throughout the "route" simply will not be able to provide power to all components. Therefore, they are powered bysmall-sized power generator RDK-300.
Beginning of entry into the troops
For the first time, this missile was adopted by units based in Semipalatinsk. In 1983, the first exercises were held, during which the regiment worked out practical skills in using these weapons in conditions as close as possible to combat. In December of the same year, a modernized version of the Tu-95 was officially adopted, the main weapon of which was the Kh-55 (cruise missile).
In 1984, another test was carried out, which revealed that it can hit a target located at a distance of 2.5 thousand kilometers with high accuracy. In 1986, production was completely transferred to the city of Kirov. To unload the assembly shops, some elements of the missiles began to be produced at the Smolensk Aviation Plant.
Main design features
What is the structural difference between X-55? The cruise missile was created on the basis of a standard aerodynamic design. The body of the product is steel, on welded joints. In fact, more than 70% of the fuselage volume is the fuel tank. The power structure is represented by frames on which all instruments and equipment are attached, they are also responsible for the strong docking of the rocket compartments. Since it was required to lighten the structure as much as possible, almost all frame elements were made thin-walled.
What size did the Kh-55, a strategic cruise missile, have? Fuselage diameterit is equal to half a meter. The total wingspan is just over three meters. The length of the hull is nine meters, the normal starting weight is 1.7 tons. The maximum deviation from the target is one hundred meters. For subsequent modifications, this value was reduced to 20 meters, but at the same time, the range of application fell to 2000 kilometers. Naturally, this option did not suit engineers and scientists at all.
Modification option
However, there was another X-55. A strategic cruise missile with the index "SM", on the body of which special overhead fuel tanks were produced, could already fly 3.5 thousand kilometers. But subsequently, only the X-555 variant was produced, on the body of which there were also structurally embedded mounts for additional fuel tanks. This modification could hit targets at a distance of up to 3 thousand kilometers.
The power of a nuclear warhead is 200 kt. Currently, a modified Kh-55 missile is in service. Its characteristics are absolutely identical to those described, but the warhead is “stuffed” not with a nuclear charge, but with a mixture of ordinary TNT and hexken.
Aerodynamics and powerplant performance
All projecting parts were made of special composite materials. This approach not only made it possible to significantly reduce the launch weight, but also to make the missile less visible to potential enemy radars. The stabilizers and the wing are folded before launch, straightened out under the action of squibs after the X-55 rocket (the photo of which is in the article) is fired fromaircraft.
Special mention is worthy of the used power plant. The R95-300 bypass engine of the turbojet principle of operation is mounted in the tail section. A special pylon serves as the basis. It is also complex, extending from the body just before launch. The launch is also carried out under the action of an expelling squib. This engine is very compact, but its weight return is 3.68 kgf / kg. This, for comparison, is fully consistent with those of the most modern combat aircraft.
Due to this, the X-55 cruise missile, the characteristics of which allow us to consider it a completely adequate weapon even for modern conditions, is capable of developing a very high speed, which prevents it from being intercepted on a combat trajectory.
In fact, according to this characteristic, this weapon is still not inferior to many new developments. The interception of this missile is possible only if the most advanced and sophisticated missile defense systems are used. Given that rearmament at the present time is unrealistically expensive, the X-55 will be in service with our country for a long time, possessing quite modern capabilities and strike power.
Fuels used
Its advantage is also exceptional "omnivorousness". The engine of this rocket can run on conventional aviation kerosene grades T-1, TS-1 and others. But for R-95-300, Soviet scientists quickly developed a special substance T-10, which is better known as decilin. It's extremely toxic, butat the same time a caloric compound. It is on this fuel that the Kh-55 and Kh-555 missiles are able to achieve maximum speed characteristics and range of their flight.
But working with this type of fuel is extremely difficult: decilin is very fluid, and therefore frequent maintenance is required to maintain the highest tightness of the hull. And they refuel only those missiles that are installed on board strategic missile carriers of constant combat readiness. In all other cases, the military prefers to use aviation kerosene, as this minimizes the risks for both the soldiers themselves and the civilian population.
Operation principle
Guidance system - inertial, fully autonomous, with flight adjustment depending on the characteristics of the terrain. Before the flight, a reference map of the area on which the intended target is located is loaded into the onboard equipment of the rocket. During the flight, the X-55 air-launched cruise missiles can obey both commands from the ground or air, and use a completely autonomous program, moving along the terrain. This makes them a truly versatile and extremely dangerous weapon.
Maneuvering and flying
The scheme is simple. First, the rocket is thrown into the air due to the squib, after which the sustainer engine is turned on, on which it flies the rest of the way to its target. The flight is carried out at an altitude of no more than 60-100 meters. If necessary, the X-55 can fly at an altitude of only 30 meters! At the same time, it independently bypasses all obstacles, can automatically deviate fromcourse, avoiding the identified places of air defense accumulations. The course changes every 100-200 kilometers.
For this, the so-called correction marks are entered into the memory of the rocket. When it reaches a certain point, it "reads" the terrain, on the basis of which a new course is laid, allowing you to most effectively evade the action of enemy air defense.
At the same time, the obtained results of scanning the area are constantly checked against the standard stored in the memory, due to which deviations from the given trajectory are impossible. It is due to this solution that these missiles are able to aim at a target with such accuracy, which was practically unattainable for the previous generation of weapons of this class. Finally, the real highlight of the Kh-55 is their particularly difficult maneuvering, as a result of which they are able to evade damaging air defense weapons in the vast majority of cases.
Currently, these weapons are constantly on alert, protecting the sovereignty of our state. Despite the fact that the rocket was developed back in the 70s of the last century, it is impossible to call it "obsolete" even with a big stretch. It performs all its functions completely, and the modified versions are able to overcome even the new missile defense systems of all models adopted by the NATO bloc.
