During the years of the Cold War, the designers of the USSR and the USA initiated work on the creation of submarines containing high-speed missile torpedoes and cruise missiles. The aggravated relations between the USSR and the USA became the reason for the appearance of missile cruisers in the Soviet armed forces, equipped with anti-ship missiles and supersonic bombers. In 1983, the supersonic cruise missile P-700 of the Granit complex was adopted by the USSR Navy. Since 1969, the beginning of its creation, and until today, the complex has been improved and passed more than one state test.
How was the weapon made?
The P-700 “Granit” missile was developed at NPO Mashinostroeniya under the guidance of chief designer VN Chelomey. In 1984 he was replaced by Herbert Efremov. For the first time, the P-700 cruise missile of the Granit complex was presented for state testing in 1979.
An on-board autonomous selective system that controls a cruise supersonic missile was assembled by scientists and designers of the Granit Central Research Institute. Responsible for the operation of thissite was appointed General Director V. V. Pavlov.
Testing was carried out with the help of coastal stands, a submarine and the cruiser "Kirov". Since 1983, all design work has been completed, and the USSR Navy received the P-700 Granit complex at its disposal. The photo below shows the design features of the anti-ship missile.
What did the Soviet designers manage to achieve?
During the creation of the P-700 supersonic cruise missile, the principle of mutual linking of three elements was used:
- Means that indicate the purpose.
- The carrier on which the missiles were installed.
- RCC.
As a result, the creation of a single complex from these elements made it possible for the Navy of the Soviet Union to cope with the most difficult tasks of sea battles: to destroy powerful ship and aircraft carrier groups.
Which ships were armed with the new system?
According to the decision of the Central Committee of the CPSU, after a successful flight design test, which took place in November 1975, the Granit complex was armed with:
- Antey is a nuclear submarine.
- Orlan is a heavy nuclear missile cruiser.
- “Krechet” is a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser.
- “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov.”
- Heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser.
- Peter the Great is a heavy cruiser.
The size of the rocket affects the type of carrier. SoOver time, P-700 missiles need to be replaced by more versatile and compact anti-ship missiles with a shorter range. The need for replacement is also due to their technical obsolescence.
Installation efficiency
To counter the real carrier-based threat from the US Air Force, Russian designers have found an asymmetric and economical solution. The calculations showed that equipping each Russian submarine with the Granit complex costs the country much cheaper than the US aircraft carriers. After the work carried out on the modernization of missile systems and their carriers, the Granit anti-ship missiles, provided they are improved and maintained in combat readiness, can give high performance until 2020.
What is a tool?
The P-700 rocket of the “Granit” complex is a cigar-shaped product, the front part of which contains an annular air intake and a folding cruciform tail. The central part of the fuselage is equipped with a short wing having a high sweep. After launching the rocket, the wing unfolds. The missile is adapted for sea and air space. Depending on the operational and tactical situation, anti-ship missiles can use different flight paths. The Granit complex can fire a salvo from the existing ammunition load, as well as use anti-ship missiles one by one. In such cases, the principle applies: one fired P-700 - one hit enemy ship.
What target are supersonic cruise missiles aimed at?
Typical taskcomplex "Granit" is the destruction of naval targets. According to military experts, firing at coastal targets is problematic. This is explained by the fact that when aiming at terrestrial targets, the GOS (homing heads) anti-ship missiles do not function. In such cases, an autonomous mode is intended for missiles, in which the homing heads are disabled. Instead, the anti-ship missile guidance function is performed by an inertial system. The winged P-700s have a very high firing range against ground and coastal targets (higher than against sea targets). For the destruction of objects on land, the PRK does not require a descent to low altitudes. Despite this, such use of cruise missiles without an activated seeker is an expensive undertaking: the ammunition of the Granit complex is vulnerable to enemy air defense.
How is the launch?
The P-700 “Granit” cruise missile is set into motion by means of a KR-21-300 turbojet engine located along the central axis. At the rear of the rocket is a block that contains four solid-fuel boosters. A special sealed transport and launch container is provided for storing the rocket. Prior to the launch of the Granit P-700 anti-ship missiles, the wings and plumage are in the folded position. With the help of a domed fairing, the air intake is covered. In order for the Granit P-700 installation not to be damaged by exhaust during the launch, it is filled with water taken overboard before launch. This procedure is necessary in order to turn on the accelerator, which pushes the rocket out of the mine. The domed fairing leans back alreadyin the air. At the same time, the wings and plumage, which were in the folded state before the start, are revealed. After combustion, the booster leans back, and the rocket uses the sustainer engine for its flight.
What is the tool equipped with?
P-700 “Granit” missiles contain:
High-explosive penetrating warhead. She weighs between 585 and 750 kg
- Tactical nuclear.
- TNT equivalent, weighing 500 kilotons.
Today - according to the adopted international agreement - nuclear cruise missiles "Granit" P-700 are prohibited. To equip them, only conventional warheads are provided.
Tactical and technical characteristics
- The size of the Granit P-700 missile is ten meters.
- Diameter - 85 cm.
- Wingspan - 260 cm.
- Before launch, the weight of the gun is 7 tons.
- The product is capable of reaching a minimum flight altitude of 25 meters in the attack area.
- The combined flight path allows the missile to reach a range of up to 625 km.
- Low- altitude trajectory allows you to take off at a distance not exceeding 200 km.
- Using the INS control system, ARLGSN.
- The gun is equipped with a penetrating warhead weighing 750 kg.
Due to the large mass and high speed of the P-700, it is difficult for enemy anti-aircraft missiles to hit them. According to some military experts, the P-700 warhead, whichweighs 750 kg, is effective only for hitting an area target. This is due to the fact that cruise missiles are characterized by deviations at a distance of up to 200 meters, which makes it difficult to hit a single target.
What is an onboard computer?
An active radar head is used to guide the missile to the target. The information channels used by the three-processor on-board computer (BTsVM) make it possible to single out the real target from a large number of interferences. During a group launch of missiles (volley), the detection of the enemy becomes possible through the exchange of information, identification and distribution of the target according to various parameters between the homing missile heads.
The ability of missiles from a number of escort, aircraft carrier or landing ships to identify the desired target and strike at it is possible due to the necessary data on all classes of modern ships embedded in the onboard computer. The work of the on-board computer is aimed at the enemy's electronic means, which, by creating interference and other anti-aircraft tactics, are capable of diverting fired cruise missiles away from the target. Modern P-700s have the 3B47 “Quartz” station, which, with the help of special devices, drops additional reflectors and decoys provided by the enemy. The presence of the onboard computer makes the P-700 missile highly intelligent: anti-ship missiles protect themselves from enemy radar interference, in response set their own and create false targets for the attacked air defense. With a group start at the expense of the onboard computerexchange of information is possible.
How is the attack carried out?
To shoot at a target, the distance to which exceeds 120 km, the P-700 rises to a height of up to 17 km. Most of the flight is done at this level. At this altitude, the effect of air resistance on the rocket is reduced, which makes it possible for it to save fuel. At the level of 17 km, the target detection radius improves. After the target is found, its identification is performed. Then the fired missiles are reduced to 25 meters. GOS turns off. This makes anti-ship missiles invisible to enemy radars. The GOS is turned on just before the attack itself, when it is necessary to carry out accurate aiming. The missile attack is organized in such a way that priority targets are destroyed first, and then secondary ones. The distribution of information is carried out between the missile heads before the attack itself. Due to this, a certain number of missiles are intended to hit each target. The presence of tactics programmed into each cruise missile gives them the ability to defend against enemy defense air defenses.
How does RCC work?
The attack of a single cruise missile fired can be directed at a single ship. If a group launch is carried out, anti-ship missiles hit a whole complex of ships. The experience of using the P-700 in the air and sea forces has shown the high effectiveness of missiles against enemy coastal targets if they operate in a group. In this case, the first missiles containing a special charge disable all enemy air defense systems. The carrier group that the attacked hascity or port, no longer able to resist. The next stage of the attack is performed by other missiles that do not have special charges to blind the enemy. In a complex of launched missiles, one of them can serve as a gunner. Mostly such anti-ship missiles are used in the conduct of rapid fire. It provides for the use of considerable height. When intercepted by enemy radars or destroyed, another supersonic cruise missile automatically takes over the aiming function.
Teachings 2016
On October 16, 2016, while performing combat training missions, the crew of the Antey nuclear submarine missile cruiser fired the P-700 missile of the Granit complex. The shooting range was located on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
According to some military experts, the launch of the P-700 was carried out in order to shoot out obsolete or faulty missiles with their further replacement. At the same time, the mode of firing at ground targets was practiced. There is also another version of the exercises: in connection with the aggravated political situation in the world, this event served as a signal to NATO that Russia does not have obsolete Soviet missile carriers, but modernized ones capable of firing at a ground target at any moment.
