RADUGA 21
1987-12-10
Satellite information RADUGA 21
| Spacetrack Directory Name | RADUGA 21 |
| Orbit launches |
1987-12-10 |
| Deorbitation |
|
| Country/organisation of origin | Commonwealth of Independent States (former USSR) (CIS) |
| Starting point | TYMSC (Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan) |
| Categories | |
| Perigee | 35772 km |
| Apogee | 35796 km |
Additional information RADUGA 21
The Kh-55 (Russian: ?-55, also known as RKV-500; NATO reporting name: AS-15 'Kent') is a Soviet/Russian subsonic air-launched cruise missile, designed by MKB Raduga. It has a range of up to 2,500 km (1,350 nmi) and can carry nuclear warheads. Kh-55 is launched exclusively from bomber aircraft and has spawned a number of conventionally armed variants mainly for tactical use, such as the Kh-65SE and Kh-SD, but only the Kh-101 and Kh-555 appear to have made it into service. Contrary to popular belief, the Kh-55 was not the basis of the submarine- and ground-launched S-10 Granat or RK-55 Relief (SS-N-21 'Sampson' and SSC-X-4 'Slingshot') designed by NPO Novator. The RK-55 is very similar to the air-launched Kh-55 (AS-15 'Kent') but the Kh-55 has a drop-down turbofan engine and was designed by MKB Raduga. Both have formed the basis of post-Cold-War missiles, in particular the Sizzler which has a supersonic approach phase.
A Kh-55 production unit was delivered to Shanghai in 1995 and appears to have been used to produce a similar weapon for China.
