Another Russian strategic weapon was recently photographed under the fuselage of a long-range interceptor MIG-31BM (modified): the air-launched hypersonic missile KH-47M2 Kinzhal (dagger).
It is a missile that adopts a flight profile similar to that of the gods cruise, but in the final phase of the flight would be propelled by a solid propellant engine.
Thanks to the high performance of the MIG-31, the Kinzhal it is torn at supersonic speed allowing it to reach a value near mach 10. Furthermore, the high launch rate gives the missile a range of around 2.000 km. Another feature of the missile is the ability to perform maneuvers with a high number of g, in such a way as to offer an unpredictable trajectory to ABM missile systems.
Il Kinzhal it can be armed with nuclear warheads but its main role would be the antinave. In fact, the new missile would be equipped with a GLONASS inertial / satellite navigation system and would use optical systems for the DSMAC model (Digitized Scene-Mapping Area Correlator) terminal guidance against fixed targets, as well as to hit large naval targets, such as the US Navy, but also naval units equipped with the AEGIS system.
In the words of Russian President Putin, the Kinzhal he would pass all tests and enter service in the Southern Military District as early as December of last year.
It is now clear that the strategic plans of Moscow, to compete with the American super-power, are no longer focused on the creation of large aircraft carriers - which, among other things, is impossible given the defense budgets and the lack of bases able to host them - but on putting in line carriers and missiles able to hit the US Navy, strongly limiting the main ability to project power.
(photo: Kremlin)
