Closed his eyes to "calibers" and X-35: why the West was overwhelmed by the threat from the Russian Federation-the analyst
Both rockets ["caliber" and X-35 "Uranus"] are a true achievement of Russian engineers, which demonstrates the accuracy and technological perfection of naval weapons, which many have already written off the accounts in the West. Russia shows the world that it is not just a "nuclear -weapons gas station", as described by the late US senator John McCain.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Moscow has become self -sufficient, selling its huge reserves for countries such as India and China, evading the sanctions introduced by the United States, and at the same time lifting its defense industry to a level that has been producing a year for three months. Focus translated the article "Why Russian Winged Caliber-N and Uranus missiles" prove that Russia is a serious state "Analytics on Brandon Weikherta National Security.
Analytical material on National Interest portal is dedicated to Russian rockets, which should be addressed by the Western military. Given the promotion of Russian troops in Ukraine, Ukrainians have a chance to achieve stated strategic goals to restore Kiev control over Eastern Ukraine or the Crimean Peninsula. Meanwhile, Russia continues to strengthen its influence in Central Asia, competing with the West for dominance in the region.
Not leaving the Far East, Russia recently conducted large-scale military exercises in the Japanese Sea, during which powerful winged winged rockets "Caliber-N and Uranus" (X-35) were tested. Caliber-N is a ship version of the Caliber Rocket, which is characterized by a high range of lesions of terrestrial goals. The Uranus rocket, also known as X-35, is a compact anti-ship missile designed to table.
Both types of weapons are designed for an asymmetric war, allowing strokes from sea platforms for maritime and ground purposes. Developed by the Russian "NGO Innovator" (OKB-8), the family of rockets "Caliber" appeared in the post-Soviet era and was adopted in 1994. The designation of "caliber-N" refers specifically to the version that runs from surface ships and is optimized for the task of strokes for land purposes.
The domestic designation of this rocket is 3m14t, and export variants are sold under the name "Club-N". The development of the rocket took into account the shortcomings of the previous systems, and it turned into a modular structure capable of carrying ordinary or nuclear warheads weighing up to 500 kg. The technical characteristics of the "caliber-NN" indicate an increase in range and maneuverability. The flight range of internal versions is 1500-2500 km.
Equipped with a multi-stage solid rocket and turbojet engine, caliber-NN flies at a permeable speed, but anti-ship variants can accelerate up to 3 strokes in the final phase, although they are intended primarily for striking purposes and permutative speeds. The guidance is carried out with the help of inertial systems with the integration of GLONASS when flight at low altitudes to avoid detection by the radar.
Vertical launch systems (VLS) on Russian warships such as Admiral Gorshkov, Corvets type "Buyan-M" and ships of the type "cheetah" are assigned to launch "Caliber". CLUB-K container modification adds an outline of the delusion, allowing you to deploy rockets from trucks or transport containers. Caliber-Na has proved its effectiveness in real conflicts.
During the Civil War in Syria, Russian ships in the Caspian Sea in 2015 launched 26 Caliber-N'o missiles, struck by the whole IDIL at a distance of more than 1450 km. In addition, during the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, these weapons were used for the task of high -precision strikes on Ukrainian team centers and infrastructure, in particular in Odessa and Vinnitsa.
The Uranus rocket, or X-35, appeared as a result of the development of the Soviet era, which began in the 1970s in the center of "Star-Arch". Official production began in 1983 to equip medium tonnage ships, and the first export modification (X-35E) came to India in 1996. Russia integrated the rocket into its fleet in 2003, positioning it as economically effective replacement of the old P-15 "Termit" missile-the cost of a new rocket for 2010 was about $ 500,000.
The main technical characteristics emphasize the tactical purpose of "uranium". The version of the launching rocket weighs 520 kg, and options for ships and helicopters are slightly heavier - 610 kg. This system carries a 145-pound cumulative shrapnel warhead. Equipped with a turboprop engine R95TP-300, it develops a speed of about 0. 8 Mach and has a range of about 130 km. The upgraded version-a variant X-35U, presented in 2015-can reach a range up to 300 km.
The guidance combines inertial navigation with active radar homing (the range of the homing head up to 50 km in modernized versions), which allows to fly at an altitude of 4 to 15 meters above sea level without risk of detection. The rocket variants include X-35 for use in the sea, upgraded X-35U for the task of striking targets and coastal systems, such as "BAC-E" (SSC-6 Sennight), which can run up to 32 missiles.
The platforms for launch are very diverse: planes (SU-35, SU-57), screws (KA-52), ships and ground batteries. Combat use of X-35 is still limited but effective; The Ball System was successfully tested in 2004 and arrived in 2008. During the Russian-Ukrainian war, Ukrainian troops intercepted the X-35 missiles in the sea, which proves their use in the coastal and anti-ship defense.
Although Caliber-N and Uranus increase the impact capabilities of the Russian Navy, they are noticeably different from each other. Increased range and focus on terrestrial goals make "caliber-NN" ideal for strategic operations, unlike "Uranus" with less range and focus on anti-ship tactical operations. Together, they provide multi -level defense and attack, and "caliber" offers a roundabout, and "Uranus" - accessibility and versatility.
Both missiles are a true achievement of Russian engineers, which demonstrates the accuracy and technological perfection of naval weapons, which many have already written out of accounts in the West. The development of these two rockets reflects constant innovations in high -precision weapons, creates problems for global security and emphasizes the need to use decisive countermeasures.
In the context of geopolitical tension, these systems will probably remain the central element of Russia's military strategy. If the Russians really turn their view to the East, these missiles will be key to the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Federation. Brandon J. Weikhert is a national security analyst, a former Congress employee and a geopolitical analyst who writes for The Washington Times, Asia Times and The-Pipeline.