Kh-29

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Kh-29
(NATO reporting name: AS-14 'Kedge')
Kh-29D Sideview.png
Side-view of Kh-29D.
Typeair-to-surface missile
Place of originSoviet Union
Service history
In service1980s-current
Used byWarsaw Pact, China, India, Iraq
WarsIran–Iraq War
Second Libyan Civil War
Russian-led military intervention in Syria
Syrian Civil War
Production history
DesignerMatius Bisnovat
Georgiy I. Khokhlov
Designed1975
ManufacturerVympel / Tactical Missiles Corporation[1]
Produced1980-current[2]
Specifications
MassKh-29L :660 kg (1,460 lb) [3]
Kh-29T :685 kg (1,510 lb) [3]
Kh-29TE :690 kg (1,520 lb) [3]
LengthKh-29L/T :390 cm (12 ft 10 in)[3]
Kh-29TE :387.5 cm (12 ft 9 in)[3]
Diameter38.0 cm (15.0 in) [3]
WarheadHE armour-piercing[1]
Warhead weight320 kg (705 lb)[1]
Detonation
mechanism
Impact [1]
EngineFixed thrust solid fuel rocket[1]
Wingspan110 cm (43 in) [3]
Operational
range
Kh-29L :10 km (5.4 nmi)[3]
Kh-29T :12 km (6.5 nmi) [3]
Kh-29TE :30 km (16 nmi) [3]
Speed1,470 km/h (910 mph)[4]
Kh-29ML: 900–1,260 km/h (560–780 mph)[5]
Guidance
system
Kh-29L: semi-active laser guidance
Kh-29T/TE : passive homing TV guidance
Kh-29D : infrared homing guidance (IIR)[6][7]
Kh-29MP : active radar homing [8]
Launch
platform
Kh-29L&T: MiG-27K,[3] MiG-29M,[3]
Su-27UB,[3] Su-30MK,[3] Su-39[3]

Kh-29L only: Su-25[3]
Kh-29T only: Su-35[3]

Also: Mirage F1E,[9] Su-17/22,[9] Su-24,[9] Su-33, Su-34, Su-37

The Kh-29 (Russian: Х-29; NATO: AS-14 'Kedge'; GRAU: 9M721) is a Soviet air-to-surface missile with a range of 10–30 km. It has a large warhead of 320 kg, has a choice of laser, infrared, active radar or TV guidance, and is typically carried by tactical aircraft such as the Su-24, Su-30, MiG-29K as well as the "T/TM" models of the Su-25, giving that craft an expanded standoff capability.

The Kh-29 is intended for primary use against larger battlefield targets and infrastructure such as industrial buildings, depots and bridges,[10] but can also be used against ships up to 10,000 tonnes, hardened aircraft shelters and concrete runways.[1]

Development[edit]

Design started in the late 1970s at the Molniya design bureau in Ukraine on what would be their only air-to-ground munition, but when they moved exclusively to space work Vympel took over development of the Kh-29.[10] The first firing of the missile took place in 1976 and after extensive trials the Kh-29 was accepted into service in 1980.[4]

Design[edit]

The basic aerodynamic layout of the Kh-29 is similar to the Molniya R-60 (AA-8 'Aphid'), reflecting Molniya's heritage in air-to-air missiles.[10] The laser guidance head came from the Kh-25 (AS-10 'Karen') and the TV guidance from the Kh-59 (AS-13 'Kingbolt'), mated to a large warhead.[9]

It has been compared to the United States' AGM-65 Maverick, but the AGM-65 is a much smaller missile than the Kh-29, and weighs less than half as much.[10]

Operational history[edit]

The Kh-29 entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1980, and has been widely exported since.

The Kh-29L were used by Sukhoi Su-34 and Su-24 aircraft in the 2015 Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War.[11]

2014 Libyan conflict[edit]

Libyan Su-24-borne Kh-29Ts supplied in large quantities to Muammar Gaddafi's Jamahiriya have been used by Islamist factions against pro-government forces around Tripoli during the current low-level civil war (they were seized from Ghardabiya Air Base depots). Their use, however, was in an unguided ground-to-ground role, launched from modified trucks and with their fins and ailerons at the front and back removed for a somewhat more stable flight path.[12][13]

Variants[edit]

  • Kh-29L (Izdeliye 63, 'Kedge-A')[10] uses semi-active laser seeker and has a range of 8–10 km.[3]
  • Kh-29ML is an upgraded version of the Kh-29L.[10]
  • Kh-29T (Izdeliye 64, 'Kedge-B')[10] is the TV-guided version which is fitted with automatic optical homing to a distinguishable object indicated by the pilot in the cockpit.
  • Kh-29TE is a long-range (30 km) development of the Kh-29T.[3] Minimum range is 3 km; launch altitude is 200-10,000 m.[3]
  • Kh-29MP is a third generation guidance variant with active radar homing, making it a fire-and-forget weapon. It has a large 250 kg warhead with 12 km range.[6][8]
  • Kh-29D is the fourth variant of the Kh-29TE which uses infrared imaging guidance.[6][7]

Operators[edit]

Map with Kh-29 operators in blue with former operators in red

Current operators[edit]

Former operators[edit]

See also[edit]

  • Kh-25 (AS-10/12 'Karen/Kegler') – 320 kg missile with 90 kg warhead and 10–25 km range
  • AGM-65 Maverick – 200–300 kg missile with 57–135 kg warhead and 27 km range
  • AGM-62 Walleye I – 1967 US glide bomb delivering 385 kg warhead over 30 km.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f X-29TE / X-29L, Tactical Missiles Corporation, archived from the original on 28 September 2007, retrieved 6 February 2009
  2. ^ "ОАО "Корпорация Тактическое Ракетное Вооружение"". Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Rosoboronexport Air Force Department and Media & PR Service, AEROSPACE SYSTEMS export catalogue (PDF), Rosoboronexport State Corporation, p. 122, archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2007
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Fiszer, Michal A. "25 years of service of Russian Kh-29 missile". Situational Awareness. Retrieved 7 September 2008. Written by Polish former Su-22 pilot
  5. ^ "KH-29". The Probert Encyclopaedia. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
  6. ^ a b c The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapons Systems, 1997–1998. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Kh-29D". deagel.com.
  8. ^ a b "Russian Air Force 3.8". Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  9. ^ a b c d "Vympel Kh-29 (AS-14 'Kedge')", Jane's Electro-Optic Systems, 4 September 2008, archived from the original on 26 January 2013, retrieved 6 February 2009
  10. ^ a b c d e f g "Kh-29 (AS-14 'Kedge')", Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, 6 August 2008[dead link]
  11. ^ Polina Devitt (4 October 2015). "Russian air force using laser-guided KH-29L missiles in Syria – RIA". Reuters. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  12. ^ a b Oryx. "Oryx Blog". Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  13. ^ "Good Morning Libya on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  14. ^ John Pike. "MiG-29K FULCRUM". GlobalSecurity. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  15. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 October 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
  16. ^ "Fighter SU-25KM (Scorpion)". Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  17. ^ 2011 Annual Report of Tactical Missile Corporation, "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2013.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
  18. ^ Gertz, Bill (1 July 2002), "China test-fires new air-to-air missile; Taiwan likely to get upgraded arms", The Washington Times, p. A1
  19. ^ Fisher, Richard D., Jr. (January 2004), The Impact Of Foreign Weapons And Technology On The Modernization Of China's People's Liberation Army, US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, pp. 4–2C, archived from the original on 29 April 2007

References[edit]

  • Gordon, Yefim (2004), Soviet/Russian Aircraft Weapons Since World War Two, Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing, ISBN 1-85780-188-1

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