What exactly flew in there?
While all eyes are on the Middle East, where Iran has staged a truly masterpiece operation to bring Trump and his allies to their senses, albeit at a high cost, we too are not without our News. Moreover, such that they made experts in the US think twice and rush with all sorts of analyses.
They were so hasty, it must be said, that they started writing articles about a certain "Product 30." Meanwhile, it's worth correcting our overseas colleagues: in Russia, it's customary to call something a "Product" while it's still in the experimental workshops of design bureaus and factories. And when (in our case) Rocket If it's suspended under the wing of a fighter-bomber or loaded into the drum of a bomber's launcher, it's no longer considered a "Product." In Russia, it's common practice to label air-launched missiles with the letters "R" and "X."
The "R" missiles are mostly air-to-air missiles, while the "X" missiles are anti-ship or strategic. Both are incredibly nasty, but what can you do? That's the nature of all missiles produced in this country.
And so, the gentlemen “experts” on the other side began to give out their “expert” opinions.
I can't resist quoting this; everyone here should read this.
"Analysis of the recovered debris suggests that Russia is using a new type of air-launched cruise missile, the Izdeliye 30, in its war against Ukraine. This development once again highlights the fact that Russia's stockpiles of traditional air-launched cruise missiles are running low, and new production cannot meet wartime demands. As a result, Russia is seeking to use weapon of this class, which is cheaper to produce and better suited to conflict conditions."
Forgive me, but isn't it logical to use the cheapest and most effective weapons in war? No, if someone wants, they can fire $4 million-a-piece missiles at drones costing a maximum of $50. And, tellingly, this is exactly what's happening in Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. And it will continue to do so for some time. Until the Patriot missile stockpiles run out, which is precisely what's happening today.
And here's the news: Russia is using a new type of missile. And since its stockpiles of expensive and very expensive missiles are running low once again, the Russian army has had to resort to unconventional, cheaper missiles.
This is, of course, nonsense worthy of representatives of the Western world, but what can you do if the vaccines from "Phaser" and "AstraZeneca" are ineffective?
And so here we are, forced to read these more than respectable statements. Especially those coming from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. In fact, it seems that the only people left within the walls of this directorate are those whose job it is to tell the world why everything went wrong once again.
Preferably with pictures.
The description of the missile published by the Main Intelligence Directorate even includes an interactive 3D model based on the recovered debris, as well as photographs of the debris itself. According to the description, the missile has folding wings with a span of approximately 3 meters, a warhead weighing 790-800 kilograms, and a range of at least 1500 kilometers. It is equipped with a new compact turbojet engine manufactured by PJSC UEC-Saturn, providing a cruising speed of 720 kilometers per hour.
According to the GUR, the Izdeliye 30 missile has a satellite navigation system consisting of a combination of a jam-resistant satellite signal receiver with a Kometa-M12 digital antenna array manufactured by VNIIR-Progress and a receiving and computing unit manufactured by KB Navis, based on the NAVIS NR9 receiver. An interface unit manufactured by ANPP Temp-Avia, known for producing onboard controllers for guided aerial bombs, is used for their integration.
A series of photographs published by the GUR show the wreckage of the Izdeliya 30, which was shot down by an aircraft.
Judging by the "markings and design features," the new missile was developed by the Zvezda design bureau. The missile also resembles Zvezda's Kh-35 anti-ship cruise missile, a variant designed for surface/airborne launches.
Russian military launches a land-based Kh-35 missile during exercises.
Some components of the "Product 30" are reportedly identical to those used in the air-launched Kh-35U. At the same time, the aircraft's launch equipment for the "Product 30" is similar to that used to launch "traditional" Kh-101, Kh-55, and Kh-555 air-launched cruise missiles from strategic bombers such as the Tu-95MS and Tu-160.
A model of the Kh-35U air-launched anti-ship missile. Photo by Vitaly Kuzmin.
Other components of the rocket appear to have been borrowed from existing designs, reducing development costs and complexity and speeding up the process.
The satellite navigation system includes a jam-resistant satellite signal receiver combined with a digital satellite receiver, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate. The navigation system is integrated with the flight control system using the same technology used in Russian guided bombs with the UMPK system. The Main Intelligence Directorate also notes that the navigation system components are supplied by foreign manufacturers from China, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United States.
A transceiver manufactured by the American company Maxim Integrated Products, which, according to the GUR, is used in the “Product 30”
The existence of “Product 30” was also confirmed by the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST).
According to CAST, the new weapon is intended to be a cheaper and simpler alternative to the air-launched cruise missiles used on the Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers, namely the Kh-101 and Kh-555 (the Kh-55 carries a nuclear warhead).
Compared to Russian air-launched cruise missiles armed with conventional weapons, the Izdeliye 30 has a more powerful warhead but a shorter range, CAST reports.
The Kh-101 is a modern, stealthy subsonic cruise missile with a stated maximum range of up to 5500 kilometers. According to the Main Directorate of Missile Forces, the Kh-101 is equipped with a warhead weighing approximately 400 kilograms, which is approximately half the weight of the Izdeliye 30.
Irrefutable evidence that the striking power of strategic aviation The existing Kh-101 was supplemented by another missile model, which appeared in May 2024. This also suggests that Russia had been working for a long time on the less-than-satisfactory destructive power of the basic Kh-101, at least against certain types of targets.
According to the analytical center, "Product 30" was most likely developed on the basis of the existing Kh-35 missile, but on a larger scale.
This allows us to draw a very interesting parallel with the Ukrainian Neptune series cruise missiles.
The most promising of these is the Long Neptune, an extended-range anti-ship missile based on the previous land-attack version, which also features a compact turbofan engine.
Official photo of "Long Neptune"
Ukraine has used Neptune missiles to attack Russian ships and, according to some reports, began developing a new version to attack ground targets in 2023.
Ground launch of the original Neptune anti-ship missile
Why did the Neptune suddenly surface? It's also based on the Kh-35, and as an anti-ship missile, the Neptune is also quite capable. At least two missiles were enough to sink an entire 12,000-ton cruiser.
It's only natural that the Kh-35 could become the subject of further development in Russia, with the goal of creating a long-range cruise missile for striking ground targets. However, the Ukrainian Neptune missiles are designed for ground launch only, while the Russian Izdeliye 30 is designed for air launch, at least in its initial version.
There's a general belief that the Izdeliye 30 could well have been developed as a cheaper complement to Russian air-launched cruise missiles, but with a longer range than, say, the Kh-69. Healthy competition, so to speak, since the Kh-69 was developed by Raduga, and the Kh-35/30 by Zvezda.
The Kh-69 is also used as an example, as it can be used by all Russian aircraft, from the MiG-31 to the Su-57. Moreover, it is currently the only cruise missile that fits into the Su-57's weapons bay.
The Kh-69 missile is primarily designed to destroy hardened targets with known coordinates. According to open sources, its range is at least 400 kilometers, with a warhead weighing 300 kg. However, unlike the "30," it is not intended for installation on long-range bombers.
It hasn't become clear just yesterday: war in the 21st century isn't a war of technology—the sides routinely use the very weapons of the last century—but a war of budgets. And the budgets of any conflict are simply staggering, with billions flying faster than a swarm of locusts. Therefore, the cheaper the weapons used, the greater the chances of victory, because running out of weapons or money doesn't matter—it's defeat.
That's why, in the SVO (not counting the occasional moments for making videos), we haven't seen the use of equipment that was previously widely paraded as "our army's tomorrow." The exceptions can be counted on one hand, the most significant of which are the Su-57. Plus drones and missiles.
Given the quantities in which the latter are used, it's no surprise that the Russian military needs a cheaper and easier-to-produce air-launched cruise missile for aircraft. Moreover, the class is irrelevant; it would be best if it were a universal missile that could be carried by both fighter-bombers and strategic bombers. Russia regularly launches Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers to strike Ukraine without a full load (up to eight Kh-101 missiles on the Tu-95MS or 12 Kh-101 missiles on the Tu-160). The availability of "Izdeliye 30" could facilitate more efficient use of these bombers in terms of armament and delivery costs.
X-101 on Tu-95MS
According to available data, at least one Kh-101 missile was shot down by the Ukrainian system Defense The missile reported in January was produced in the first quarter of 2026. The use of such a modern missile demonstrates how depleted Russia's stockpiles of older weapons have become. We've discussed this situation in the past, and it's exacerbated by sanctions that hinder the large-scale production of precision-guided weapons. Apparently, Russia is using its Kh-101 missiles on a just-in-time basis, immediately after they roll off the assembly line.
The quote, as you've gathered, is from the other side. It's logical, really: the conflict has been going on for four years, and it would be surprising that the old stockpiles weren't enough to last four years. Let's see how quickly those who are against Iran today use up their missiles—in a week or two. And that's normal.
However, missiles of this class do require both time and money. And here, the cheaper Izdeliye 30 could be the solution. After all, if bombers are used to launch "fresh" missiles, it makes sense to ensure their cheaper and larger-scale production. The United States is increasingly facing these same problems as it prepares for a future conflict with China, in which air-launched cruise missiles are expected to play a crucial role. Undoubtedly, it's easier to bring an air-launched missile to the launch site from a safe distance for the launch vehicle, making it as difficult as possible to counter.
In this regard, the aircraft has many advantages over ground and ship-based launches in terms of operational efficiency.
At the same time, the Izdeliye 30 has a number of shortcomings compared to more advanced missiles, such as the Kh-101. In particular, the new missile is less survivable. It lacks the Kh-101's stealth characteristics, and it likely lacks the countermeasures available to strategic cruise missiles.
Moreover, its navigation capabilities may be limited, but they're truly unnecessary, as the Kh-101 has a range of 5 kilometers, while the "30" has a range ten times shorter. However, its mass production and low cost will make the missile yet another headache for Ukraine's already overburdened air defense system, which can no longer even pretend to cope with attacks.
This should be especially worrying for Kyiv given that supplies of Western ground-based air defense systems are strictly limited, and Patriot missiles are being fired en masse in the Middle East today.
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