"Caliber" shoots past missile defense
The article was posted on the site in 2016
A cruise missile is a guided bomb with wings and an engine that allows 1,5-2 to fly thousands of kilometers to the target. But ultimately, a charge, generally identical to a conventional warhead, not the largest, aerial bomb weighing 300-400 kg, will collapse on the head of the enemy.
And if in local conflicts many thousands of tons of air attack means are “poured out” into enemy positions, then it would be naive to believe that the use of a couple dozen “flying bombs” can somehow affect the course of military operations even in the most insignificant conflict. What, in fact, is confirmed by the current chronicle of events: despite the rocket attacks of the Russian Navy and dozens of destroyed terrorist headquarters, the war in Syria has no end in sight.
It can be seen from the above statistics that the combat value of single cruise missiles, as well as of any conventional means, to put it mildly, is low. A certain effect can have only their massive use, and then only with the direct complicity of the air forces and ground forces.
SLCMs are suitable for hitting stationary targets with previously known coordinates, which makes it impossible to use them in a rapidly changing situation on the battlefield. The situation is complicated by the hours of waiting when a slow missile (0,6-0,8M) gets to the target ... Finally, the inappropriately high cost of SLCMs compared to conventional aviation ammunition: up to $ 2 million for the serial “Tomahawk”. The cost of the Russian “Caliber” is classified, but taking into account their piece production it exceeds the cost of a similar “Tomahawk” several times.
Sea-based cruise missiles are an auxiliary element to enhance the fire power of the Air Force. And they are not at all like the “miracle weapon” replicated in the press, which can instantly erase all bases and armies of the “probable enemy” from the ground.
Multi-purpose nuclear submarine K-560 "Severodvinsk" (project 885 "Ash"). In the middle part of the nuclear-powered ship there are eight SM-343 launch silos with four missile cells each (total ammunition load - 32 "Caliber")
Frigate Ave 22350 - “Admiral Gorshkov”. The ship's shooting complex installed on it (USCS) allows placing “Calibrov” aboard the 16.
Three frigates pr 11356: "Admiral Grigorovich", "Admiral Essen" and "Admiral Makarov". The ships installed a UCSC module for eight cells for the “Calibrov”.
Patrol ship “Dagestan” (Ave. 11661K). It has a similar module UKS on eight cells.
Small rocket ships pr. 21631 “Buyan-M”, five units. They have all the same module UKS on eight cells.
The diesel-electric submarines of the 636.3 Ave. (modernized Varshavyanka), six units of the project. They have four SLCMs in ammunition (torpedo tubes are launched via standard 533 mm).
Total: 17 carrier ships with 144 Caliber missiles deployed on them.
The second major operator of sea-based cruise missiles is the US Navy. They have a much more impressive arsenal of SLCMs and their carriers. “Tomahawks” can be placed aboard 85 surface warships and 57 submarines.
All American cruisers and destroyers are equipped with universal launch cells - from 90 to 122 per ship (only Zamvoltov has reduced their number to 80). As practice shows, during shock and “punitive” operations, up to half of the ship’s launch shafts can be given to accommodate “Tomahawks”. However, when carrying conventional combat duty, the number of cruise missiles on board is small or absent. Most of the DPS are usually empty because of the lack of adequate tasks and the desire of the command to reduce the number of incidents by reducing the number of “dangerous toys” on board. The remaining mines are occupied by anti-aircraft missiles, space interceptors, and the Asrok anti-submarine missile torpedoes.
In the fall of 2014 of the year, the American cruiser "Phillipines C" launched 47 cruise missiles from the Red Sea to ISIS positions.
The main method of placing the “Axes” on American submarines is the 12 vertical mines in the bow of “Los Angeles” and “Virginia”. Some of the outdated “Elks” are capable of launching SLCM in a horizontal way through torpedo tubes.
Similarly, the Sivulf boat ammunition (8 TA, up to 50 marine ammunition, including Tomahawk SLCM) is stored and used.
Finally, the Ohio-type submarine missile carriers. Four of the 18 SSBNs built under the START Treaty were rebuilt into cruise missile carriers. Seven Tomahawks in each of the 22 mines, where the Trident strategic missiles were previously deployed. The remaining two mines converted into airlock chambers to exit the combat swimmers. Total: each special operations submarine may have an “Ax” onboard the 154. However, in practice, everything is different: starting glasses are installed only in 14 mines, the other eight are given to accommodate diving equipment. Record salvo belongs to the submarine "Florida", launched overnight 93 "Tomahawk" (operation against Libya, 2011 g.).
In view of the high unification of missiles and the possibility of placing them in any configuration, in accordance with the current situation and tasks fleet, to establish the exact number of SLCMs on ships of the US Navy is impossible. From the facts presented it is clear that it can reach several thousand units.
Open cover of missile mines of the submarine "Santa Fe"[/ Center]
Brief description of rockets
ЗМ-14 “Caliber” (the anti-ship variant ZM-54 was not considered, since it has little in common with the tactical cruise missile database).
Length - from 7 to 8,2 meter.
Starting weight - according to various data, from 1,77 to 2,3 tons.
Flight range - from 1,5 thousand in conventional to 2,5 thousand km in nuclear equipment (with a relatively light special warhead).
Mass of high-explosive warhead - 450-500 kg.
Flight control and target targeting methods: the rocket is controlled by an inertial system on the cruising segment, and also uses GPS / GLONASS satellite navigation data. Guidance is performed on a radio-contrast ground target using the ARGS-14 radar homing head.
The first test launches from domestic ships - 2012 year. At the same time, export modifications of “Calibra” (Club) were successfully shipped abroad already from 2004.
BGM-109 TOMAHAWK
The original “Battle Ax” with a nuclear warhead was adopted in 1983 year. In 1986, its conventional counterpart BGM-109C with high-explosive warhead appeared, from that moment on the rise of the popularity of cruise missiles.
Below are data on the modification of the RGM / UGM-109E “Tactical Tomahawk”, which is the main modification of the SLCM, which is in service with the US Navy. The main changes are aimed at reducing the cost of ammunition (rockets are not value, but consumables of war). Weight reduction, cheap plastic hull, turbofan engine with minimal resource, three keels instead of four, because of its “fragility” rocket is more unsuitable for launching through TA. In terms of accuracy and flexibility of the new rocket, on the contrary, surpasses all previous versions. Two-way satellite communication channel allows you to retarget a rocket right in flight. It was possible to shoot only at the GPS coordinates (without the need to have photographic images and radio contrast images of the target). Classic TERCOM (navigation system that measures the height of the terrain along the flight route) and DSMAC (optical and thermal sensors that determine the target, checking data with the “picture” loaded into the rocket’s memory) are supplemented with a TV camera for visual monitoring of the target status.
Length - 6,25 m.
Starting weight - 1,5 tons.
Flight range - 1,6 thousand km
The mass of the warhead - 340 kg.
Some conclusions from the above
1. Cruise missiles are not glorified "miracle weapons." The crushing power of the CCDB is comparable to an 500 kg caliber air bomb. Can you win the war by dropping only one or a few bombs on the enemy? The answer is: of course not.
2. The possibility of firing targets in the depth of the enemy's territory is also not the prerogative of the CBRC. The armament of the Russian Aerospace Forces has tactical cruise air-launched missiles with a range of 5 thousand km, which is significantly higher than any “Caliber”.
3. The RSMD Restriction Agreement referenced by Caliber fans is not worth a penny. Before we rejoice at how the ban on the deployment of cruise missiles with a range over 500 km onshore was bypassed, you need to think: do you really need such weapons? This niche has been long and firmly occupied by aviation: the planes will “cover” any target, much faster and at a greater distance than the Caliber is capable of.
4. Stories on the topic of how five rocket boats are hiding in the Volga backwaters and “holding at gunpoint” the whole of Europe, we will leave journalists on our conscience. Fussing with ISCs, of which only 8 cruise missiles are of serious armament, means one thing: USC is not capable of building a warship of the ocean zone, engaging in profanation and mastering the means of HPV-2020. Such boats with “Caliber” do not mean anything against the background of the power of the aerospace forces of Russia.
5. Destruction of objects of American missile defense in Europe. Believe me, for this there are much more efficient and effective ways than a handful of subsonic rockets, which will take hours to crawl to Romania.
6. Given the difference in the number of cruise missiles and their carriers, the ban on the deployment of nuclear weapons on ships (with the exception of 14 strategic submarines) was an absolute victory of Russian diplomacy over the American side.
7. Surface combat ships are built as platforms for the deployment of anti-aircraft weapons. It is a fact. Look at the birth of the "Aegis", "Tikonderog" and domestic class "Orlan" cruisers. On the number of anti-aircraft missiles, radar and air defense missiles on board.
The appearance of the missile cruiser is determined by non-rocket mines with Tomahawks. The main design feature of Tikonderog is a huge superstructure with octagons of the SPY-1 radar antennas placed on its walls.
The launches of hundreds of “Tomahawks” is a tribute to the unified installation of a vertical launch. Allowing to take on board the SLCM instead of part of the anti-aircraft ammunition. But not the primary task for a large warship.
The article was posted on the site in 2016
Information