SS-N-22

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SS-N-22 Sunburn is the NATO reporting name for two unrelated Soviet anti-ship missiles. Although the missiles were very different, distinguishing between them is difficult because their ship-mounted launching containers were identical. Confusion was exacerbated by the Soviet practice of mixing the types within a class of ships. It was therefore not confirmed that the "SS-N-22" actually identified two different missiles until after the fall of the Soviet Union.

[edit] Chelomei rocket

Main article: P-80 Zubr

One of the SS-N-22s was the Chelomei's P-80 Zubr. It was rocket-propelled, armed with a 250-kilogram warhead, and was carried by early-model Sovremenny-class destroyers and Tarantul-class corvettes. The submarine-launched version of this missile, also known to NATO as SS-N-22 Sunburn, was designated the P-100 Oniks.

[edit] MKB Raduga model

Main article: P-270 Moskit

Moskit missile at MAKS, Zhukovskiy.

The other, unrelated SS-N-22 was the Raduga P-270 Moskit. It was ramjet-propelled (though launched by a small solid-fuel rocket), and was carried by later-model Sovremenny class destroyers, Tarantul class corvettes, and several smaller warships. This weapon has a top speed of Mach 3 [1], [2], and is considered one of the most lethal anti-ship missiles in the world^[1], because when it is launched, the target ship has only 25 to 30 seconds of response time. It can deliver a warhead of 320 kg. It can also deliver a 200 kiloton nuclear warhead. [3]

There is another version of these weapons called ASM-MMS [4] intended to be launched by a Su-33.

China acquired SS-N-22 launchers and missiles (specifically, the for-export 3M-80E Moskit variant) with its 1999–2000 purchase of two Sovremenny destroyers from Russia. According to Russia, the Chinese funded the development of the SS-N-22 version for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which has the designation 3M-80MBE, and this version differs from earlier versions mainly in the increased range (now beyond 220 km; 240 km has been quoted), and that these new missiles will be first installed on-board the second pair of Sovremenny class destroyers. A total of 500 SS-N-22 AShM had been ordered by China for the four Sovremenny class destroyers it ordered from Russia, and with the exception of the first 20, the rest 480 are of the 3M-80MBE variant. China has stockpiled an average of 15 SS-N-22 missiles for each individual launcher of the Sovremenny class destroyers (each destroyer having a total of 8 launchers in two quadruple configurations). It is speculated that the PLAN intends to use it against the carrier battle groups deployed by United States Navy in case of a confrontation with Taiwan. All versions of the SS-N-22 have a cruise altitude of 15 feet above sea level.

Six SS-N-22 launchers were also present on the Soviet ekranoplan Lun.