Kh-29

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.

Kh-29
(NATO reporting name: AS-14 'Kedge')
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]
Maximum speed 1,470 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 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

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

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

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

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
  • 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[14] 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
Map with Kh-29 operators in blue with former operators in red

Current operators

Former operators

See also
  • 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
  1. 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. 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. 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. The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapons Systems, 1997–1998. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  7. "Kh-29D". deagel.com.
  8. "Russian Air Force 3.8". Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  9. "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. "Kh-29 (AS-14 'Kedge')", Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, 6 August 2008
  11. Polina Devitt (4 October 2015). "Russian air force using laser-guided KH-29L missiles in Syria – RIA". Reuters. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  12. Oryx. "Oryx Blog". Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  13. "Good Morning Libya on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  14. "Kh-29TE". Rosoboronexport.
  15. John Pike. "MiG-29K FULCRUM". GlobalSecurity. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 October 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. "Fighter SU-25KM (Scorpion)". Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  18. 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)
  19. https://www.businessinsider.com/photo-north-korean-fighter-jet-missile-after-kim-base-visit-2020-4
  20. Gertz, Bill (1 July 2002), "China test-fires new air-to-air missile; Taiwan likely to get upgraded arms", The Washington Times, p. A1
  21. 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
  • Gordon, Yefim (2004), Soviet/Russian Aircraft Weapons Since World War Two, Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing, ISBN 1-85780-188-1

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