The National Interest: Russia's Kh-101 Missile Efficiency is Significant and Production Continues to Grow

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A Russian Tu-160 strategic bomber launches a Kh-101 cruise missile. Image source: screenshot from a Russian Defense Ministry video.

Brandon Wechter, author of the article in The National Interest magazine, pointed out that the Kh-101 cruise missile is not only at the core of Russia's strategic arsenal but also highlights its precision long-range strike capability. This weapon is considered an ideal equipment for addressing current tensions.

After three years of conflict in Ukraine, Russia's military-industrial complex is operating at maximum efficiency. Moscow's military production has reached its peak level since the outbreak of the Cold War — not only surpassing NATO rivals in terms of scale but also continuously improving equipment performance with each round of production iteration.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg once admitted that Russia's defense industrial base could achieve within three months what the entire alliance would take a year to accomplish. As one of the mainstays in Russia's arsenal, the Kh-101 air-launched cruise missile (NATO designation AS-23A "Kodiak") is a cutting-edge equipment developed by Moscow to expand its strategic strike capabilities.

As the brainchild of the Rainbow Design Bureau, the Kh-101 (and its nuclear version, the Kh-102) represents a major breakthrough in missile technology, combining low observability, high precision, and long range. Since its deployment in 2012, this missile has been used in actual combat during the Syrian Civil War and the conflict in Ukraine.

The development of the Kh-101 can be traced back to the 1980s when the Soviet Union sought to replace its aging Kh-55 and Kh-555 cruise missiles. However, the dissolution of the Soviet Union and subsequent economic collapse in Russia severely delayed the development process. Despite this, in the late 1990s, under the leadership of the legendary designer Igor Selyuzhenko, the Rainbow Design Bureau initiated the development of this highly stealthy and precise new missile.

Following the signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1987, the X-90 ramjet missile project was canceled, further highlighting the necessity for upgrading subsonic cruise missiles like the Kh-101. After completing testing in the 2000s, the missile was officially deployed in the early 2010s.

The Kh-101 aims to solve the problem of precise strikes against heavily defended targets. Unlike its predecessors, its body is made of radar-absorbing materials and can fly at low altitudes, effectively avoiding radar and infrared detection.

Its advanced guidance system supports target reselection during flight, making the missile a truly multi-purpose weapon. Another motivation for developing this missile was the reduction in the size of Russia's bomber fleet, requiring a "force multiplier" to achieve long-distance destructive strikes while avoiding threats from enemy air defense systems — these characteristics make the Kh-101 an ideal weapon for the current tense situation in Ukraine.

The Kh-101 is equipped with a TRDD-50A turbofan engine, with a cruising speed of 0.58 Mach (715 km/h) and a maximum speed of 0.78 Mach (965 km/h). Its range, although undisclosed, is sufficient to cover Europe and beyond. The missile can carry high-explosive, bunker-buster, or cluster conventional warheads.

One of the most significant features of this missile is its composite guidance system, which integrates inertial navigation, GLONASS satellite navigation, and terrain-matching optical correction. In the terminal penetration phase, it can further enhance accuracy through optical or radar homing heads, achieving high-precision strikes on infrastructure targets.

In Russia's strategic bomber force, the Tu-95MS (NATO designation "Bear") can carry eight Kh-101 externally, the Tu-160 (NATO designation "Blackjack") can carry 12 internally, and the Tu-22M3 (NATO designation "Backfire") and Su-34 (NATO designation "Fencer") also have launch capabilities.

The Kh-101 is not only a key component of Russia's strategic nuclear arsenal but also demonstrates the feasibility of long-range precision strikes under limited defense budgets and an aging bomber fleet. Its ultra-long range and high-precision strike capability significantly enhance Moscow's deterrence — especially for NATO countries, as this missile can cover much of Europe when launched from Russian airspace.

The Kh-101's potential for nuclear strikes further consolidates its position in Russia's nuclear deterrence system, providing Moscow with a flexible strategic warhead delivery solution. However, it is noteworthy that this missile uses many Western components — for example, 35 U.S.-made chips were found in a destroyed Kh-101 debris, but Russia has already found alternatives.

This year, the planned production of Kh-101 will reach 633 units, a significant increase compared to 56 units in 2021. This data sends a clear signal: the Ukrainian conflict will not only continue but may even escalate further.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516847119450276393/

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