The Kh-22 is a missile that began to be developed in the 1950s and has a range of 600 km and can fly at the speed of Mach 4.6.
The Russian do not abandon their intention to use old Kh-22 anti-ship missiles against ground targets. This is evidenced by data from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, which was voiced by Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Oleksandr Motuzyanyk.
In particular, it became known that the crews of the Tu-22M3, Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers worked out conditional launches of cruise missiles from the Azov and Caspian Seas, as well as the Rostov region.
The Tu-95 and Tu-160 use Kh-555 and Kh-101 cruise missiles, which are designed to strike ground targets, however only Tu-22M3 can carry the Kh-22 missile. This missile has extremely limited capabilities because it was developed to destroy US aircraft carriers in the 50s. To aim at the target, it uses a radar homing head, which is extremely difficult to “see” ground objects.
In general, a typical target on earth for a Kh-22 with radar GOS is a bridge or “industrial building”. The result of such launches was demonstrated on May 20, when the Kh-22 hit the House of Culture in Lozova, Kharkiv region.
The reason for the impact on this object – it is simply the most radio-contrast of all the buildings around, because it stands apart from others and near a large park. At the same time, the weight of the high-explosive warhead of Kh-22 is around 900-1000 kg, which leads to large-scale destruction.
It is also extremely difficult to intercept by the current air defense of Ukraine. Because after a high-altitude launch, the Kh-22 rises to a height of 22.5 km and accelerates to Mach 3.5-4. Before the attack, at a distance of 60 km, she turns off the engine and at an angle of about 60 degrees attacks at a speed of Mach 2. The range of the missile is up to 600 km, but it depends on the ability of the onboard radar Tu-22M3 to distinguish the radio contrast target.
It should also be noted that there is an upgrade of the X-22 and without radar GOS, where only the inertial guidance system is responsible for guidance. For her, the accuracy of the passport is a square of 10×10 km.
In any case, the use of Kh-22 speaks only of the actual depletion of cruise missiles, which requires a combination of strikes “Calibr”, Kh-555, Kh-101 with less long-range Kh-59MK and Kh-22. As the representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense Vadym Skibitsky said on the air of the project Radio Liberty “Crimea. Realities”, the Russian army has already used about 60% of reserves, some species even more – 70%.
Also in Russia, there are already problems with the recovery of stocks on the background of the technological embargo.
“They do not have such capacity and rapid production of high-precision weapons, especially after the economic sanctions, political sanctions imposed on Russia, do not allow the active, large-scale use of foreign-made components,” said Vadim Skibitsky.