X-22 "Storm" - Soviet / Russian cruise anti-ship missile, which is part of the missile system for aviation K-22. It is designed to attack point and area radar-contrasting targets by means of a nuclear or explosive-cumulative warhead. From this article you will get acquainted with the description and characteristics of the X-22 missile.
Creature
On June 17, 1958, according to the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, work began on the creation of the K-22 aviation missile system, for its further installation on the Tu-22 supersonic bomber. The main element of the system was the X-22 “Storm” cruise missile. The Dubna branch of OKB-155 took up the development of the complex. The missile was created in two versions: to destroy individual ships (radar-contrasting points) and aircraft carrier warrants or convoys (areal targets). The guidance system was developed in KB-1 GKRE immediately in three versions: with an active homing system (radar homing head), with a passive homing system and with an independent calculator of the path PSI.
Tests and improvements
The first prototypes of the system were manufactured by 1962 at the plant number 256 GKAT. In the same year, her tests began on board the converted Tu-16K-22 aircraft. During the tests, the engineers found many problems that were resolved only by 1967, when a missile with an active rocket homing system was adopted by the USSR. Serial production was established at factory number 256, and later moved to the Ulyanovsk Engineering Plant.
The development of the X-22PSI option was delayed even more. This missile entered service only in 1971. In the same year, a group of designers working on its creation, under the leadership of A. L. Bereznyak, was awarded the State Prize.
As for the third option with a passive RGSN, then when designing it, the designers faced a number of difficulties, which they managed to cope only by the time the next modification of the rocket was developed.
With the advent of the X-22, the capabilities of Long-Range Aviation expanded significantly. The main objective of the Tu-22K aircraft equipped with this weapon was the carrier strike groups of the alleged enemy. There were also flaws in the new missile system. They concerned, first of all, the safety and reliability of operation. After 2-3 flights on an airplane’s suspension, missiles often failed, and toxic fuels and aggressive oxidizing agents now and then became the cause for serious accidents. QUO version of PSI was several hundred meters. For a successful attack of point targets, this was not enough. If the tests, on which, instead of the warhead, the missiles were equipped with a CTA system that gives complete information about the operation of the weapon, passed well, then when firing in military units, often there was a problem with the failure of the control system. The cause of most accidents was air pollution and violation of the temperature regime in the compartments of the control system. Partially correct the situation helped drainage.
Modifications
During the production of the X-22 missile, she received quite a few modifications.
The base model was called the X-22PG. It was equipped with an active homing system and was intended to defeat point, that is, stand-alone targets. Such a missile could be equipped with a high-explosive-cumulative or thermonuclear warhead. The first warhead had an index of "M", and the second - "H". The X-22 “Storm” basic cruise missile was installed on four versions of the Tu-22 aircraft: “K”, “KD”, “KP” and “KPD”.
Other versions (in parentheses indicate the year of adoption):
- X-22 PSI (1971).
- X-22MA (1974). It has an increased flight speed up to 4000 km / h.
- X-22MP (1974). Got a passive guidance system and increased to 4000 km / h speed.
- X-22P (1976). The passive RGSN of this missile is induced by the radiation of enemy radio equipment. This version received a warhead with a simple charge of reduced power.
- X-22M (1976). The X-22 M missile differs from the previous modification by its increased speed to 4000 km / h.
- X-22NA (1976). Equipped with an inertial control system with the ability to adjust the terrain.
- X-BB. This is an experimental modification, the speed of which reached 6 Machs, and the flight altitude - 70 kilometers. In the late 1980s, the rocket was tested. Due to a number of unresolved problems, it was never adopted.
- X-32 (2016). It represents a deep modernization of the X-22 supersonic cruise missile. The main changes relate to the engine, guidance system and lightweight warhead. Work on the creation of this rocket began in the mid-1990s and stopped several times. Only in 1998 did the first prototype tests compete.
- Rainbow-D2. In 1997, a hypersonic flying laboratory was created, created on the basis of the X-22 cruise missile system K-22. It can carry up to 800 kg of equipment and at the same time develops 6.5 m of speed. The power plant of this rocket consists of an air-ram engine and a rocket accelerator. Its launch is made from the Tu-22M3 aircraft.
Materials
When developing the X-22 rocket, the paramount condition was to maintain its operability at high temperatures. The fact is that when flying at close to maximum speeds, the surface of the rocket heats up to 420 ° C. Thus, the use of aluminum alloys, which are widely used in rocket and aircraft manufacturing, but “hold” only 130 ° C, was impossible. Designers had to abandon many other materials that are subject to loss of structure and strength with heating. As a result, stainless steels and titanium were chosen as the main materials. For the manufacture of large-sized elements, welding was widely used.
The power elements of the fuselage, wing and plumage were steel, and the skin and some components that were overheated were made of titanium alloy. Heat shields and screens are also made of titanium. For internal thermal insulation, special mats were used. The internal elements of the frame for the equipment, as well as beams and frames for fastening the equipment, are made by the method of large-size casting from light magnesium alloys.
When creating fiberglass radiolucent transparent fairings of the homing head, designers encountered a number of difficulties associated with the need to maintain their stable characteristics at temperatures up to 400 ° C. As a result, fairings began to be made of heat-resistant adhesives, radiolucent material, quartz fabrics and mineral fibers.
Layout
The X-22 rocket, whose photo can be taken as a photo of the aircraft, has a glider, which is designed according to the normal aerodynamic scheme - the wing and stabilizer are located in the middle.
The fuselage consists of four compartments that are joined together by means of a flange connection. In the bow of the hull, depending on the version of the rocket, there is a homing head, a radar coordinator, or the DISS of an autonomous bullet numerator. There is also a block of control systems. Behind it are blocks of air and contact fuses, a warhead, tank compartments with fuel components, as well as an energy compartment with batteries, an autopilot and equipment for boosting the tanks. In the rear part there are executive steering mechanisms, a turbopump engine unit and a two-chamber liquid propellant rocket engine (LRE) of the P201-300 model. The X-22 missile, the characteristics of which we are considering today, has a fuel reserve of 3 tons.
The largest rocket units are tank compartments. They are thin-walled structures with a power set, welded from steel, resistant to corrosion. The compartments also carry wing attachment points. For strength reasons, the rocket has a minimum number of technological and operational hatches, cutouts of which significantly weaken the structure.
Wings and plumage
The wing is triangular in shape with a sweep of 75 °, along the leading edge it has a supersonic symmetrical profile, the relative thickness of which is 2%. A sufficient level of strength and stiffness of the wing, with its low construction height (only 9 cm at the root), is ensured through the use of a multi-spar structure and thick-walled casing. The area of ​​each of the consoles is 2.24 m 3 .
All-turning plumage consoles have a relative thickness of 4.5% and are responsible for controlling the rocket in course, roll and pitch. Under the fuselage there is also a lower keel installed to increase the directional stability of the X-22 missile. It houses some equipment antennas. Initially, the lower keel was made removable and attached to the rocket after it was hung on a carrier aircraft. Later, for ease of transportation, it was equipped with a hinge, due to which the keel folds to the right side during flight. This allowed to reduce the transport height of the rocket to 1.8 m.
Equipment
The control system of the X-22 supersonic missile includes an autopilot, for the energy supply of which the “dry” ampoule battery with a converter is responsible. Its energy intensity is enough for 10 minutes of uninterrupted power for all consumers. In one compartment with it is equipment for boosting. The control system includes powerful hydraulic rudder drives that are powered by hydraulic accumulators.
The liquid propellant rocket engine, model P201-300, has a dual-chamber design. Each of the cameras is optimized for the main flight modes of the rocket. So, the launch chamber, whose afterburner thrust is 8460 kgf, serves to accelerate the rocket and reach its maximum speed, and the mid-flight chamber with a thrust of only 1400 - to maintain altitude and speed while saving fuel consumption. For the power supply of the power plant meets the common turbopump. Refueling the X-22 missile involves equipping it with about 3 tons of oxidizer and 1 ton of fuel.
The X-22PSI version with an inertial guidance function is designed to defeat enemy targets with given coordinates, therefore it is equipped with a 200 kt warhead that can be initiated both in the air and in a collision with an obstacle.
Shot
After detaching the X-22 cruise missile from the aircraft, the fuel components self-ignite. At this point, the acceleration of the rocket and climb begins. The nature of the flight path depends on the pre-selected program. When the rocket reaches a given speed, the power plant switches to marching mode of operation.
When attacking a point target, the homing head tracks the target in two planes and issues control signals to the autopilot. When in the process of tracking the vertical angle reaches a predetermined value, a signal is sent to transfer the rocket into dive mode at the target at a horizontal angle of 30 °. During a dive, control is performed according to the signals received from the homing system in the vertical and horizontal planes. A medium-sized cruiser detects a carrier aircraft at a distance of up to 340 km, while capture and tracking are carried out from a distance of up to 270 km.
When attacking areal targets, the carrier aircraft determines the coordinates of the target using a radar system and other navigation aids. The onboard equipment of the rocket emits electromagnetic waves in the direction of the enemy and continuously determines the true velocity vector, taking them in reflected form from the "running" sections of the earth. This indicator is automatically integrated over time, after which the distance from the missile to the target is continuously determined and the course set from the aircraft’s board is held.
Capabilities
Practice has shown that the X-22 missile, the description of which we are considering, is a very effective means for attacking ships even without the use of nuclear charges. If a rocket hits the side of the ship, it will cause damage that could even damage an aircraft carrier. That is why in military circles they call her nothing more than “the killer of aircraft carriers”. The X-22 missile at an approach speed of 800 m / s leaves a hole with an area of ​​up to 22 m 2 . In this case, the internal compartments are burned by a jet up to 12 meters deep.
According to the Soviet military leadership, the Tu-22MZ and Tu-95 aircraft with X-22 missiles were the most effective means of fighting large ships. During the Cold War, these aircraft systematically approached U.S. aircraft carrier formations in order to record the effects of U.S. electronic warfare. Navigators involved in these intelligence operations noted the high effectiveness of US defenses. According to them, the target marks on the displays literally disappeared in a dense cloud of interference. For the effective actions of Soviet aviation in such conditions, an attack strategy was developed in which missiles with nuclear warheads are launched first, which are aimed not at a specific target, but at the entire compound. After that, simple missiles are launched, which, according to experts, must find the surviving targets and hit them.
The fight against enemy air defense means includes a number of measures: massing an attack with several groups, separating missile carriers and aircraft that cover them, maneuvering during an attack, and much more. A strike can be delivered with approach from different directions, rebuilding, frontal attack or sequential incapacitation of enemy ships. Sometimes a distracting group of aircraft stands out.
Teachings
Until the beginning of the 1990s, combat firing at sea targets was carried out in the Caspian. To do this, crews from remote aerodromes had to relocate closer to the training ground. Over time, the range operating in the Caspian since 1950, was closed due to significant pollution of the sea with debris from missiles and targets. The organization of firing at the Akhtuba firing range, which went to Kazakhstan, also became impossible.
A few years later, resumed shooting at the newly equipped firing ranges. Large populated areas were chosen for their arrangement, on which one could not worry about the consequences of misses. These territories were equipped with telemetric control points and measuring posts. At the end of June 1999, Tu-22MZ aircraft from the North Sea Kirkenes Air Division during the West-99 tests conducted in the northern part of the Russian Federation launched missiles in the Barents Sea. Together with the ships of the fleet, they neutralized the detachment of covering an imaginary enemy from a distance of 100 km, and the main target - from 300 km. In September of the same year, Tu-22M3 aircraft fired at targets at the Pacific Fleet.
In August 2000, during joint tests of the air forces of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, a pair of Poltava Tu-22M3 aircraft made a flight to the north and, together with 10 Russian aircraft, attacked targets at the training ground near Novaya Zemlya. Two weeks later, as part of a joint aviation and air defense exercise, the crew of a Ukrainian bomber launched a target missile, which was intercepted and hit by a Su-27 fighter.
In April 2001, to test the reliability of the X-22 rocket, a copy was stored at the warehouse for 25 years. The launch was successful. Firing was less successful in September 2002 near Chita - due to a failure in the guidance of the missile fell on Mongolian territory, which led to a scandal and the payment of compensation. A similar slip occurred in Kazakhstan, where a rocket fell near the village.
For transportation of missiles at airfields, special T-22 transport trolleys are used, the rear wheels of which, thanks to hydraulics, can “squat”, thereby allowing a bulky product to be rolled under the plane with a minimum clearance. Powerful electric winches are used to suspend a heavy X-22 missile, the technical characteristics of which allow it to cope with the largest ships.
Refueling problem
The X-22 cruise missile took a special place in Russian rocketry and aviation. Its main advantages were: high service life (in 2017, the rocket celebrated its 50th anniversary) and versatility of use. Unlike the counterparts that operate on a single type of aircraft, the X-22 armed three aircraft at once: Tu-22K, Tu-22M and Tu-95K-22.
The rocket has a significant drawback, which could not be completely eliminated even in 50 years, is the low operational suitability associated with the use of a liquid engine. The toxicity and causticity of the components of the fuel mixture make it difficult to ensure the combat readiness of missiles. Prolonged storage in the filled form was not possible due to the low corrosion resistance of the structure. And even the use of corrosion inhibitors does not solve the problem.
The most effective measure to combat corrosion processes was the introduction of ampoule refueling using special equipment. This method involves pumping an oxidizing agent from sealed containers into a fuel tank under pressure, without contact with the external environment. Refueling is carried out immediately before firing. Storage of equipped missiles is unacceptable. Refueling technicians who wear refueling should wear a special protective suit over wool, thick rubber gloves and shoe covers made of thick material. In addition, they must wear an insulating gas mask. The refueling process occurs when the gas analyzer is turned on, which detects leaks.
In parts, they try to avoid the operation of refueling missiles because of its complexity, so training flights on bombers are often carried out with unfilled missiles. In full, they are prepared only before the test starts, which are carried out at training camps 1-2 times a year. The launch of such weapons is an extremely important task, therefore only trained crews with extensive experience are allowed to it.
Specifications
Summarizing the above, we will analyze the main characteristics of the X-22 "Storm" cruise missile:
- Length - 11.65 m.
- Height with folded keel - 1.81 m.
- The fuselage diameter is 0.92 m.
- Wingspan - 3 m.
- Starting weight - 5.63-5.7 tons.
- Flight speed - 3.5-3.7 M.
- Flight altitude - 22.5-25 km.
- Firing Range - 140-300 km.
- The application height is 11-12 km.
- Warhead: thermonuclear or explosive-cumulative.
- Engine thrust - up to 13.4 kN.
- Fuel capacity - 3 tons.