First, let's note an interesting historical fact. Five specially equipped I-16 fighters under Captain Zvonarev, deployed against Japanese militarists back in 1939, used RS-82 missiles with a cylindrical body diameter of 82 mm. And modern aircraft of the Sukhoi, Mil and Kamov families, deployed as part of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) grouping in the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR), fire at terrorists with unguided missiles (NURS) of the S-8 family caliber 80 mm. A couple of millimeters is not a significant difference. In short, Soviet developers initially made the right choice of the main parameter of missile weapons for tactical aviation. It remains relevant to this day.
Comparative analysis
Let's compare the main technical data of the RS-82 and S-8OFP. At one time, we devoted an article to the new development of Tula gunsmiths from NPO Splav, “Unguided aircraft missile S-8OFP.” The length of the projectile and its mass increased by one and a half times, from six hundred millimeters to one and a half meters and seven kilograms to seventeen, respectively. At the same time, the maximum firing range declared by the developers... remained at “up to 6000 meters”! Where is the catch here?
Missile launch by Ka-52 helicopter
In our opinion, the figure in both cases is inflated, one might say “advertising”. It is quite possible that it was (is) achieved during testing at test sites. But launches at such a distance are of little use: the deviation at the final point of the rocket’s flight from the target position is too great. The estimated dispersion parameter is 14...16 meters per kilometer of range for the PC-82 and 0.3% of the range for the first generation S-8.
At a distance of six kilometers, the probable deviation is 84-96 and 18 meters, respectively. The difference is mainly due to the fact that the RS-82 was kept on its trajectory only by wing stabilization, while more modern missiles rotate around their axis in flight. This significantly increases trajectory stability, although it requires additional fuel consumption.
Perhaps the more modern S-8OFP will show less dispersion due to the use of a different type of tail unit. Instead of six large-spanning “feathers” folding forward in flight on previous modifications of the S-8 family of missiles, four folding wide-chord rudders are now used, opening by turning them sideways. However, “manifold” improvements are not expected here. In practice, shooting at the “advertising range” makes sense only in the case of an area target.
For example, during operations to liberate the western and southern provinces of the SAR, there were cases of Mil helicopters from the Syrian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Forces launching salvo missile attacks on remote positions of gangs, concentrations of terrorist manpower and equipment. Aviation was involved in carrying out such tasks in desert or rural areas, when tankers and motorized riflemen maintaining a high rate of advance could not receive artillery support in time. Among the reasons was that the crews of the towed guns were lagging behind, and the crews of the self-propelled howitzers had used up all their ammunition and were waiting for the ammunition to be delivered.
From the point of view of inflicting maximum fire damage on the enemy, it is better to fire from a distance of one or two kilometers. Then the circular deviation of the NURS relative to the aiming point will be three to six meters. When firing several missiles in one salvo, there is a high chance of hitting an enemy armored vehicle with a direct hit. True, there is a high risk of damage to the aircraft by enemy air defense systems. The above fully applies to Syria, where the front line is “stuffed” with a large number of large-caliber machine guns and ZU-23-2 rapid-firing anti-aircraft guns. And sometimes militants even have man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems “Strela”, “Igla”, Stinger and their Chinese analogues.
Gun block with cassettes of modular design 9-A-5013 for 80 mm caliber missiles
An essentially similar situation was observed in the case of the RS-82 carrier aircraft and their variants with cumulative warheads. As the experience of the Great Patriotic War showed, a direct hit was required to destroy tanks and armored personnel carriers. When firing salvoes of four to six missiles from a distance of 400-500m, trained pilots achieved positive results in only 1% of cases. To achieve the greatest effect, it was recommended to fire not at individual, but at group targets, such as a column on the march. An attack from a dive at an angle of thirty degrees with a salvo of four RS at a distance of no more than half a kilometer was considered optimal.
Today, the likelihood of a direct hit on a target such as a tank, army truck, or pickup truck is much higher for several reasons. First, modern airplanes and helicopters are equipped with high-precision on-board systems, equipped with laser rangefinders, ballistic computers and other equipment that allows for more accurate aiming. Secondly, pilots have the opportunity to fire a large number of missiles in one pass. If aircraft of the late thirties and early forties usually took four to six RS-82s, a maximum of eight, then the Su-25 attack aircraft can carry up to eight B8M blocks with twenty guides each, for a total of 160 shells. If they are fired in one salvo, the total mass of the fired shells will be about 2700 kg.
Weapons, ASP, NURS and NAR, S-5
homeWeaponThe S-5 missile (originally named ARS-57) was developed at OKB-16 (chief designer A.I. Nudelman). A notable difference between the S-5 missiles and previous Soviet unguided aircraft missiles was the folding tail, which ensured compact placement of the missiles in guide tubes assembled into one block. The idea was borrowed from the German R.4/.M and Schlange missiles produced during the Second World War. This approach made it possible to increase the number of missiles launched in a simple way - by increasing the number of pipes in the block.
The unguided aircraft rocket consisted of a solid propellant engine with a fuel block housed in a turned steel casing. A warhead with a fuse was attached to the front part of the body, and a nozzle with fin mounting units was attached to the rear part. The stabilizer petals hingedly folded forward along the flight, covering the nozzle when folded. Their shape exactly followed the outer contour of the nozzle, and the required plumage area was gained due to the number of petals. When storing the S-5 and equipping the launch blocks, the petals were held in the folded position by a ring made of thick paper or plastic, and during launch and exit from the guide, they opened under the action of a spring and an oncoming air flow. Sharpening the leading edges “under the knife” gave them a unique aerodynamic profile, ensuring the rocket spins in flight up to 1500 rpm and additional stabilization by rotation. To quickly accelerate the rocket and achieve sufficient speed immediately after exiting the tube (the rotational speed depends on the flight speed), the solid propellant engine had a star-shaped channel, giving the largest combustion area and thrust. The engine operating time is only 1.1 s (during this time the S-5 flew about 300 m), and after the fuel burns out, the rocket continues its ballistic flight, like a cannon shell. The table firing range of the C-5 missile is 2000 m, the ballistic range is over 4000 m. The unguided aircraft missile C-5 is designed to destroy both ground and air targets. The missile is equipped with a V-5M or V-5M1 impact fuse with a self-liquidator. The probable circular deviation when firing from a fighter at an altitude of 15,000 m and a speed of 970 km/h is no more than 3.5 thousandths of the distance to the target. The S-5 (ARS-57) missile was adopted by Resolution CM No. 541-335 of March 22, 1955. Several modifications were created on its basis: S-5M, S-5MO, S-5K, S-5P, etc. The S-5M and S-5M1 missiles are designed to combat enemy personnel and to destroy weakly protected targets (cars), artillery and missile positions, aircraft at airfields, etc. Their warhead is combined - high-explosive with a fragmentation shell that, when ruptured, forms about 75 fragments weighing 0.5-1 g. The S-5MO missile has a warhead with enhanced fragmentation action, consisting of twenty steel rings with cuts for regular crushing. When the warhead explodes, it produces 360 segment fragments weighing 2 g each. The length of the S-5M rocket is 882 mm. Starting weight 3.86 kg. The high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighs 1.08 kg and contains 285 g of explosive. The S-5M missile was adopted by order of the Minister of Defense dated May 19, 1959. To combat armored targets, OKB-16 created KARS-57 cumulative shells with a B-586 mechanical fuse. State tests of KARS-57 were carried out from September 19, 1958 to May 8, 1959. Firing was carried out from a MiG-19S fighter. When salvo firing eight KARS-57 projectiles at a stationary ground target from a distance of 1000 m, with a carrier speed of 700 km/h and a dive angle of 30°, the probable circular deviation was 4.5 m. When salvo firing eight KARS-57 projectiles with a MiG- 19C at a distance of 1000 m, an aircraft speed of 700 km/h, a dive angle of 30°, out of sixteen salvos at a stationary target, in seven salvos there was one hit “in the tank”, and in one salvo there were three hits. Out of eleven hits by KARS-57 shells on armor 100 mm thick at an impact angle of 30° from the normal at a range of 960-1460 m, two non-through penetrations of the armor were obtained, and the rest were through. Thus, the commission considered that this projectile can penetrate armor with a thickness of 100 to 130 mm at an impact angle from normal to 30°. The length of the KARS-57 projectile with folded tail was 830 mm, without tail - 738 mm. The tail span is 232 mm. The weight of the projectile with fuse is 3.65 kg. The weight of the warhead is 1.13 kg. Explosive weight 287 g. Jet fuel weight is 0.89 kg. The maximum speed developed by the projectile is 594 m/s (with a muzzle velocity of only 78 m/s). The projectile covered a distance of 1000 m in 2.3 seconds. In October 1958, based on the results of state tests, the KARS-57 missile was recommended for adoption. Under the designation S-5K, it was adopted for service by order of the USSR Minister of Defense dated August 28, 1960. The S-5KO multi-purpose missile with a warhead of combined cumulative-fragmentation action. The warhead has 10 rings with notches, which, when broken, form 220 fragments weighing 2 g each. The S-5KP and S-5KPB missiles have highly sensitive piezoelectric fuses instead of mechanical impact fuses. To form fragments, steel wire is wound around the body of the warhead. The warhead in these missiles is detonated by a contact fuse, which is triggered when it hits the target. A temporary self-destructor detonates the warhead when it misses and flies past the target, destroying the missile. The S-5S and S-5SB missiles are equipped with a warhead filled with 1000-1100 arrow-shaped submunitions to destroy manpower. Stamped feathered arrows 40 mm long are placed in a barrel body and are fired forward with an expelling charge as they approach the target. The S-5S and S-5SB missiles had a remote fuse. To create passive interference with enemy radars, OKB-16, together with NII-22, developed a missile that had the designation ARS-57SP or PARS-57, and after being put into service - the S-5P designation. The warhead of this missile contained reflective dipoles made of metallized fiberglass. The fuse, of course, is remote. Such missiles could be used by fighter-bombers when breaking through enemy air defenses, and by bombers when firing backwards to protect against attacks by fighters and anti-aircraft missiles. The ARS-57SP missile was adopted for service by order of the Air Force Commander-in-Chief on December 31, 1964. To illuminate an object at night, OKB-16, together with NII-22, developed the OARS-57 missiles. After being put into service, the missile received the index S-5O (O - lighting). In 1959, the OARS-57 missile passed state tests on the MiG-19 fighter and the Il-28 photo reconnaissance aircraft. A total of 900 OARS-57 shells were fired at a carrier aircraft speed of 600-900 km/h. Firing was carried out from serial blocks of ORO-57KM guns. The S-5O missiles had a length without a fuse of 885 mm, and a tail span of 230 mm. Projectile weight 4.92 kg. The projectile was equipped with an I-71 remote tube with a response time of up to 17 s. When the flammable composition was ignited, the light intensity reached 1 McD. The torch burning time was 18.3 s. The S-5O rocket was equipped with a parachute, which gave a descent speed of 15-20 m/s. The height of the beginning of the glow of the torch is about 640 m, the height of the end of the glow is about 370 m. The table firing range of the S-5O missiles was 3 km. To launch S-5 missiles, 8-barreled ORO-57K units (single-shot 57 mm caliber rocket gun) and modernized ORO-57KM units were originally intended. The name “gun” reflected the design feature of the ORO-57K - a kind of rocket cannon, the barrels of which, after being loaded with missiles, were closed at the rear end with a plug. The presence of an open or closed breech had some effect on the ballistics of the projectile. Thus, the muzzle velocity for the UB-16-57 was 56-37 m/s, and for the ORO-57KM - 96-81 m/s (velocities are given for the maximum temperatures of the powder charge (+50 and -60 °C)), and the maximum projectile speed is 617-673 m/s and 665-725 m/s, respectively. The ORO-57KM gun with a closed breech had a length of 961 mm and a weight of 2.3 kg. The maximum recoil force on the ground stand was 2280 kg. The maximum pressure in the barrel is 84 kg/cm2. However, they decided to abandon guns with a closed breech due to recoil when firing and severe contamination of the barrels with powder soot. The ORO-57K gun was called single-shot, because it could not be reloaded in the air, unlike a cannon. Subsequently, the terminology changed, and launchers equipped with a large number of missiles began to be called multi-charged. To increase the density of fire, it was necessary to create 16-round unified units UB-16-57, and then their modifications UB-16-57U (U - improved) and UB-16-57UM, UB-16-57UD and UB-16-57UDM, which were distinguished by a more reliable electric ignition system and increased length of the launch tubes. When launching unguided aircraft missiles from helicopters, the behavior of the missile at the beginning of the flight and the accuracy of the hit were influenced by the air flow from the main rotor. The speed of this flow was comparable to the speed of the rocket at the moment it left the barrel, so it literally blew away the rockets, and in the UB-16-57UV helicopter units the length of the guide pipes was increased. Then, to strengthen the missile salvo, 32-charge units UB-32 and UB-32A were adopted. The B-32-O and B-32M blocks with thermal protection of the launch tubes were intended for use on supersonic aircraft of unguided aircraft missiles with a piezoelectric fuse, sensitive to high temperatures during kinetic heating in flight at high speed. The missiles in these blocks were covered with an asbestos gasket, which broke through during firing. The fuse was cocked after the rocket left the block. S-5 missiles were created to destroy both ground and air targets. This was partly due to the fascination with “rocketization” of the armed forces in the late 1950s. When attacking an enemy aircraft located outside the range of cannon fire, it was supposed to literally bombard it with a hail of missiles. At the same time, hitting an air target with an S-5M missile salvo was possible from a distance of up to 3 km. To use unguided aircraft missiles against air targets, a number of fighters have been developed, adapted for missile interception. Experienced fighter-interceptor P-1, created in 1957-1958. at the Sukhoi Design Bureau, was armed with fifty S-5 missiles, which were located in the bow under the doors that opened when firing. But in reality it turned out that only an attack by unguided missiles against bombers or aircraft in close formation could be successful. The missiles' flight to the target lasted 5-10 seconds, so a maneuverable enemy could easily avoid being hit. The use of unguided aircraft missiles against ground targets was much more effective. The S-5 missiles had good accuracy when fired in salvos. This made it possible to use them not only against manpower, against area and weakly protected targets, but also to cover small targets - armored vehicles, artillery positions and structures. The greatest effectiveness of aimed fire was achieved when launching missiles from a range of 1600-1800 m while diving at an angle of 25-30°. The effectiveness of the attack increased with the number of missiles in the salvo. Typically, half of the unguided missiles were launched or the ammunition was completely discharged in one attack. During field tests, out of 64 S-5K missiles fired from the MiG-27 from two UB-32 blocks, 59 missiles (92%) hit the target. The target armored personnel carrier was reduced to a pile of rubble. S-5 missiles were widely exported and participated in almost all local wars of the 70-90s of our century, including the Middle East, the Iran-Iraq War, the wars in Ethiopia, Angola, etc. During the fighting in Afghanistan, it became clear that that the S-5K cumulative missile in the mountains is not inferior to fragmentation missiles. Its cumulative warhead knocked out sharp fragments of stones, which hit no worse than shrapnel. According to the instructions, the effective firing range of S-5 missiles was 1600-1800 m, but helicopters often fired almost point-blank at the windows of houses and embrasures of fortifications. However, the lethality of S-5 missiles was low, especially when operating against protected targets. The high-explosive effect of unguided missiles containing only 200 g of explosive was weak, and the S-5 often got stuck in the clay of walls and ducts. Light fragments retained destructive power only a few meters away; at the end they could not even penetrate the thick cotton robes of the “targets,” according to Fr.
| Diameter, mm | 57 |
| Plumage span, mm | 230 |
| Length, mm | 830 |
| Starting weight, kg | 3,86 |
| Warhead mass, kg | 1,08 |
| CEP, % of range | 0,35 |
| Launch range, km | 2 |
| Application altitude range, km | 0,01-15 |
ASP, NURS and NAR, S-24. ASP, NURS and NAR, S-3K. ASP, NURS and NAR, S-8. AM-23. ASP, AMD-500. ASP, APM. ASP, "Lyra". Home Weapons
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Missiles on balloons and airplanes
According to handouts from NPO Splav, the NURS S-8OFP is designed to engage the following types of targets: manpower, unarmored and lightly armored vehicles, as well as surface ships. It was precisely these that the crews of attack aircraft and front-line fighters fired unguided missiles at during the Second World War.
Meanwhile, the very first serial missile “Le Prieur” in the history of aviation was produced (by France and its Entente allies) to destroy fundamentally different targets - balloons. To do this, it was filled with black powder, which was detonated at a given distance from the launch point from the carrier aircraft using a ignition tube. Due to low efficiency, Le Prieur soon gave way to a more effective means - incendiary bullets.
A second attempt to use missiles against air targets was made during the battle for Khalkhin Gol. The above-mentioned “five” of Zvonarev managed to achieve high results in a short period of time (from August 20 to September 15, 1939). Pilots Mikhailenko, Pimenov, Fedosov and Tkachenko operated under the command of the captain. They flew 85 combat missions, conducted thirty air battles, and shot down thirty Japanese aircraft. There were no personal losses. Perhaps the real damage inflicted on the enemy turned out to be somewhat less than the official Soviet statistics, but it was not only material, but also moral.
At first, the enemy mistook the RS-82 explosions for fire from a carefully hidden battery of large-caliber anti-aircraft guns. Then he began to suspect that the Russians had somehow inexplicably equipped their planes with large cannons. In a word, the effect of surprise was complete. This, together with the coordinated actions of the “five,” became the main reason for the success.
I-16
Specially equipped I-16 fighters always operated in a group, trying to launch a frontal attack on Japanese aircraft flying at the same altitude. The first battle on August 20 went according to the planned scenario. At Zvonarev’s command, all five pilots simultaneously fired shells from a distance of about a kilometer at an enemy group that was heading on a collision course over the front line. The explosion of a well-aimed missile hit the center of the dense battle formation of Japanese aircraft. The formation broke up and a couple of damaged vehicles crashed to the ground.
As the enemy recovered from the shock, he took a more intelligent approach to analyzing what was happening and developing countermeasures, and therefore the effectiveness of the new weapons decreased. The Soviet commanders also made the right conclusions, making the following conclusion. “The use of RS against fighters is possible, but accurate shooting can only be achieved during the first attack, and then only under the condition of a covert approach to the enemy. Subsequently, the battle with fighters takes on such a fleeting and changeable character that the shooting of the RS, which requires precise adherence to the range, and based on the assumption that the target is inactive, gives little hope of getting a hit. In addition, the RS has significant weight and drag and, therefore, worsens the flight characteristics of the fighter. On the I-16 and I-153, it makes sense to use RS, but fire them not one or two at a time (as with bombers), but in salvoes of four projectiles with different tube deceleration settings.”
Universal application
The successful Mongolian debut paved the way for serial production of the I-16 in versions with missile launchers. By the end of the year, about thirty more fighters with such weapons were produced. Simultaneously with the increase in production of 82-mm shells, larger ones with a diameter of 132 mm also entered production. The latter were first used in combat against ground targets from SB bombers during the war with the White Finns.
The selection of the main parameters of the rockets, including the caliber, shape and size of the tail, was based on a thorough analysis of the test results, both fire and purge tests in TsAGI wind tunnels. It was decided to abandon rotation stabilization for the sake of a greater firing range, as well as to reduce the cost of mass-produced serial products. This made it possible to quickly establish mass production of the RS-82 and RS-132: about 157 thousand in 1940. Missiles with a contact fuse were used to fire at ground targets, and with ignition tubes for firing at aircraft. They were triggered after a certain time after launch, activating the main high-explosive charge.
In addition to the I-16 and SB, missile launchers began to be installed on serial I-153 Chaika biplanes. In addition, previously released I-15bis fighters were converted into attack aircraft. Installation of the RS launcher did not require major modifications to the airframe design. U-shaped profiles with strips having a T-shaped groove for the guide pins of the projectile were attached to the elements of the load-bearing structure from below. The launch was carried out by the pilot by pressing a button attached to the control stick of the aircraft. The choice of firing direction is through the standard for that time ring mechanical sight for aiming machine guns. The rocket's descent was accompanied by a slight shaking of the aircraft; the skin was practically not damaged. The RS-82/132 turned out to be easy to manufacture and operate; failures occurred no more than one percent of all launches.
I-153
The assault air regiments formed before the German attack were mainly equipped with I-15bis and I-153 biplanes with six to eight RS launchers under the lower wing. In addition, quite a few I-16 fighter regiments received type 24 and 29 aircraft with four guides for 82 and 132 mm caliber missiles. The latest Su-2 short-range bombers and MiG-3 high-altitude fighters also received jet weapons.
UNGUIDED MISSILES (ROCKETS) are a type of air-to-surface and air-to-air ammunition that reaches a target without trajectory correction during flight. The Soviet Union, as the heir to the Russian Empire, a country with extensive experience in the combat use of missile weapons during the 18th - 19th centuries, was one of the first states to begin developing aircraft missile weapons.
In the early 1930s. The first experiments were carried out with 82-mm and 132-mm aircraft missiles (including turbojet ones). The world's first combat use of new missile weapons was carried out by our Air Force in 1939 at Khalkhin Gol against the Japanese. In 1940, a number of aviation units of the Red Army adopted RS-82 and RS-132 shells. In 1940, the factories of the People's Commissariat of Ammunition produced 125.1 thousand RS-82 missiles and 31.68 thousand RS-132 missiles.
During the Second World War, NURS and NAR were widely used by the German and USSR Air Forces both against air targets and against ground targets. In Germany, priority was given to the creation of anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, in contrast to the USSR, where unguided aircraft missiles with high-explosive fragmentation warheads designed to destroy manpower and unarmored vehicles were mainly created.
RS.
In the early 1930s. The first experiments were carried out with 82-mm and 132-mm aircraft missiles. These calibers were not chosen by chance. The fact is that the experiments were carried out with powder bombs with a diameter of 24 mm. Their sizes determine the 2 main calibers of rocket chambers - 82 mm and 132 mm, which were then preserved for a long time. If 7 blocks with a diameter of 24 mm are tightly placed in a cylindrical combustion chamber, then the internal diameter of the latter will be equal to 72 mm. The thickness of the chamber walls is 5 mm, hence the diameter or caliber of the projectile is 82 mm. In the same way, the 132 mm rocket caliber arose.
Naturally, the question of missile stabilization immediately arose. Many experiments have been carried out to create turbojet missiles of 82 mm and 132 mm caliber. At the end of November 1929, ground firing of 82-mm RS-82 turbojet shells was carried out. A few months later, test pilot S.I. Mukhin conducted aerial firing of the TRS-82 from a U-1 aircraft. The accuracy of turbojet shells turned out to be unsatisfactory. In addition, with this stabilization method, about 28-30% of the weight of the rocket charge was spent on projectile rotation, and the translational speed and flight range were reduced as a result.
In this regard, it was decided to move to wing stabilization of missiles without their rotation. Initially, 82-mm projectiles with a ring stabilizer that did not extend beyond the dimensions of the projectile were tested. However, experimental firing and purging in the TsAGI wind tunnel showed that it is impossible to achieve stable flight using a ring stabilizer. Then they fired 82-mm rockets with a four-blade tail span of 200, 180, 160, 140 and 120 mm. The result was quite definite: as the plumage decreased, flight stability and accuracy deteriorated.
Further, during the experiments, it turned out that with a span of less than 120 mm, stable flight was not possible - the projectiles began to tumble immediately after the engine stopped working. The tail with a span of more than 200 mm turned out to be too heavy and moved the center of gravity of the projectile back, which also led to a deterioration in flight stability. Lightening the tail by reducing the thickness of the stabilizer blades caused strong vibrations of the blades until they broke in the air. In the end, the optimal dimensions of the stabilizers were found: a span of 200 mm for 82 mm missiles and 300 mm for 132 mm missiles.
In 1935, RS-82 missiles were launched from the I-15 fighter. In 1935-1936 RS-82 missiles were launched from yoke-type aircraft launchers, which had high drag and significantly reduced the speed of the aircraft. In 1937, the RNII developed a groove-type guide with one bar having a T-shaped groove for the projectile guide pins. To increase strength, the guide was attached to a power beam made of pipe. This design is called the “flute”. Later, in launchers for the RS-132, the support beam-pipe was abandoned and replaced with a U-shaped profile.
The use of groove-type launchers significantly improved the aerodynamic and operational characteristics of projectiles, simplified their production, and ensured high reliability of projectile deflection. By 1942, the following main aircraft launchers had been created:
On the I-153, I-16 and Il-2 aircraft, launchers with a length of 1007 mm were used for RS-82 and RBS-82 (armor-piercing) shells. The length of their guides was 835 mm, the number of guides was 8. The weight of the entire rocket system is 23 kg. On SB aircraft, launchers with a length of 1434 mm were used for RS-132 and RBS-132 projectiles. The length of their guides was 130 mm, the number of guides was 10. The weight of the entire missile system was 63 kg.
On Il-2 aircraft, launchers with a length of 1434 mm were used for RS-132 and RBS-132 projectiles. The length of their guides was 130 mm. The number of guides is 8. The weight of the entire rocket system is 50 kg. It’s not for nothing that it says “main types of launchers.” The fact is that the Air Force, as well as the Army and Navy, manufactured a significant number of semi-makeshift launchers for 82-mm and 132-mm rockets.
The world's first combat use of new missile weapons took place in 1939. During the defeat of Japanese troops on the Khalkhin Gol River, from August 20 to 31, the first flight of missile-carrying fighters in the history of aviation successfully operated. It consisted of 5 I-16 fighters armed with RS-82 missiles. On August 20, 1939, at 16:00, Soviet pilots I. Mikhailenko, S. Pimenov, V. Fedosov and T. Tkachenko, under the command of Captain N. Zvonarev, flew out to carry out a combat mission to cover our troops. Over the front line they met Japanese fighters. At a signal from the commander, all five fired a simultaneous salvo of missiles from a distance of about a kilometer and shot down two Japanese planes.
Soviet missile-carrying fighters took part in fourteen air battles and shot down thirteen Japanese aircraft. Captain Zvonarev's unit did not lose a single vehicle. During the Soviet-Finnish War (1939-1940), 6 twin-engine SB bombers were equipped with launchers for RS-132 missiles. RS-132 missiles were launched against ground targets. In 1940, a number of aviation units of the Red Army adopted RS-82 and RS-132 shells. In 1940, the factories of the People's Commissariat of Ammunition produced 125.1 thousand RS-82 missiles and 31.68 thousand RS-132 missiles. In 1942, the RS-82 and RS-132 aircraft projectiles were modernized and received the indices M-8 and M-13.
To combat tanks, in 1942, the RNII developed aviation rocket-propelled armor-piercing projectiles RBS-82 and RBS-132. These shells were created on the basis of the RS-82 and RS-132 and were equipped with armor-piercing warheads. In addition, the RBS-82 had a more powerful engine, its weight increased to 15 kg. The armor penetration of the RBS-82 projectile was up to 50 mm normal, and the RSB-132 was up to 75 mm. Il-2 attack aircraft were armed with RBS-82 and RBS-132 shells.
TRS.
In 1943, at NII-3 NKB, under the leadership of E. A. Pechersky, aviation turbojet projectiles TRS-82 and TRS-132 were developed in calibers of 82 and 132 mm, traditional for the domestic air force of that time. The projectiles did not have feathers, but were stabilized by rotation. Thus, the rotation speed of TRS-132 reached 204 rpm. For firing at air targets, the TRS-82 and TRS-132 missiles were equipped with remote tubes: AGDT-a (aviation head remote tube with a detonator capsule), TM-4a and TM-24a. When firing at ground targets, head contact fuses were used: GVMZ-1 and AM.
The Great Patriotic War
The beginning of the Great Patriotic War was remembered for the deep breakthroughs deep into Soviet territory by strike groups of Nazi troops. To combat them, it was decided to use, among other things, the latest types of fighters, modified to carry out missile and bomb strikes.
The memoirs of Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin contain the following fragments. “They hung two hundred kilogram bombs on my plane. According to the instructions, it was necessary to drop them during horizontal flight or from a shallow dive, aiming approximately. The probability of defeat was very low."
We read further: “The regiment engineer said: “Pokryshkin, I want to make you happy. We received a large number of "eres". On your plane we will hang two beams under the wings. We won't give you any more bombs. Satisfied?". Flights with the RS gave me greater confidence in the MiG's capabilities. True, when I fired them for the first time at a cluster of enemy vehicles, I shuddered: a sheaf of fire whistled from under the wing. At an altitude of one thousand meters there are three Ju-88s. He opened fire on the leader with machine guns, but then, remembering the “eres,” he took aim and fired the first shell. He missed the target. I'll let in the second one. This one exploded in the Junkers. The plane burst into flames, and parachutes immediately opened near it.”
Unfortunately, the MiG-3 turned out to be an unsuccessful launch platform: in practice, firing missiles was ineffective due to high dispersion. Other types of aircraft showed better results. For example, Hurricane fighters received as military aid from Great Britain. In units they were additionally equipped with six guides for the RS-82.
The LaGG-3 was the simplest and best of all high-speed fighters. Dispersion during launches turned out to be two to three times less than that of the MiG. Beginning in the fall of 1941, Lavochkin aircraft were produced with 6-8 RS launchers or a pair of bomb mounting points under the wing. The installation of missiles noticeably reduced the flight speed: at the ground from 475-500 km/h to 445 km/h, at altitude - from 550-575 to 520 km/h. The turn time at an altitude of one kilometer increased from 20-22 to 26 seconds.
MiG-3 at the celebration of 100 years of the Russian Air Force, author: Alexey Mikheev
At the same time, the retrofitting of LaGGs in real conditions in 1941-1942. was the right decision. The car was already overweight due to the forced increase in the proportion of wood in the structure. When setting up mass production, we had to abandon the so-called “delta wood”, the chemicals for the production of which were purchased in Germany before the war. As a result, the production LaGG-3 was noticeably inferior to the main German Bf109F fighter in speed and maneuverability, so its best use was as an attack aircraft - a carrier of the RS.
Although rockets with a contact fuse were intended to work against ground targets, many pilots also fired them at aircraft, in the vast majority of cases to no avail. One of the reasons is that, unlike the Japanese aviators, the German aviators were well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the new weapon. Since 1937, Rheinmetall Borsig has been actively working on aircraft missiles. To a limited extent, they were used by fighters of the brand designed by Wilhelm Messerschmitt, and more broadly by Kurt Tank.
When the Allies began to send large air formations to the cities of the Third Reich, air defense interceptors tried to destroy the formation of heavy bombers by firing at it with large-caliber rocket launchers with remote fuses. Based on the NbW.42 army five-barreled “rocket mortar” missiles, the German industry launched the production of 210-mm, and then 280-mm turbojet (without fins, rotation stabilization) NAR. Starting weight – 38 and 82 kg, respectively. A direct hit would tear a huge B-17 Flying Fortress or B-24 Liberator bomber to pieces, causing a strong psychological impact on the crews of other aircraft flying nearby.
Meanwhile, the Wehrmacht suffered heavy damage from Soviet missiles. This prompted the German industry to start producing copies of them (including the 89-mm armor-piercing Panzerblitz I) for use on their own aircraft. Towards the end of the war, the Germans created relatively small and cheap missiles of their own design for universal use (against air and ground targets) of 55 mm caliber, including the R4/M with a folded stabilizer that opened after launch. Weighing 3.85 kg, they carried half a kilogram of explosives, and in flight accelerated to 500 m/sec. These and similar Schlange NARs were produced for propeller-driven fighter-bombers FW190 and jet Me262.
Deadly “rod” About the S-8 missile and the reasons for its possible explosion on a Su-25 in the Primorsky Territory
Initially, one of the main causes of the Su-25 disaster, which exploded in the sky over the Primorsky Territory on March 20, was identified by investigative authorities as a spontaneous explosion of outboard weapons. What kind of weapon was installed on the attack aircraft of Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Yakovenko was not officially announced. However, a number of experts immediately suggested that the Su-25 aircraft that day carried unguided weapons, since guided weapons are usually not used during training flights due to their high cost.
Later, information appeared in a number of media outlets that the Su-25 that day was actually equipped with S-8 unguided aircraft missiles (hereinafter referred to as NAR) or their modifications in 20-round B-8M1 weapon pods.
S-8 - Czech-German grandson
The NAR S-8 is a “rod” more than 1.5 meters long and 80 millimeters in diameter, consisting of a warhead and a jet engine. The launch weight of the rocket is about 11.3 kilograms. Its development began in the 1960s, when the leadership of the USSR, based on studying the experience of using aviation weapons in various regional conflicts, primarily in Vietnam, decided to develop high-power small arms and cannon weapons for front-line bomber and fighter-bomber aircraft aviation.
Prior to this, the USSR Air Force used S-5 unguided missiles, created on the basis of the captured Czech-German 54-mm R-4M Zdrojowka aircraft rocket. The development of the S-5 has been carried out since 1946 by the design bureau OKB-16 MOP (now the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Design Bureau Tochmash named after A.E. Nudelman).
It was the Tochmash design bureau that was entrusted with the creation of the S-8. Special technical requirements were imposed on the new missiles, in particular, increasing the reliability of protection of ammunition from aerodynamic heating, reducing the impact of firing on the operation of the engine of the carrier aircraft, reducing the time interval between shots, increasing the firing range and reducing the minimum altitude of use.
NAR S-8. Photo from the site www.airwar.ru
Lenta.ru
Unlike the 57 mm S-5 rocket, the S-8 has an 80 mm caliber. The basic model S-8 was equipped with a cumulative fragmentation warhead (hereinafter referred to as the warhead). Subsequently, more than ten different modifications of the rocket were developed, differing in the warhead filling and its power. For example, the S-8D and S-8DM models have a warhead with a volumetric detonating mixture equivalent to 5.5-6 kilograms of TNT. Models S-8O and S-8OM are lighting models that produce a luminous intensity of about two million candles for 30 seconds. The most common models are S-8M and S-8KOM with a modernized warhead with enhanced fragmentation action and a more advanced solid propellant engine. The S-8KOM can penetrate armor up to 400 millimeters thick.
To launch the S-8, the Vympel design bureau developed special 20-round swept-shaped B-8 weapon pods. The use of this design made it possible to significantly reduce the aerodynamic drag and heating of the rockets. Later, a number of modernized versions of weapon pods were created, such as the B-8M, B-8MI, B-8-0 with thermal protection and B-8V20A for helicopters. The latter consisted of launch tubes without a nose cone (at low flight speeds of a rotorcraft, air resistance does not have a strong impact on the weapons).
Block B-8M1 on the Su-25. Photo from the site www.airwar.ru
Lenta.ru
In terms of efficiency and warhead power, the S-8 missiles are significantly superior to the S-5. A salvo of S-8 from one 20-charge B-8 unit is comparable to the simultaneous launch of S-5 missiles from three 32-charge units.
The S-8 missile and its modifications are installed on most Russian fighters and attack aircraft (MiGs, Sushki), as well as helicopters (in particular the Mi-24). The modular design of the B-8 unit simplifies the placement and use of missiles on various aircraft/helicopter carriers.
Due to their simplicity and power, the S-8 missiles were widely used and were effectively used in the Afghan, Iran-Iraq wars, the Tajik civil war, the Abkhazian, Karabakh, first and second Chechen wars, the Congo war, the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict and the in Macedonia, as well as in other “hot spots”.
A further development of the S-8 model was the S-13 missile with a 127-mm caliber, designed to destroy airfield fortifications and large ground and surface targets. The S-13DF model missiles with a thermobaric warhead, created in 1987, still have no analogues in the world. Such missiles are capable of completely destroying lightly armored vehicles, literally “turning them out from the inside.”
But still
Year of adoption: 1973 Length: 1570 mm Diameter: 80 mm Launch weight: 11.3 kg Warhead weight: 3.6 kg Maximum launch range: 4000 m Effective target range: 1300 m Missile speed: 610 m/s
If the version about the death of the Su-25 in Primorye due to a spontaneous missile explosion is confirmed, then the current disaster will be the first recorded case of S-8 detonation in the air, resulting in the destruction of the vehicle and the death of the pilot. What could cause a reliable weapon to malfunction? According to a commentary by one of the leading developers of aviation ammunition published by Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the explosion could have occurred either due to a defect in the production of the ammunition, which is extremely unlikely, or due to a violation of storage conditions or exceeding the storage period of the missile.
In the latter case, components delaminate, microscopic cracks appear, and as a result, the likelihood of a spontaneous rocket explosion during strong vibration increases. As a result of friction, electrostatic stress first arises, and then a fire occurs in a closed volume, quickly turning into detonation. Naturally, when any aircraft flies, shaking and vibration are inevitable.
At the same time, other possible causes of the disaster are also named, in particular, an engine or fuel tank fire. According to some reports, Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Yakovenko managed to transmit a message to the ground about an engine fire. According to a source close to the investigation into the crash, “the flight director reported that he saw a flash under the fuselage of the attack aircraft.”
However, a special commission is called upon to establish the true causes of the death of the combat aircraft and its pilot. Currently, both “black boxes” from the attack aircraft have been delivered to the 13th Research Institute of the Russian Air Force, where they are being decrypted. A special An-12LL flying laboratory was involved in the investigation of the crash to carry out the necessary examinations. Until the causes of the disaster are clarified, the flights of all twenty-five aircraft have been suspended. But already on May 9, Victory Day, “Rooks” (this is the unofficial name of the Su-25 attack aircraft) should fly over Moscow.
Fight against armored vehicles
Soviet front-line aviation developed in its own way. The emphasis was on the production of Il-2: in 1942, 8,229 armored attack aircraft were assembled, in 1943 – 11,193. In an effort to increase the effectiveness of combat work against enemy tanks, the industry created BRS-82 and BRS-132 missiles for attack aircraft. They differed from the basic ones mainly in the new warheads. Instead of a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, an armor-piercing warhead was used, capable of penetrating 50-mm and 75-mm sheets of steel, respectively.
Usually the attack was carried out by a pair of stormtroopers. From horizontal flight at an altitude of about a kilometer, the planes went into a dive at an angle of 30-40 degrees. At first, the pilots fired missiles, then fired at targets from cannons and machine guns, and, before leaving the attack, dropped bombs from a height of 300-350 meters. Towards the end of the war, the Il-2 received 37mm cannons, which turned out to be a much better means of fighting tanks than the RS.
The forced use of MiGs and Yakovs as attack aircraft gradually disappeared from the agenda. Aircraft of these brands returned to fulfilling their main task - covering their troops from enemy raids, destroying their aircraft in the air, and working in the country's air defense system. The lack of guidance systems led to a large dispersion of the NAR; Effective shooting at an air target could only be discussed at ranges of no more than a couple of hundred meters. Therefore, the armament of the newly assembled fighters was limited to rapid-fire cannons and machine guns.
Il-2 with RS-132 under the wing
For example, jet weapons were installed on Yak-1 aircraft only in the period from October 1941 to May 1942. The reasons for abandoning it were given as follows: the speed is reduced by 30 km/h, which puts the Red Star fighters at a disadvantage compared to the Messerschmitts, which do not have missile weapons.
It seemed that the rocket was doomed. However, they decided to keep it in service after the end of the war. The probability of a direct hit was realistically assessed as low, so the calculation was mainly based on hitting or damaging the target with shrapnel when the RS warhead was detonated in the immediate vicinity of it. Sometimes the launch of rocket shells had a strong moral and psychological effect on the enemy, which added arguments to supporters of this type of weapon.
Post-war American missiles were produced as “universal” missiles, capable of operating against both air and ground targets. For example, Mighty Mouse caliber 76 mm model 1949. were installed, among other things, on retractable installations of jet fighters F86, F89, F100 and others.
S-8OFP "Armor-piercer": a new missile from an old family
Launch of "Armor-Piercing" missiles during testing
Russian industry has completed work on the promising unguided aircraft missile S-8OFP “Armor-piercer”. As it became known the other day, production of such products has begun and documents are being prepared for their official adoption into service. All necessary procedures will be completed next year.
Last news
On May 25, TASS published a statement by the executive director of NPK Tekhmash, Alexander Kochkin.
He said that the concern had produced the first batch of promising NARs for use in the framework of experimental military operation and testing of combat use. The products were produced at the expense of the manufacturer, and he hopes that the Ministry of Defense will begin the necessary measures in the near future. At the beginning of 2022, the management of Tekhmash announced the completion of state tests of the S-8OFP product and the imminent start of experimental military operation. However, the actual timing of the transfer of the missile to the troops has shifted. According to A. Kochkin, this is due to a change in the technical specifications. In the very near future, the customer will adjust the requirements, which will allow work to continue.
On May 27, a representative of NPK Tekhmash again revealed some details of the current work, this time in an interview with RIA Novosti. The concern is ready to launch production of new missiles in the interests of the aerospace forces. Serial deliveries are planned to begin in 2022.
B-8M launch unit under the wing of a Su-25 attack aircraft
The issue with the terms of reference was successfully resolved, the Ministry of Defense made the necessary changes. Now his task is to prepare documents for the official adoption of the NAR into service, and this work will begin in the coming days. How long it will take is not specified.
A new example of an old family
Let us remind you that the unguided missile S-8OFP “Armor-piercer” is another representative of the rather old family of aviation ammunition S-8.
The development of this NAR line has been going on since the mid-sixties, and to date it includes one and a half dozen products for various purposes with different characteristics. The development of a new version of the old rocket was carried out at NPO Splav, part of NPK Tekhmash. The latter, in turn, is included in the management contours of the Rostec state corporation. The main goal of the project was to create a rocket launcher with an increased flight range and a penetrating warhead that was fundamentally new for the family.
Materials for the S-8OFP project were first shown to the public in 2014. After this, NPO Splav completed the design and brought the rocket to testing. Such work was first reported in May 2018. Then it was stated that by the end of the year the Armored Puncher would undergo state tests. In February 2022, Tekhmash reported on the successful completion of these activities. Soon information appeared about the imminent adoption and launch of the series.
Main differences
The new Armor-Piercer missile is made in the old form factor of S-8 products, which ensures compatibility with existing launch units. In this case, completely new components and solutions are used, providing a significant increase in the main characteristics.
B-8V20 on a Mi-24 helicopter
The caliber of the S-8OFP rocket remained the same - 80 mm. The length of the product reaches 1500 mm and generally corresponds to other members of the family. Starting weight – no more than 17 kg. The rocket has a cylindrical body with a conical head. The tail unit in the transport position is laid on the body by turning it to the side; at launch, it opens, providing spin-up and stabilization of the rocket.
“Armor-piercer” receives a new high-explosive fragmentation warhead of the penetrating type - it is this feature that is included in the “OFP” index. A warhead weighing 9 kg carries more than 2.5 kg of explosive and has a reinforced body with an internal notch for the formation of fragments. The warhead is equipped with a dual-mode contact fuse. It can be set to detonate upon contact with a target or with some delay - to break through an obstacle and explode behind it.
For the new NAR, a solid-fuel rocket engine has been developed with increased energy performance and dimensions of previous products. With its help, flight is possible at a distance of up to 6 km. For comparison, the most advanced modifications of the S-8 NAR have a range of no more than 3-4 km.
Thanks to the preservation of the old form factor, the S-8OFP product can be used with all existing suspended launch units. Such devices can carry from 7 to 20 missiles. Accordingly, the new NAR can be used by a wide range of domestic aircraft and helicopters of front-line aviation. Apparently, for the effective use of unguided weapons with modified flight and energy characteristics, additional adjustment of fire control systems is required.
Working with S-8 missiles
According to domestic media reports, the Su-25 attack aircraft will receive new weapons first. It is also intended for attack and multi-purpose helicopters of several types. However, as deliveries and implementation progress, the Armor-Piercer may become part of the standard combat load of other aircraft capable of using S-8 or other missiles.
Armor-piercing advantages
The unguided aircraft missile S-8OFP "Armor-piercer" is of great interest to the Aerospace Forces in the context of solving a wide range of combat missions.
Despite the emergence of high-precision systems, NAR remain the most important part of the weapons complex of front-line aviation, and the new product expands the range of available ammunition and provides previously missing capabilities. One of the main advantages of the Armor-Piercer over its predecessor is associated with the new engine. With its help, the firing range increases by 1.5-3 times in comparison with different types of NAR. Due to this, the construction of a combat approach is simplified and the likelihood of a number of enemy anti-aircraft weapons entering the affected area is reduced. In addition, the new engine compensates for the significant increase in the mass of the rocket itself and its warhead.
The new high-explosive fragmentation warhead is several times heavier than the combat equipment of other versions of the S-8 NAR. Thus, the basic S-8 carried a 3.6 kg warhead with 1 kg of explosive. Concrete-piercing NAR S-8B and S-8BM carried warheads weighing up to 7.4 kg, but with a reduced charge. The promising “Armor-piercer” combines a large mass of charge and warhead as a whole.
The durable body of the warhead ensures penetration of various barriers, which can be used for delayed detonation. It is possible to break through brick and concrete buildings, earthen embankments, etc. The S-8OFP also becomes an effective weapon against lightly armored enemy vehicles. Targets with stronger protection can receive serious damage, affecting combat effectiveness.
Transportation of ammunition. Soon the new S-8OFP NARs will be carried this way
The ability to detonate after breaking through a barrier will be useful when attacking enemy buildings and/or manpower hiding in them. Destruction of such an object with the help of high-explosive fragmentation warheads is associated with a significant consumption of ammunition, and a penetrating charge can provide significant savings - especially taking into account the relatively low accuracy of the NAR.
Accuracy problem
Despite all the innovations, the Armor-Piercer remains an unguided missile, which reduces the possible accuracy of a hit and increases the consumption of ammunition to hit a small target.
As is the case with other NARs, this problem is solved by using modern weapon control systems. A significant part of the strike aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have already received the SVP-24 Hephaestus sighting and navigation system, which ensures an increase in the accuracy of unguided weapons. According to known data, a radical solution is also being prepared - a guided missile based on the existing NAR. Recently, a project of ammunition with the code “Monolith” has been regularly appearing in the news. According to some reports, this missile is being made on the basis of the Armor-Piercer with certain design changes, as well as the introduction of homing systems. Thus, the new Monolith will combine the characteristics of a self-propelled missile with increased accuracy.
According to Tekhmash, a prototype of the Monolith product will be ready only in 2-3 years, and the basic Armor-Piercer will go into production next year. It follows from this that after 2021, for several years, the VKS will be able to use only the unguided version of the S-8OFP - although in the future there will be a wider choice.
Family development
According to the latest reports, the newest unguided aircraft missile of the S-8 family has passed the necessary tests, after which it is being prepared for experimental military operation and for adoption.
At the same time, work continues on its improved version, probably equipped with homing equipment. Thus, the development of the NAR line, which began more than half a century ago, continues to this day and gives the desired results. The concept of an 80-mm unguided rocket has not yet exhausted its capabilities, and the emergence of new technologies and components allows its development to continue. Thanks to this, next year our VKS will receive the Armor Piercer product with improved capabilities, and in the future they will receive a more advanced and accurate Monolith.
Large caliber NAR
Eight years later, the two-meter Zuni with a launch range of up to 9 km enters service in the United States. Created as a universal one, it was used only once during its sixty-year service in air combat (an attack aircraft shot down a MiG-17 fighter), and many times when attacking ground targets.
The Zuni caused great damage to the Americans themselves during the war in Southeast Asia. Spontaneously launched from an F-4B fighter, a five-inch rocket hit an A-4 attack aircraft stationed nearby on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Forestall. The explosion caused a spill and ignition of jet fuel, followed by a fire that claimed the lives of 134 sailors. The Zuni struck its next blow in January '69. During the pre-launch preparation of strike aircraft on the Enterprise, one of the missiles intended for them exploded on the flight deck. A fire on July 29, 1967 destroyed a quarter of the aircraft carrier's air group, killing 27 crew members.
The largest serial overseas missile is the AIR-2 Genie. It stood out for its heavy weight (about 400 kg) and huge fuselage (maximum diameter 445 mm), and in addition it carried a special W25 head section. Upon detection of a Tu bomber approaching American shores, the crews of the F-102, F-104 and F-106 interceptors took to the air on alert. They were given the task of launching a nuclear missile towards the Soviet “guest”.
The autonomous fuse was triggered after a certain time interval and only after the fuel had been completely exhausted. Theoretically, the pilots had time to perform an evasive maneuver and get out of the zone of destruction of the thermonuclear charge. The equivalent power of the W25 of one and a half kilotons was considered sufficient to guarantee the destruction of the “carcass” within a radius of three hundred meters from the point where the warhead was detonated. As the distance increased to one kilometer, the aircraft received significant damage, depriving it of combat effectiveness. The Americans carried out the only trial test of the AIR-2 with W25 activation on July 19, 1957. The combination was finally withdrawn from service only in 1988 due to the decommissioning of the last operational F-106.
NAR S-25
The largest serial domestic missile launcher remains the S-25, with a length of 3.3 meters and a weight of half a ton. Whether a special warhead like the W25 was developed for it is unknown. In open sources there is only a mention of the high-explosive S-25F and fragmentation S-25O with a warhead mass of 380 and 190 kg, respectively. The target range is up to four kilometers. The radio fuse was triggered at a height of 5-20 meters from the ground, ensuring the destruction of the target by the high-explosive action of the charge and a stream of fragments. Upon entering service in the early seventies, the S-25L guided missile was developed on the basis of this NAR. It was distinguished by the presence of a laser homing head and the installation of an additional block of drive rudders.
For the supersonic fighter-bomber Su-7B, the S-24 with a caliber of 240 mm and a weight of 235 kg was developed in 1964. The 2.3-meter-long missile is equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 123 kg. The solid fuel charge burned out within a second after launch; then the rocket flew by inertia. Stabilization - due to four fixed aerodynamic surfaces in the tail section. The effective firing range was limited to a couple of kilometers. The missile was produced in large quantities and today is used on several types of Su aircraft.
The large rocket was also developed to equip Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan’s fighters. The first post-war generation vehicles received the S-21 with a hull diameter of 212 mm. Starting weight 118 kg, including 46 kg warhead. The MiG-15 could carry two such missiles under the wing.
UNGUIDED AIRCRAFT MISSILES
UNGUIDED AIRCRAFT MISSILES
Schemes of aviation launchers and launchers
RS -82
Aviation solid-fuel rocket (aircraft unguided missile for combating air and ground targets). One of the first serial combat missiles in the country and in the world. Developed at the Jet Research Institute (RNII) under the leadership of Ivan Kleimenov, Georgy Langemak, Yuri Pobedonostsev. Tests took place in 1935-1936. Adopted by the Air Force in 1937. The projectiles were equipped with I-15, I-153, I-16 fighters and IL-2 attack aircraft. In August 1939, RS-82s were used for the first time in Russian history in combat operations near the Khaphin Gol River from I-16 fighters. The maximum firing range is 5.2 km. Projectile weight - 6.82 kg. Maximum speed – 350 m/s. Explosive mass – 0.36 kg. Caliber – 82 mm. Removed from service.
RS-132
Aviation solid-propellant rocket (aircraft unguided missile for combating ground targets). Developed at the Jet Research Institute (RNII) under the leadership of Ivan Kleimenov, Georgy Langemak, Yuri Pobedonostsev. Adopted by the Air Force in 1938. SB bombers were equipped with shells. The maximum firing range is 7.1 km. Projectile weight - 23.1 kg. Explosive mass – 1 kg. Caliber – 132 mm. Removed from service.
C -1
Aviation unguided finned solid propellant turbojet projectile. Developed at NII-1 (Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering) for attack aircraft. Adopted by the Air Force in the mid-50s, but was not mass-produced due to the cessation of production of attack aircraft. Caliber – 212 mm.
C -2
Aviation unguided finned solid propellant turbojet projectile. Developed at NII-1 (Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering) for attack aircraft. Adopted by the Air Force in the mid-50s, but was not mass-produced due to the cessation of production of attack aircraft. Caliber – 82 mm.
C -3
Aviation unguided finned solid propellant turbojet projectile. Developed at NII-1 (Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering) for attack aircraft. Adopted by the Air Force in the mid-50s, but was not mass-produced due to the cessation of production of attack aircraft. Caliber – 132 mm.
RS-82
S -3K
Aviation unguided anti-tank solid propellant missile. It was developed at NII-1 (Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering) under the leadership of designer Z. Brodsky for SU-7B aircraft in 1953-1961. The maximum firing range is 2 km. Armor penetration – 300 mm. Projectile weight - 23.5 kg. Warhead weight – 7.3 kg. Has a cumulative high-explosive fragmentation charge. Entered service in 1961. Serially produced until 1972. Removed from service.
S-21 (ARS-212)
Heavy aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-air missile. Improved RS-82. The original name was ARS-212 (aircraft missile projectile). It was developed at NII-1 (Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering) under the leadership of designer N. Lobanov for the MIG-15bis and MIG-17 aircraft. Entered service in 1953.
Caliber – 210 mm. Has a high-explosive fragmentation warhead. Removed from service in the early 60s.
S-24 (photo by V. Drushlyakov)
C -24
Aviation unguided solid propellant finned missile for hitting protected ground targets. It was developed at NII-1 (Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering) under the leadership of designer M. Lyapunov in 1953-1960. Adopted into service in the mid-60s. Designed for front-line aircraft and helicopters IL-102, MIG-23MLD, MIG-27, SU-17, SU-24, SU-25, YAK-141. Firing range – 2 km. Projectile weight – 235 kg. Projectile length – 2.33 m. Caliber – 240 mm. The mass of the high-explosive fragmentation warhead is 123 kg. When a shell exploded, up to 4,000 fragments were formed.
Used during the war in Afghanistan. Is in service.
S-24B
Aviation unguided missile for hitting protected ground targets. Modification S-24. Has a modified fuel composition. A high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 123 kg contains 23.5 kg of explosives. When detonated, 4000 fragments are formed with a damage radius of 300-400 m. Equipped with a non-contact radio fuse.
The missiles were used during the war in Afghanistan and during the fighting in Chechnya.
S-5 (ARS-57)
Air-to-surface unguided missile projectile. The original name was ARS-57 (aircraft missile). Developed in the 60s at OKB-16 (now the A.E. Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau) under the leadership of chief designer Alexander Nudelman. Adopted into service in the 60s. High-explosive fragmentation warhead. Caliber – 57 mm. Length – 1.42 m. Weight – 5.1 kg. Warhead weight – 1.1 kg. Firing range – 2 – 4 km. Has a solid propellant rocket motor.
An experimental use of the S-5 for firing at air targets was being developed. Pavel Sukhoi's experimental fighter P-1 was supposed to carry 50 S-5 missiles. S-5 with UB-32 were also installed on the T-62 tank.
S-5s were supplied to many countries of the world, participated in the Arab-Israeli wars, in the war between Iran and Iraq, in the USSR's military operations in Afghanistan, and during the fighting in Chechnya.
S -5M
Air-to-surface unguided missile projectile. Modification S-5. Developed in the 60s at OKB-16 (now the A.E. Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau) under the leadership of chief designer Alexander Nudelman. Caliber – 57 mm. Length – 1.41 m. Weight – 4.9 kg. Warhead weight – 0.9 kg. Firing range – 2 – 4 km. Has a solid propellant rocket motor.
Designed to combat manpower, weakly protected targets, enemy artillery and missile positions, and parked aircraft. A fragmentation warhead produces 75 fragments weighing from 0.5 to 1 g upon rupture.
S-5MO
Air-to-surface unguided missile projectile. Modification of the S-5 with a warhead with enhanced fragmentation action. Developed in the 60s at OKB-16 (now the A.E. Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau) under the leadership of chief designer Alexander Nudelman. Caliber – 57 mm. When exploded, it produces up to 360 fragments weighing 2 g each. Has a solid propellant rocket motor.
S-5K
Air-to-surface unguided missile projectile. Modification S-5. Developed in the 60s at OKB-16 (now the A.E. Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau) under the leadership of chief designer Alexander Nudelman. Caliber – 57 mm. Designed to combat armored vehicles (tanks, armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles). Has a warhead of cumulative action. Has a solid propellant rocket motor. Armor penetration – 130 mm.
S-5KO
Air-to-surface unguided missile projectile. Modification S-5. Developed in the 60s at OKB-16 (now the A.E. Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau) under the leadership of the chief designer
director Alexander Nudelman. Has a warhead of combined cumulative-fragmentation action. Caliber – 57 mm. Has a solid propellant rocket motor. When broken, it forms 220 fragments weighing 2 g each.
S-5S
Air-to-surface unguided missile projectile. Modification S-5. Developed in the 60s at OKB-16 (now the A.E. Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau) under the leadership of chief designer Alexander Nudelman. It has a warhead that has 1000 arrow-shaped striking elements (SPEL). Caliber – 57 mm. Has a solid propellant rocket motor. To destroy enemy personnel.
NAR S-8 in container B8V20 (photo from Military Parade magazine)
NAR S-8 in B8M1 container (photo from Military Parade magazine)
S-8A, S-8B, S-8AS, S-8BC
Aviation unguided solid-fuel air-to-surface missiles. Modifications of the S-8, having improved solid propellant rocket engines, fuel composition and stabilizers.
S-8M
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Modification S-8. It has a warhead with enhanced fragmentation action and a solid propellant rocket motor with an extended operating time.
С -8С
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Modification S-8. It has a warhead equipped with 2000 arrow-shaped striking elements.
S-8B
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Modification S-8. Has a concrete-piercing warhead with penetrating action.
S-8D
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Modification S-8. Contains 2.15 kg of liquid explosive components that mix and form an aerosol cloud of a volumetric detonating mixture.
S-8KOM
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Modification S-8. Developed at the Novosibirsk Institute of Applied Physics. Adopted. Designed for front-line aircraft and helicopters SU-17M, SU-24, SU-25, SU-27, MIG-23, MIG-27, MI-28, KA-25. To defeat modern tanks, lightly armored and unarmored vehicles. The maximum firing range is 4 km. The mass of the rocket is 11.3 kg. Rocket length – 1.57 m. Caliber – 80 mm. Warhead weight – 3.6 kg. Explosive mass – 0.9 kg. Armor penetration – 400 mm. Has a cumulative charge. Is in service.
S-8BM
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Modification S-8. Concrete-piercing missile with a penetrating warhead. Developed at the Novosibirsk Institute of Applied Physics. Adopted. Designed for front-line aircraft and helicopters SU-17M, SU-24, SU-25, SU-27, MIG-23, MIG-27, MI-28, KA-25. To destroy materiel and manpower in fortifications.
The maximum firing range is 2.2 km. The mass of the rocket is 15.2 kg. Rocket length – 1.54 m. Caliber – 80 mm. Warhead weight – 7.41 kg. Explosive mass – 0.6 kg. Is in service.
S-8DM
Aviation unguided solid-fuel air-to-surface missile with a volume-detonating mixture. Modification S-8. Developed at the Novosibirsk Institute of Applied Physics. Adopted. Designed for front-line aircraft and helicopters SU-17M, SU-24, SU-25, SU-27, MIG-23, MIG-27, MI-28, KA-25. For hitting targets located in trenches, trenches, dugouts and other similar shelters.
The maximum firing range is 4 km. The mass of the rocket is 11.6 kg. Rocket length – 1.7 m. Caliber – 80 mm. Warhead weight – 3.8 kg. Explosive mass – 2.15 kg. Is in service.
S-8T
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Modification S-8. Developed at the Novosibirsk Institute of Applied Physics. Adopted. Designed for front-line aircraft and helicopters SU-17M, SU-24, SU-25, SU-27, MIG-23, MIG-27, MI-28, KA-25.
The mass of the rocket is 15 kg. Rocket length – 1.7 m. Caliber – 80 mm. Explosive mass – 1.6 kg. Armor penetration – 400 mm. Has a tandem shaped charge. Is in service.
S-13
C -13
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Developed at the Novosibirsk Institute of Applied Physics. Entered into service in 1985. Designed for Su-25, SU-27, SU-30, MIG-29 aircraft. To destroy aircraft in railway shelters, as well as military equipment and manpower in especially strong shelters. Has a concrete-piercing warhead. The maximum firing range is 3 km. The mass of the rocket is 57 kg. Rocket length – 2.54 m. Caliber – 122 mm. Warhead weight – 21 kg. Explosive mass – 1.82 kg.
S-13 missiles of various modifications were used during the war in Afghanistan. Is in service.
S -13T
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Modification S-13. Developed at the Novosibirsk Institute of Applied Physics. Entered into service in 1985. Designed for Su-25, SU-27, SU-37, MIG-29 aircraft. To destroy aircraft located in reinforced shelters, command posts and communication points, and disable airfield runways. It has two self-contained warheads, the first of which is penetrating, the second is high-explosive. The maximum firing range is 4 km. The mass of the rocket is 75 kg. Rocket length – 3.1 m. Caliber – 122 mm. Warhead weight – 37 kg. Is in service.
S-13OF
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Modification S-13. Developed at the Novosibirsk Institute of Applied Physics. Entered into service in 1985. Designed for Su-25, SU-27, SU-37, MIG-29 aircraft. It has a high-explosive fragmentation warhead with a specified crushing into fragments (crushed into 450 fragments weighing 25-35 g). The warhead is equipped with a bottom fuse, which is activated after being buried in the ground. Capable of penetrating the armor of armored personnel carriers or infantry fighting vehicles.
The maximum firing range is 3 km. The mass of the rocket is 69 kg. Rocket length – 2.9 m. Caliber – 122 mm. Warhead weight – 33 kg. Explosive mass – 7 kg. Is in service.
S-13D
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Modification S-13. Developed at the Novosibirsk Institute of Applied Physics. Entered into service in 1985. Designed for Su-25, SU-27, SU-37, MIG-29 aircraft. It has a warhead with a volumetric detonating mixture.
The maximum firing range is 3 km. The mass of the rocket is 68 kg. Rocket length – 3.1 m. Caliber – 122 mm. Warhead weight – 32 kg. Is in service.
C -25-O
Aviation especially heavy unguided air-to-surface missile. It replaced the S-24. Developed in the 70s. at OKB-16 (now the A.E. Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau) under the leadership of chief designer Alexander Nudelman. It is supplied to the Air Force in a disposable container PU-0-25 - a wooden launch tube with metal lining. Has a fragmentation warhead. Designed to destroy manpower, vehicles, parked aircraft, and weakly protected targets. The solid propellant rocket engine has 4 nozzles and a charge weighing 97 kg of mixed fuel. The target firing range is 4 km. Warhead weight – 150 kg. A warhead produces up to 10 thousand fragments upon explosion. With a successful hit, one missile can disable up to a battalion of enemy infantry.
S-25OF
Aviation unguided solid-propellant air-to-surface missile. Modification S-25. Developed in the late 70s. at OKB-16 (now the A.E. Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau) under the leadership of chief designer Alexander Nudelman. In service with the military since 1979. Designed for front-line aircraft. To combat light armored vehicles, structures and enemy personnel. The maximum firing range is 3 km. The mass of the rocket is 381 kg. Rocket length – 3.3 m. Caliber – 340 mm. The mass of the high-explosive fragmentation warhead is 194 kg. Explosive mass – 27 kg. Is in service.
S-25-0 (photo by V. Drushlyakov)
S-25L (photo by V. Drushlyakov)
S-25OFM
Upgraded aviation guided solid-fuel air-to-surface missile. Modification S-25. Developed in the 80s at OKB-16 (now the A.E. Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau) under the leadership of chief designer Alexander Nudelman. Designed for front-line aircraft. For the destruction of single fortified ground targets. It has a reinforced penetrating warhead for penetrating strong fortified structures. The maximum firing range is 3 km. The mass of the rocket is 480 kg. Rocket length – 3.3 m. Caliber – 340 mm. Warhead weight – 190 kg. Is in service.
S-25L
Aviation solid-fuel air-to-surface missile with laser guidance. Modification S-25OFM. Developed in the late 70s. at OKB-16 (now the A.E. Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau). Chief designer - Boris Smirnov. In service with the military since 1979. Designed for front-line aircraft as a laser-guided guided missile. The laser seeker was developed at NPO Geophysics. The maximum firing range is 3 km. The mass of the rocket is 480 kg. Rocket length – 3.83 m. Caliber – 340 mm. Warhead weight – 150 kg. Is in service.
S-25LD
An upgraded laser-guided, extended-range air-to-surface guided missile. Developed in the 80s at the Precision Engineering Design Bureau named after A.E. Nudelman. Chief designer - Boris Smirnov. In service with the military since 1985. Designed for SU-25T attack aircraft.
The maximum firing range is 10 km. Is in service.
