Improved Longer-Range Kalibr Cruise Missile is Under Development in Russia

By TOC On Jan 9, 2019

MOSCOW, the Russian Federation (BulgarianMilitary.com) – According to a unnamed source in the military-industrial complex, cited yesterday (8th January) by TASS, a new long-range nuclear cruise missile – the Kalibr-M is currently under development in Russia for the Russian Navy. The state-run news agency reports that new Kalibr-M cruise missile has a a maximum firing range of over 4,500 km – about 2,800 miles, learned BulgarianMilitary.com.

The development of the Kalibr-M, which is financed by Russia’s Defence Ministry under the state armament program until 2027, currently, is at the stage of scientific research, with the new missile planned to be delivered to the fleet before the end of the program.

The new Russian weapon is reportedly a ship-launched cruise missile able to deliver a precision strike with a conventional or nuclear warhead as far as 4,500 km away which is about three times of the range of the US’s Block III TLAM-C Tomahawk cruise missiles. The Kalibr-M will be carried by large surface ships and nuclear submarines.

The cited source states that the new cruise missile will differ from the existing Kalibr missiles that are in service, in means of its longer range and dimensions. It is reported that the maximum firing range of the 3M-14 cruise missile is around 2,000 km.

“It will be much larger, the weight of its warhead will approach 1 tonne,” he noted. According to the source, large surface ships will be equipped with it, starting with frigates, as well as nuclear submarines. “Kalibr-M is designed to destroy land facilities and will be able to carry both conventional and nuclear warhead,” the source adds.

The Russian state media says that the information provided by the source is not officially confirmed by the Russian Defence Ministry.

Serious concerns over the firing range of the existing Kalibr missiles were expressed by senior U.S. officials. In October last year, the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe, Adm. James Foggo III told journalists at the Pentagon that “Russia is not 10 feet tall, but they do have capabilities that keep me vigilant, concerned. They’re firing the Kalibr missile, very capable missile. It has a range which, if launched from any of the seas around Europe, … could range any one of the capitals of Europe. That is a concern to me, and it’s a concern to my NATO partners and friends.”

A recent report from the Washington Free Beacon states that Russia is planning to deploy these long-range precision-strike cruise missiles on warships and submarines for Atlantic Ocean patrols.

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BulgarianMilitary.com
Source: TASS