MiG-31K with installed Kinzhal hypersonic missile lands in Kaliningrad
MOSCOW, ($1= Russian Rubles) — A MiG-31K interceptor fighter with a Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missile system has been spotted in the Baltic Sea, BulgarianMilitary.com has learned, citing information from Russian citizens and the Turkish online portal DefenseTurk.net.
- Newest Tu-160M supersonic Mach 2+ bomber arrives in mid-2022
- Russia has lifted Tu-95 strategic missile bombers into the air
- Russia gets new Su-30 – 16% more thrust, new radar, UAV control
A video released on February 8 shows a MiG-31K interceptor fighter landing at Chkalovsk Air Base near Kaliningrad. The video analyzed in this context shows that the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missile system was installed on the MiG-31K interceptor fighter.
Speaking about the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missile system in 2021, Victor Murahovski said: “Tests of the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missile have been going on for a long time. It has a MiG-31K fleet with an air ballistic missile developed by the Iskander surface ballistic missile.”
According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the range of this missile, fired from an airplane, reaches 2 thousand kilometers. The Kh-47M2 Kinzhal is therefore an important element of non-nuclear strategic deterrence. It can maneuver during the flight to make it difficult to intercept or hit it.
Authorities also stressed that existing air and missile defense systems can’t intercept a maneuvering missile flying at Mach 10.
Hypersonic missile Kh-47M2 Kinzhal
Modernized by the Iskandar tactical missile system, the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal [Kinzhal is a Dagger in English] is an air-launched ballistic missile [ALBM] with nuclear capacity. The Kh-47M2 Kinzhal entered the inventory of the Russian Air Force in December 2017 and is one of the six new Russian strategic weapons announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 1, 2018.
It can perform maneuvers on a slope during a missile flight, which has a maximum range of 2 thousand kilometers. The missile, which weighs 480 kilograms, can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. The missile can be launched from MiG-31K interceptors, upgraded by MiG-31BM or Tu-22M3 bombers.
According to the characteristics provided by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Kh-47M2 Kinzhal can fly at a maximum speed between Mach 10 and Mach 12. The missile has an integrated inertial navigation system [INS] with the possibility of adjustments from GLONASS, remote control, and optical homing system.
***
Follow us everywhere and at any time. BulgarianMilitary.com has responsive design and you can open the page from any computer, mobile devices or web browsers. For more up-to-date news, follow our Google News, YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook pages. Subscribe to our Newsletter and read our stories in News360App in AppStore or GooglePlay or in FeedlyApp in AppStore or GooglePlay. Our standards: Manifesto & ethical princliples.