Kh-29

The Kh-29 (Russian: Х-29; NATO: AS-14 'Kedge'; GRAU: 9M721) is a Soviet air-to-surface missile with a range of 10–30 km. It has a large warhead of 320 kg, has a choice of laser, infrared, active radar or TV guidance, and is typically carried by tactical aircraft such as the Su-24, Su-30, MiG-29K as well as the Su-25, giving these aircraft an expanded standoff capability.

Kh-29 (NATO reporting name: AS-14 'Kedge')
Side-view of Kh-29T.
Type	air-to-surface missile
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1980s-current
Used by	Warsaw Pact, China, India, Iraq
Wars	Iran–Iraq War Second Libyan Civil War Russian-led military intervention in Syria Syrian Civil War Russian invasion of Ukraine
Production history
Designer	Matus Bisnovat Georgiy I. Khokhlov
Designed	1975
Manufacturer	Vympel / Tactical Missiles Corporation[1]
Produced	1980-current[2]
Specifications
Mass	Kh-29L :660 kg (1,460 lb) [3] Kh-29T :685 kg (1,510 lb) [3] Kh-29TE :690 kg (1,520 lb) [3]
Length	Kh-29L/T :390 cm (12 ft 10 in)[3] Kh-29TE :387.5 cm (12 ft 9 in)[3]
Diameter	38.0 cm (15.0 in) [3]
Wingspan	110 cm (43 in) [3]
Warhead	HE armour-piercing[1]
Warhead weight	320 kg (705 lb)[1]
Detonation mechanism	Impact [1]
Engine	Fixed thrust solid fuel rocket[1]
Operational range	Kh-29L :10 km (5.4 nmi)[3] Kh-29T :12 km (6.5 nmi) [3] Kh-29TE :30 km (16 nmi) [3]
Maximum speed	2,200 km/h (1,400 mph)[4] Kh-29ML: 900–1,260 km/h (560–780 mph)[5]
Guidance system	Kh-29L: semi-active laser guidance Kh-29T/TE : passive homing TV guidance Kh-29D : infrared homing guidance (IIR)[6][7] Kh-29MP : active radar homing[8]
Launch platform	Kh-29L&T: MiG-27K,[3] MiG-29,[3] Su-22[3],Su-27UB,[3] Su-30MK,[3] Su-39[3] , Kh-29L only: Su-25[3] Kh-29T only: Su-35[3] Also: Mirage F1E,[9] Su-17/22,[9] Su-24,[9] Su-33, Su-34, Su-37

Kh-29

The Kh-29 is intended for primary use against larger battlefield targets and infrastructure such as industrial buildings, depots and bridges,^[10] but can also be used against ships up to 10,000 tonnes, hardened aircraft shelters and concrete runways.^[1]

Development

Design started in the late 1970s at the Molniya design bureau in Ukraine on what would be their only air-to-ground munition, but when they moved exclusively to space work Vympel took over development of the Kh-29.^[10] The first firing of the missile took place in 1976 and after extensive trials the Kh-29 was accepted into service in 1980.^[4]

Design

The basic aerodynamic layout of the Kh-29 is similar to the Molniya R-60 (AA-8 'Aphid'), reflecting Molniya's heritage in air-to-air missiles.^[10] The laser guidance head came from the Kh-25 (AS-10 'Karen') and the TV guidance from the Kh-59 (AS-13 'Kingbolt'), mated to a large warhead.^[9]

It has been compared to the United States' AGM-65 Maverick, but the AGM-65 is a much smaller missile than the Kh-29, and weighs less than half as much.^[10]

Compared to the AGM-65 Maverick, the Kh-29 has a 20% higher top speed (1,150 km/h vs 1,470 km/h) and a much bigger warhead (320 kg vs 136 kg).^{[citation needed]}

Operational history

The Kh-29 entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1980, and has been widely exported since.

The Kh-29L was used by Sukhoi Su-34 and Su-24 aircraft in the 2015 Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War.^[11]

2014 Libyan conflict

Kh-29 missiles were supplied to Libya in the 1980s for use on the Libyan Air Force's Su-24s. These aircraft have all been destroyed during the 2011 NATO-led intervention, and no other aircraft in the Libyan arsenal could use these missiles. Hence, they have been transformed into unguided surface-to-surface rockets, launched from modified trucks and with their fins and ailerons at the front and back removed for a somewhat more stable flight path. They were used by National Salvation Government forces around Tripoli in 2014, during the Second Libyan Civil War (they were seized from Ghardabiya Air Base depots).^[12]

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

The Kh-29 missile has possibly seen limited use in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, being fired from Su-34 aircraft.^[13][14]

Variants

• Kh-29L (Izdeliye 63, 'Kedge-A')^[10] uses a semi-active laser seeker and has a range of 8–10 km.^[3]
• Kh-29ML is an upgraded version of the Kh-29L.^[10]
• Kh-29T (Izdeliye 64, 'Kedge-B')^[10] is the TV-guided version, which is fitted with automatic optical homing to a distinguishable object indicated by the pilot.
• Kh-29TE^[15] is a long-range (30 km) development of the Kh-29T.^[3] The minimum range is 3 km; launch altitude is 200–10,000 m.^[3]
• Kh-29MP is a variant that uses active radar homing, making it a fire-and-forget weapon. It has a 250 kg warhead and a 12 km range.^[6][8]
• Kh-29D is the fourth variant of the Kh-29TE which uses imaging infrared guidance.^[6][7]

Operators

Map with Kh-29 operators in blue with former operators in red

Current operators

•  Algeria: Algerian Air Force^[16]
•  Belarus: Belarusian Air Force on its modernized MiG-29BMs.^[4]
•  Bulgaria: Bulgarian Air Force on its Su-22M4s,^[4] which were withdrawn from service in 2004.^{[citation needed]} Also used on Su-25s.
•  China: People's Liberation Army Air Force – received 2,000 Kh-29Ts in 2002^[17] for use on their Su-27SKs, Su-27UBKs, Su-30MKKs, Shenyang J-11s and possibly their JH-7s and Q-5s.^[18]
•  Ethiopia: Ethiopian Air Force, Kh-29T on its Su-25TKs^[19]
•  Georgia: Georgian Air Force on its Su-25KM Scorpions^[20]
•  India: Indian Air Force on its Su-30MKIs^[4] and Indian Navy on its MiG-29Ks.^[21]
•  Indonesia: the Indonesian Air Force uses the Kh-29TE on its Su-30MK2s^[22][23]
•  Iran: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force on its Su-24s
•  Kazakhstan^[24]
•  North Korea^[25]
•  Libya: National Salvation Government^[12]
•  Malaysia: Royal Malaysian Air Force used on its Su-30MKMs^[26]
•  Peru: Peruvian Air Force^[27]
•  Poland: Polish Air Force on its Su-22M4s.^[4]
•  Russia: Russian Aerospace Forces^[4]
•  Serbia: Serbian Air Force on the MiG-29SM^[28]
•  Syria: Syrian Air Force^[29]
•  Ukraine: Ukrainian Air Force^[4]
•  Venezuela: Venezuelan Air Force on its Su-30s
•  Vietnam: Vietnam People's Air Force on its Su-30MK2Vs
•  Yemen: Yemeni Air Force on its MiG-29s^[30]

Former operators

•  Czechoslovakia: Czechoslovak Air Force – passed onto successor states^[4]
•  East Germany: East German Air Force^[4]
•  Germany: Phased out after German reunification
•  Hungary: Hungarian Air Force on Su-22M3s
•  Iraq: Iraqi Air Force^[31]
•  Libyan Arab Jamahiriya: Libyan Air Force – Left without launch platforms after all Su-24s were destroyed in the civil war and subsequent NATO bombings. Subsequently used in a surface-to-surface role.^[12]
•  Slovakia: Slovak Air Force – Su-22M4s^[4]
•  Soviet Union: Soviet Air Force – passed on to successor states

See also

• Kh-25 (AS-10/12 'Karen/Kegler') – 320 kg missile with 90 kg warhead and 10–25 km range
• AGM-65 Maverick – 200–300 kg missile with 57–135 kg warhead and 27 km range
• AGM-62 Walleye I – 1967 US glide bomb delivering 385 kg warhead over 30 km.

Notes

1. X-29TE / X-29L, Tactical Missiles Corporation, archived from the original on 28 September 2007, retrieved 6 February 2009
2. "ОАО "Корпорация Тактическое Ракетное Вооружение"". Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
3. Rosoboronexport Air Force Department and Media & PR Service, AEROSPACE SYSTEMS export catalogue (PDF), Rosoboronexport State Corporation, p. 122, archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2007
4. Fiszer, Michal A. "25 years of service of Russian Kh-29 missile". Situational Awareness. Retrieved 7 September 2008. Written by Polish former Su-22 pilot
5. "KH-29". The Probert Encyclopaedia. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
6. Friedman, Norman (1997). The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapons Systems, 1997–1998. ISBN 9781557502681. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
7. "Kh-29D". deagel.com.
8. "Russian Air Force 3.8". Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
9. "Vympel Kh-29 (AS-14 'Kedge')", Jane's Electro-Optic Systems, 4 September 2008, archived from the original on 26 January 2013, retrieved 6 February 2009
10. "Kh-29 (AS-14 'Kedge')", Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, 6 August 2008 ^{[dead link]}
11. Polina Devitt (4 October 2015). "Russian air force using laser-guided KH-29L missiles in Syria – RIA". Reuters. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
12. Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (18 August 2014). "Kh-29 Air-To-Surface Missiles Used As Unguided Rockets In Libya". Oryx Blog. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
13. @RALee85 (25 April 2022). "Video of a Russian Su-34 bomber reportedly launching a Kh-29 air-to-ground missile while popping flares.…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
14. Bronk, J. (2023, April). Russian combat air strengths and Limitations. CNA. Retrieved April 27, 2023, from https://www.cna.org/reports/2023/04/russian-combat-air-strengths-and-limitations p.10.
15. "Kh-29TE". Rosoboronexport.
16. "Вооруженные силы Алжира". Archived from the original on 18 October 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
17. Gertz, Bill (1 July 2002), "China test-fires new air-to-air missile; Taiwan likely to get upgraded arms", The Washington Times, p. A1
18. Fisher, Richard D. Jr. (January 2004), The Impact Of Foreign Weapons And Technology On The Modernization Of China's People's Liberation Army, US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, pp. 4–2C, archived from the original on 29 April 2007
19. Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (26 August 2021). "Tankovy Busters: Su-25TK Attack Aircraft In Ethiopian Service". Oryx.
20. "Fighter SU-25KM (Scorpion)". Retrieved 23 December 2014.
21. John Pike. "MiG-29K FULCRUM". GlobalSecurity. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
22. 2011 Annual Report of Tactical Missile Corporation, "BMPD - Портфель экспортных заказов КТРВ". Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
23. Irawan, Gita. "KSAU Apresiasi Keberhasilan Tes Rudal KH-29TE dari Pesawat Sukhoi TNI AU". Tribunnews. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
24. Gordon, Yefim; Komissarov, Dmitriy (2019). Mikoyan MiG-23 & MiG-27. Manchester: Crécy Publishing. p. 403. ISBN 978-1-91080-931-0.
25. "Rare photo of North Korean fighter jet firing air-to-air missile emerges after Kim Jong Un visits air base". Business Insider.
26. "Trade Registers". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
27. Tincopa, Amaru (November–December 2021). "MiG-29 over the skies of the condor". Revista Pucará. No. 10. p. 26.
28. Banković, Živojin (3 May 2022). "Kako je lovac postao višenamenski borbeni avion: Detalji novog naoružanja na premijeri modernizovanih MiG-ova 29SM". tangosix.rs.
29. Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (15 January 2015). "The Syrian Arab Air Force - Beware of its Wings". Oryx Blog. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
30. Cooper, Tom (2018). Hot Skies Over Yemen, Volume 2. Warwick: Helion & Company Publishing. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-911628-18-7.
31. Cooper, Tom; Sipos, Milos (2019). Iraqi Mirages. The Dassault Mirage Family in Service with the Iraqi Air Force, 1981-1988. Helion & Company Publishing. p. 75. ISBN 978-1-912-390311.

References

• Gordon, Yefim (2004), Soviet/Russian Aircraft Weapons Since World War Two, Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing, ISBN 1-85780-188-1