Kh-59

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kh-59ME Ovod-ME

Type Medium-range, air-to-surface missile
Service history
In service 1991
Production history
Manufacturer Raduga NPO
Specifications
Weight 930 kg

Warhead 320 kg
Detonation
mechanism
Impact

Engine solid-propellant booster, turbofan sustainer
Operational
range
115 km
Flight altitude 50-1100 m
Speed 280 m/s
Guidance
system
TV command

The Kh-59 Ovod, NATO reporting name AS-13 Kingbolt is a Russian tactical cruise missile produced by Raduga, first revealed in November 1991 in Dubai.

It is propelled by a powder-fuel engine, and incorporates a powder-fuel accelerator in the tail. The folding stabilizers are located in the front of the missile, with wings and rudder in the rear. Another variant is the Kh-59ME (NATO reporting name AS-18 Kazoo), which has a much larger warhead and a turbofan engine rather than a powder-fuel engine, but retains the powder-fuel accelerator. It also has a dual guidance system consisting of an inertial guidance system to guide it into the target area and a television system to guide it to the target itself.