What is known about the Caliber missiles with which Russian troops are shelling peaceful Ukrainian cities and villages, as well as about their characteristics – further in the material.
Purpose and modification of Caliber missile systems
Kalibr is a family of cruise missiles developed by the Russian design bureau Novator. The Caliber family of rockets were first presented to the public at the International Aviation and Space Salon in 1993 (MAKS-93), held in the Moscow region of the Russian Federation.
Missiles were developed primarily as weapons for submarines and ships. However, there are also options for launching missiles from combat aircraft (Caliber-A) and ground launchers.
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So, the Russian Federation has:
• Caliber missile systems for armament of submarines (Caliber-PLE, export designation Club-S);
• missile systems for arming combat surface ships (Caliber-NKE, export designation Club-N);
• mobile missile systems Kalibr-M (export designation Club-M);
• air-launched missile systems Caliber-A (export designation Club-A).
Caliber missile systems are designed to destroy ground, sea, underwater and surface targets.
The Caliber systems include: universal control system, launchers, a set of loading equipment, missiles for various purposes. That is, the complexes have common fire weapons:
• anti-ship missiles 3M-54E, 3M-54E1;
• high-precision cruise missiles for destroying ground targets 3M-14E;
• anti-submarine missiles 91RET2 and 91RE1.
According to the plan of Russian developers, the presence of different missiles in the Caliber complexes allows you to change the ammunition load on the carriers depending on the tasks and combat conditions.
On submarines missiles are launched from torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber from a depth of 30-40 m. And on surface ships – from standardized below-deck vertical launchers or from deck installations.
Launch of a Caliber cruise missile from a Russian ship in the Caspian Sea, 2017
Mobile missile system Kalibr-Mdesigned both for anti-ship defense and for hitting stationary ground targets at any time of the day. This complex includes: a self-propelled launcher; transport-charging machines; cruise missiles in launch containers (anti-ship and for hitting ground targets); technical support vehicle; communication and control machine; missile storage equipment.
The Caliber-A complex is included, in particular, in the armament of the Su-35 strike aircraft. The 3M-14AE rocket used in this configuration does not have a launch engine. It is placed in a transport and launch container, from which it launches after being dropped from a carrier aircraft. The targets for the 3M-14AE high-precision cruise missile are ground-based command and control posts, weapons and fuel depots, airfields, port facilities, etc.
In addition, there is a modification of the Caliber system: container missile system Caliber-K(export designation Club-K). It is designed to destroy surface and ground targets with cruise missiles. This complex can be equipped with coastal infrastructure facilities, surface ships, railway and automobile platforms.
The complex is located in a 40-foot container. Club-K consists of a universal starting module, a combat control module, and a power supply module. The ammunition load of one launch module of the Club-K complex includes 4 missiles.
Key characteristics of cruise missiles Caliber
The tactical and technical characteristics of the Caliber family missiles in service with the Russian army are not exactly known.
According to information available in open sources, The firing range of Caliber missiles against sea targets reaches 375 km, and against ground targets – 2,600 km.
In the export modification, the flight range is limited to 300 km.
The 3M-14E cruise missile, used to destroy ground targets, has:
• length 6.2 m and wingspan 3.08 m;
• starting weight 1770/1400 kg;
• warhead weighing 450 kg;
• launch range 2,600 km (300 km in export version);
• flight altitude 20 m above the sea surface and 50 – 150 m above the earth’s surface;
• speed 180 – 240 m/s.
A feature of Caliber cruise missiles is the ability to fly at low altitudes, which makes it difficult for air defense (air defense).
The rocket is equipped with a starting solid propellant engine. The missile is controlled autonomously in flight, and the flight itself follows a predetermined route.
The missile is equipped with a 450-kilogram high-explosive warhead with an air detonation option. There is also an option with a cluster warhead equipped with fragmentation, high-explosive or cumulative elements.
The use of Caliber missiles during the war in Ukraine
Russian troops have been using Caliber missiles since the first day of the full-scale war in Ukraine. The Caliber targets were civilian objects in our country.
As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny informed, during February 24-28 (i.e., five days), the Russian Federation launched 113 ground- and sea-based operational-tactical missiles Iskander and Caliber in Ukrainian cities and villages.
During these first five days, Putin’s troops carried out 56 missile attacks on the territory of Ukraine, using 35 Caliber missiles.
As of December 31, 2023, the Russian Federation fired 834 operational-tactical missiles of the Iskander type and 154 Caliber at populated areas of Ukraine. Air defense forces destroyed 397 and 62, respectively.
And on March 17, 2022, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that the enemy used almost the entire set of Caliber sea-based cruise missiles during the twenty days of the war. Therefore, the leadership of the Russian Federation decided to switch to round-the-clock operation the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex that are involved in the production of Calibers.
It is known that Putin’s troops launched a Caliber missile at the base of the 95th separate air assault brigade in Zhitomir, but it hit residential buildings in the private sector.
Nikolaev, where military personnel were killed, also came under fire from the Calibers. In addition, the enemy fired Caliber missiles from ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet at the center of the city of Kharkov.
In addition, the enemy used Caliber cruise missiles during a massive shelling of Ukraine on October 10-11, 2022. In two days, the enemy fired about 110 missiles into Ukraine, among them were Caliber.
January 26, 2023, Russia launched another massive missile strike on the territory of Ukraine. In particular, the enemy carried out 55 launches of air- and sea-based missiles.
Among the missiles fired were Kh-101, Kh-555, Kh-47 Dagger, Caliber, Kh-59. The missiles were fired from Tu-95, Su-35, Mig-31 aircraft and ships from the Black Sea.
On the morning of February 18, 2023, Russia again attacked Ukraine with enemy missiles.
The Air Force reported that two of the four Caliber cruise missiles launched were shot down by air defense.
