Russian troops have regularly used Kalibr cruise missiles against Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war. What is known about the Kalibr missiles that the Russian troops are shelling peaceful Ukrainian cities and villages with, as well as their characteristics – further in the material.
Purpose and modification of the Kalibr missile systems
Kalibr is a family of cruise missiles developed by the Russian design bureau Novator. The Kalibr family missiles were first presented to the public at the International Aviation and Space Salon in 1993 (MAKS-93), which was held in the Moscow region of the Russian Federation.
The missiles were developed primarily as weapons for submarines and ships. However, there are also options for launching missiles from combat aircraft (Kalibr-A) and ground-based launchers.
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Thus, the Russian Federation has in service:
• Kalibr missile systems for arming submarines (Kalibr-PLE, export designation Club-S);
• missile systems for arming combat surface ships (Kalibr-NKE, export designation Club-N);
• Kalibr-M mobile missile systems (export designation Club-M);
• missile systems air-launched weapons Kalibr-A (export designation Club-A).
Kalibr missile systems are designed to destroy land, sea, underwater and surface targets.
The Kalibr systems include:universal control system, launchers, a set of loading equipment, missiles for various purposes. That is, the complexes have uniform firepower:
• anti-ship missiles 3M-54E, 3M-54E1;
• high-precision cruise missiles for hitting ground targets 3M-14E;
• anti-submarine missiles 91RET2 and 91RE1.
According to the concept of Russian developers, the presence of different missiles in the Kalibr complexes allows changing the ammunition load on the carriers depending on the tasks and combat conditions.
On submarines missiles are launched from 533 mm torpedo tubes at a depth of 30-40 m. And on surface ships – from unified underdeck vertical launchers or from deck installations.
Launch of the Kalibr cruise missile from the Russian ship in Caspian Sea, 2017
Mobile missile system Kalibr-Mis designed for both anti-ship defense and for engaging stationary ground targets at any time of day or night. This complex includes: a self-propelled launcher; transport and loading vehicles; cruise missiles in launch containers (anti-ship and for engaging ground targets); technical support vehicle; communications and control vehicle; missile storage equipment.
The Kalibr-A complex is included, in particular, in the armament of the Su-35 attack aircraft. The 3M-14AE missile used in this configuration does not have a launch engine. It is placed in a transport and launch container, from which it is launched after being dropped from the carrier aircraft. The targets for the 3M-14AE high-precision cruise missile are ground command posts, weapons and fuel depots, airfields, port facilities, etc.
In addition, there is a modification of the Kalibr system: Kalibr-K missile weapon container complex (export designation Club-K). It is designed to destroy surface and land targets with cruise missiles. This complex can be installed on coastal infrastructure facilities, surface ships, railway and automobile platforms.
The complex is placed in a 40-foot container. Club-K consists of a universal launch 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 the Kalibr cruise missiles
The tactical and technical characteristics of the Kalibr missile family, which are in service with the Russian army, are not known exactly.
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;
• launch 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 the Kalibr cruise missiles is the ability to fly at low altitudes, which complicates their operation for anti-aircraft defense (air defense).
The missile is equipped with a solid-fuel launch engine. The missile is controlled autonomously during flight, and the flight itself is carried out along a predetermined route.
The missile is equipped with a 450-kilogram high-explosive warhead with an air-burst option. There is also a version with a cluster warhead equipped with fragmentation, high-explosive or cumulative elements.
Use of Kalibr missiles during the war in Ukraine
Russian troops have been using Kalibr missiles since the first day of the full-scale war in Ukraine. The Kalibrs targeted civilian objects in our country.
As reported by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny, during February 24-28 (i.e. in five days) the Russian Federation fired 113 operational-tactical land- and sea-based Iskander and Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities and villages.
During these first five days, Putin's troops committed 56 missile attacks on the territory of Ukraine, using 35 Caliber missiles.
As of December 31, 2023, the Russian Federation fired 834 Iskander and 154 Caliber operational-tactical missiles 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.
During 2023 and into 2024, the occupiers continued to launch Calibers during shelling of Ukraine.
