Russia is launching missile attacks on Ukrainian territory, including Kh-101 missiles.
What is known about the Kh-101 missiles that Russia is shelling civilian settlements with and their characteristics – read in the ICTV Facts article.
The purpose of the X-101 missiles
The Kh-101 is a strategic air-launched cruise missile of the air-to-ground class. The launch range of such a missile is about 5 thousand km. The weight of the warhead is up to 960 kg.
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It was developed in Russia, by the Raduga design bureau. The missile was tested in the late 1990s.
The peculiarity of the rocket is that it has an unpredictable trajectory.
It is difficult to calculate, intercept and shoot down by air defense. Radar signature reduction technologies were used in the production of the missile.
Key characteristics of the X-101 missiles
- weight – approximately 2400 kg
- warhead weight – 960 kg
- length – 7.4 m
- rocket speed – up to 720 km/h
- range – up to 5.5 thousand km
- flight range – up to 5.5 thousand km
The Kh-101 missile can change its target even when it is already flying. It hits the target with a deviation accuracy of up to 10 m. The TC-160 can take 12 such missiles in two internal compartments.
From 2015 to 2017, Russia used more than 50 such missiles in Syria. The Kh-101 is considered one of the most technologically advanced missiles in the arsenal of a terrorist country.
The missile has a combined guidance system for hitting the target: an inertial system with optical-electronic correction, and homing is used in the final section. The X-101 receives complex information on the route, as well as on the target coordinates.
X-101 missile: cost
Photo — Unian
The Russian Kh-101 missile costs approximately $13 million. While the price of the popular Kalibr missile ranges from $5 million to $6.5 million. The Iskander, Oniks and Tochka-U missiles are valued at up to $3 million.
These shells were fired at peaceful cities of Ukraine on October 10.
Use of Kh-101 missiles during the war in Ukraine
Russia launched its first Kh-101 missile attacks on March 6, 2022, targeting the Vinnytsia airport and the military airfield in Havryshivka. One missile was shot down with a machine gun. On April 23, six Kh-101 missiles were fired from the Caspian Sea at Odessa.
That day, air defense shot down two shells, killing eight people. Among them was a three-month-old baby.
On October 10, 2022, Russia launched approximately 84 cruise missiles and 24 drones at Ukraine. The average total cost of the missiles and drones ranged from $400 million to $700 million.
Subsequently, Russian troops repeatedly used Kh-101 missiles during massive shelling of Ukrainian territory, in particular, during the attack on February 15, 2024.
