Ukraine reveals details of Russia's new ballistic missile for S-400 system
Ukrainian intelligence revealed the characteristics of a ballistic missile for the S-400 system (photo: Russian media)
Ukraine's Defense Intelligence revealed the characteristics, components, and electronic component base of the RM-48U ballistic missile used with the S-400 Triumf air defense system, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence reported.
It is noted that, to expand its range of missile weapons for strikes on Ukrainian territory, Russia is restoring decommissioned anti-aircraft guided missiles and target missiles for the S-400 system and upgrading them into strike missiles.
The new Russian ballistic Frankenstein has a solid-fuel engine from the 48N6DM anti-aircraft guided missile (S-400), a tail section from the export 48N6E2 anti-aircraft missile (S-300 PMU1/2, S-400), while the RM-48U instrument section consists of individual components from the 9M96 and 48N6E2 missiles.
Missile characteristics
According to Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, the RM-48U is a single-stage missile with a solid-fuel engine that flies on a ballistic trajectory at a speed of Mach 4–6 and has an operational range of up to 400 km. The missile uses a 199-kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead with preformed cube-shaped fragments.
Navigation and guidance are provided by an autonomous strapdown inertial navigation system and a satellite navigation system based on Kometa-R12 receivers.
RM-48U ballistic missile (photo: Ukraine's Defense Intelligence)
How the missiles are launched
To strike ground targets at tactical and operational depths with anti-aircraft missiles, the enemy has specifically created separate units: a special tactical missile group (STRG) with RM-48U missiles (radio-command guidance) and a special operational missile group (SORG) with RM-48U missiles (satellite guidance).
The range of the former is limited by the radio horizon and the capabilities of the S-400 system's illumination and guidance radar, so in most cases the enemy uses autonomous RM-48U missiles with satellite guidance.
What the missile is made of
The component base of the missile's electronic units has the standard mix of countries of origin seen in Russian weapons. The largest number — 95 out of 117 — are from the United States, 4 are from Taiwan, 3 from Switzerland, and 2 each from Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, and South Korea. A new component is a laser diode manufactured by the French company 3SP TECHNOLOGIES.
According to Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, Russia continues to expand its range of strike weapons. The experience gained from their use against Ukraine could be used not only by Russia but also by its allies — Iran and North Korea.
Ukraine's Defense Intelligence recently reported that Russia had begun attacking Kyiv with upgraded Iskander-1,000 ballistic missiles. The range of these missiles is up to 550 km.
