3M-54 Kalibr


The 3M-54 Kalibr,, also referred to it as 3M54-1 Kalibr, 3M14 Biryuza,, 91R1, 91RT2 is a group of Russian surface ship-, submarine-launched and airborne anti-ship and coastal anti ship, land attack cruise missiles and anti-submarine missiles developed by the Novator Design Bureau. Derived export versions are the 3M54E, 3M54E1, 3M14E, 91RE1, 91RTE2. The 3M54T, 3M54K, 3M54A, 3M54E, 3M54KE and 3M54AE have a second stage that performs a supersonic sprint in the terminal approach to the target, reducing the time that target's defense systems have to react. The 3M54T1, 3M54K1, 3M54A1, 3M54E1 only travel at subsonic speeds, although their range is accordingly greater than those of the supersonic versions.
Club is the designation used for the export versions.

Design

The missile is a modular system with five versions: two anti-shipping types, one for land attack and two anti-submarine types. The missile is designed to share common parts between the surface and submarine-launched variants but each missile consists of different components, for example, the booster. The missile can be launched from a surface ship using a Vertical Launch System. It has a booster with thrust vectoring capability. The missile launched from a submarine torpedo tube has no need for such an addition but has a conventional booster instead. The air launched version is held in a container that is dropped as the missile launches, detaching from the container.
Kalibr land attack versions in use by Russia have various claimed maximum ranges. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates its range at, and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu put its range at "almost." Following its first operational firing in October 2015, Russian Ministry of Defence statements suggested a range of, while a December 2015 Office of Naval Intelligence report gathered a number of Russian statements projecting ranges between 1,500-. Discrepancies in range values may be attributed to political declarations for strategic effect, or potentially longer 2,500 km-range claims could be associated with a thermonuclear armed variant while shorter 1,500 km-range estimates are for the conventionally armed missile.

Terminal supersonic flight

The Russian domestic variant and export variants fly at sub-sonic speeds while achieving supersonic speed as they near their target. They are also capable of performing very high angled defensive high speed maneuvers in contrast to the common linear flight path of other anti-ship cruise missiles.

Operational history

Domestic variants are basic versions of this missile family; these are the 3M54 and 3M14. The export model is called Club. There are two major launch platforms: the Kalibr-PL, designed for use from submarines, and the Kalibr-NK, designed for surface ships. These two launch platforms can be equipped with the following warhead and guidance combinations:

Domestic variants

Club-S

Club-N

Land-based anti-ship and land-attack self-propelled missile system for coastal defense. Both missile variants in the system arsenal weigh 1,700 kg and feature a 450 kg warhead and flight speed of 240 m/s. According to the manufacturer, in land-attack mode, the system has a CEP of 50 m.

Club-A

'Club-K' - a Russian container complex of missile weapons, placed in the standard 20- and 40-foot sea container. Designed to defeat surface and ground targets. The complex can be mounted on shorelines, vessels of various classes, rail platforms and trucks. It is a modification of the Kalibr missile system.
The Russian Kilo class, Lada class, Akula class, Yasen class, and Borei class are the submarine launch platforms for the missiles.
The Russian Admiral Gorshkov class, Admiral Grigorovich class, and Gepard class frigates are able to carry these missiles. Also the Indian Talwar class frigate is another shipborne launch platform for the Club missile system.
The Russian Gremyashchy class, Buyan-M class, the second batch of Steregushchy class corvettes and the Karakurt class are low displacement platforms with Kalibr system ability.
In addition, it is believed by some analysts that an air-launched variant will be developed to arm the Tu-142s currently in service with the Russian navy. A truck mounted version is planned for development by the Novator Design Bureau. A Club-K variant, which is disguised as a shipping container that can be placed on a truck, train, or merchant vessel, was advertised in 2010 and was shown for the first time at the MAKS 2011 air show. Putting the launcher system into a standard shipping container allows the missiles to be moved and stored without arousing suspicion, which in turn renders pre-emptive strikes against the launcher very difficult. In MAKS 2007, the 3M-54AE was placed beside a Su-35. This means the plane will have the ability to launch the Club-A variants. The lighter 3M-14AE was also beside MiG-35.

Operators