RK-55

RK-55 Relief (NATO reporting name: SSC-X-4 'Slingshot') S-10 Granat (SS-N-21 'Sampson')
RK-55 transporter erector launcher
Type	surface/sub-launched nuclear cruise missile
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	since 1984
Used by	Soviet Union / Russia
Production history
Designer	L. V. Lyulev, Novator NPP Temp, Raduga
Designed	1975
Manufacturer	Novator, NPP Temp, Raduga MKB, KhAZ (Kharkiv), others?
Produced	1976
Specifications
Mass	1,700 kg (3,750 lb)
Length	809 cm (26 ft 7 in)
Diameter	51 cm (20.1 in)
Wingspan	310 cm (122.0 in)
Warhead	Conventional Nuclear
Blast yield	Nuclear 200kt ^[1]

Engine	Solid-propellant rocket booster + R-95-300 or 36MT-37 turbofan 450 kgf
Operational range	3,000 km (1,600 nmi)^[2]
Maximum speed	720 km/h (447.4 mph)
Guidance system	Sprut inertial guidance plus TERCOM
Launch platform	Akula, Sierra II, Victor III, Yankee Notch, and Yasen-class submarines, TEL

The Novator RK-55 Relief (Russian: РК-55 Рельеф 'Relief'; NATO: SSC-X-4 'Slingshot'; GRAU: 3K12) is a Russian Navy cruise missile that is launched either from submarines (SLCM) or from surface ships. It can have a nuclear warhead developed in the Soviet Union. A version launched from submarine torpedo tubes, the S-10 Granat (SS-N-21 'Sampson'; GRAU: 3K10), has apparently been converted to carry conventional warheads and continues in service to this day.^[3] The Russian Federation was reported to have deployed the derivative SS-CX-7/SS-CX-8 systems on 14 February 2017. The land launched version is called the Novator 9M729.

The RK-55 is very similar to the air-launched Kh-55 (AS-15 'Kent') but the Kh-55 has a drop-down turbofan engine and was designed by MKB Raduga.^[4] Both have formed the basis of post-Cold-War missiles, in particular the 3M-54 Kalibr which has a supersonic approach phase.^[5]

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Development

In the late 1960s, the "Ekho" study conducted by the GosNIIAS institute concluded that it would be more effective to deploy many small, subsonic cruise missiles than the much more expensive supersonic missiles then in favour.^[6] In 1971 Raduga began working on the air-launched Kh-55, which first flew in 1976.^[4] That same year, RK-55 first flew.^[5] NPO Novator would work on the submarine- and ground-launched versions. In 1993 Novator exhibited the Sizzler series weapons, which appears to be based on the RK-55.^[5] It is a two-stage design, which goes supersonic during its final approach to the target.^{[citation needed]}

Design

The S-10 is launched through 533 mm torpedo tubes.^{[citation needed]}

Operational history

Fewer than 100 RK-55s had been deployed by the end of 1988.^[2] The new Akula class was the first class to receive the new missile.^[7] It was later fitted on the Sierra I/II and Victor III classes and the new Yasen-class submarines.^[7]

Four Yankee-class submarines deployed in 1988^[2] are of a design of particular note, replacing the missile compartment with additional torpedo tubes for 35-40 land attack cruise missiles. They were probably nuclear-tipped S-10s during the Cold War, and then converted to use conventional warheads ^[7] after the START I treaty restricted sub-launched nuclear cruise missiles. The US Navy has done the same on a grander scale with the SSGN conversions of four Ohio-class submarines. It has been suggested that S-10's could in future be fitted to converted Delta-class submarines, or to surface ships, but these have not been confirmed.^[5]

Variants

RK-55 (SSC-X-4 'Slingshot') – ground-based version^{[citation needed]}
S-10 (SS-N-21 'Sampson') – submarine-launched version^[8]
9M728 and 9M729 (SSC-7 and SSC-8 'Screwdriver') – ground-based version, assessed range 480–5,500 km (300–3,420 mi), nuclear capable^[9]^[10]^[11]

Conventional unitary High Explosive (HE) warhead and submunition warhead versions of the RK-55 have probably been developed, to justify the continuing service of the submarines that carry them.^[5]

Operators

Russia

Former

Derivatives

India
Iran
North Korea
People's Republic of China
Pakistan
Ukraine Korshun (Luch Artem - KhAZ - Vizar ZhMZ - Yuzhnoe Pivdenmash) with MS400 (Ivchenko Progres Motor Sich) engine.

Similar weapons

Ground Launched Cruise Missile (BGM-109G Gryphon) - land-based Tomahawk with tactical nuclear warhead of 10-50 kt and 2000–2500 km range
Pershing 1b and Pershing II RR - 740 km range ballistic missile also in testing at the time of the INF Treaty.
Raduga Kh-55 - originally thought in the West to be an air-launched version of the RK-55, now has tactical versions such as the Kh-555 and the stealthy Kh-101.
UGM-109 Tomahawk - the Capsule Launch System allows Tomahawks to be fired from torpedo tubes or dedicated submarine launch tubes

Notes and references

^ SIPRI (1989) p16
^ ^a ^b ^c Norris, Cochran; et al. (1989), SIPRI Yearbook 1989: World Armaments and Disarmament (PDF), p. 21, archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-12-09, retrieved 2009-02-04
^ "SS-N-21 "Sampson" (RK-55)". Missile Threat. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Kh-55 (AS-15 'Kent'/Kh-555/RKV-500/Kh-65)", Jane's Strategic Weapon Systems, 2009-09-09, archived from the original on February 4, 2009, retrieved 2009-02-04
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "RK-55 Granat (SS-N-21 'Sampson'/3M10)", Jane's Strategic Weapon Systems, 2008-09-10, retrieved 2009-02-04 ^{[dead link]}
^ "Kh-55/RKV-500A, Kh-55SM/RKV-500B, Kh-555 and Kh-65SE (AS-15 'Kent')", Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, 2008-08-01, archived from the original on June 4, 2009, retrieved 2009-02-06
^ ^a ^b ^c "SS-N-21 'Sampson' (P-1000 3M70 Vulkan/3K10 Granat)", Jane's Naval Weapon Systems, 2009-01-08, archived from the original on September 15, 2008, retrieved 2009-02-04
^ "RK-55 Granat (SS-N-21)". Center for Strategic and International Studies. August 2, 2021.
^ "U.S. Accuses Russia of Deploying Cruise Missile in Threat to NATO". Newsweek. March 8, 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
^ "Russia Test Fires SSC X-8 Cruise Missile". defenseworld.net. September 28, 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
^ Pike, John. "9M729 - SSC-X-8". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2018-10-22.

Bibliography

Thomson, David B. (July 1999), A Guide to the Nuclear Arms Control Treaties LA-UR-99-3173 (PDF), Los Alamos National Laboratory

External links

Media related to RK-55 at Wikimedia Commons
Missile Threat - SS-N-21 (RK-55) at CSIS
SSC-X-8 at GlobalSecurity.org

NATO designation for Russian and former Soviet Union missiles

Air-to-air
(full list)

Air-
to-surface
(full list)

Anti-tank
guided
(full list)

Surface-
to-air
(full list)

Ground- based	SA-1 Guild SA-2 Guideline SA-3 Goa SA-4 Ganef SA-5 Gammon SA-6 Gainful SA-7 Grail SA-8 Gecko SA-9 Gaskin SA-10 Grumble SA-11 Gadfly SA-12 Gladiator/Giant SA-13 Gopher SA-14 Gremlin SA-15 Gauntlet SA-16 Gimlet SA-17 Grizzly SA-18 Grouse SA-19 Grison SA-20 Gargoyle SA-21 Growler SA-22 Greyhound SA-23 Gladiator/Giant SA-24 Grinch SA-29 Gizmo Morfey S-350 Sosna-R/RA
Naval- based	SA-N-1 Goa SA-N-2 Guideline SA-NX-2C M-3 SA-N-3 Goblet SA-N-4 Gecko SA-N-5 Grail SA-N-6 Grumble SA-N-7 Gadfly SA-N-8 Gremlin SA-N-9 Gauntlet SA-N-10 Grouse SA-N-11 Grison SA-N-12 Grizzly SA-N-14 Grouse SA-N-20 Gargoyle SA-N-21 Greyhound 9K 96 Redut Palash/Palma
Anti- ballistic	ABM-1 Galosh ABM-3/53T6 Gazelle S-500 A-235

Surface-
to-surface
(full list)

Ground- based	SS-1 Scunner/SS-1 Scud (Scud-A/-B/-C/-D) SS-2 Sibling SS-3 Shyster SS-4 Sandal SS-5 Skean SS-6 Sapwood SS-7 Saddler SS-8 Sasin SS-8B Sasin 2 SS-9 Scarp SS-10 Scrag SS-11 Sego SS-12 Scaleboard SS-X-13 Savage SS-13 Savage SS-14 Scamp/Scapegoat SS-15 Scrooge SS-16 Sinner SS-17 Spanker SS-18 Satan SS-19 Stiletto SS-20 Saber SS-21 Scarab SS-22 Scaleboard SS-23 Spider SS-24 Scalpel SS-25 Sickle SS-26 Stone SS-27 Sickle B SS-28 Saber 2 SS-29 Sickle C SS-X-30 Satan 2 SS-X-31 Sickle D SS-X-32Zh Scalpel B Avangard / HGV Yu-7# SS-X-33 Stone AN
Naval- based	14KhK1 15Kh 17Kh KS-1 Komet P-20 Sokol P-40 P-47 SS-N-1 Scrubber SS-N-2 Styx SS-N-3c Shaddock SS-N-3a Shaddock 3b Sepal SS-N-4 Sark SS-N-5 Sark/Serb D-6 D-6M D-7 R-15M SS-N-6 Serb SS-N-7 Starbright SS-N-8 Sawfly SS-N-9 Siren SS-N-12 Sandbox SS-NX-13 Serb SS-N-14 Silex SS-N-15 Starfish SS-N-16 Stallion SS-N-17 Snipe SS-N-18 Stingray SS-N-19 Shipwreck SS-N-20 Sturgeon SS-N-21 Sampson SS-N-22 Sunburn SS-N-23 Skif R29RM SS-N-23A Skif SS-N-23B Skif SS-NX-24 Scorpion SS-N-25 Switchblade SS-N-26 Strobile SS-N-27 Sizzler SS-N-30A 3M-14 SS-NX-28 SS-N-29 SS-N-32 SS-NX-33 SS-NX-34 Skif SS-N-35 SS-N-36 SS-NX-37 SS-NX-38 Canyon
Ship- to-ship	10KhN SSC-1B Sepal Redut SSC-2 Salish/Samlet AS/KS-1 P-20 Sokol SSC-K P-1 Schuka KSShch SSC-3 Styx Rubezh SSC-4 Slingshot SSC-X-5 Scorpion SSC-6 Sennight SSC-7 Stone KS 9M728 SSC-8 Stone KB 9M729 SSC-14 Klub N/M 3M14/54 SSC-13 BrahMos SSC-10/SSC-5 Stooge Bastion P/S SSC-7/12 3M-80MV SSC-X-11 "GZUR" SSC-X-15 Skif SSC-X-9 Stone AN Hermes M ATS Hermes K ATS

Russian and former Soviet military designation sequences for radar, missile and rocket systems

Radar
systems

Land-based	A-100 P-3 P-8 P-10 P-12 P-14 P-15 P-18 P-19 P-20 P-30 P-35 P-37 P-40 P-50 P-70 P-80 P-100 Kabina 66 Kasta 2E RSN-225 Azov SNR-75 1S91 30N6 36D6 64N6 76N6 96L6E 9S15 9S19 9S32 Duga Dnestr Dnepr Daryal Dunay Volga Don-2N Voronezh Container
Ship-borne
Airborne	N001 N002 N005 N006 N007 N008 N010 N011 N012 N014 N019 N025 N035 N036

Missiles

ICBM	BZhRK GR-1 R-7 R-9 R-16 R-26 R-36 R-36M R-46 RS-24 RS-26 RT-2 RT-2PM RT-2PM2 RT-20 RT-21 RT-23 RS-28 Sarmat UR-100 UR-100MR UR-100N UR-200
IRBM	R-14 RSD-10
MRBM	R-5 R-12 RT-15
SRBM	2K1 2K6 9K52 9K720 R-1 R-2 R-11 R-11A R-17 OTR-21 OTR-23 TR-1
SLBM	R-13 R-15 R-21 R-27 R-29 R-39 RSM-45 RSM-56
Surface-to-surface (cruise)	Burya RSS-40 3M-51 Alfa 3M-54 Kalibr 9M730 Burevestnik
Surface-to-surface (naval)	P-1 P-5 P-15 P-70 P-120 P-270 P-500 P-700 P-750 P-800 P-900 P-900A P-1000 RKV-500A RPK-2 RPK-6 RPK-7 URPK-3 URPK-4 URPK-5
Surface-to-air	2K11 Krug 2K12 Kub 2K22 Tunguska Kashtan CIWS 9K31 Strela-1 9K32 Strela-2 9K33 Osa 9K34 Strela-3 9K38 Igla/9K338 Igla-S 9K333 Verba 9K35 Strela-10 9K37 Buk 9K330 Tor Pantsir-S1 42S6 Morfey S-25 Berkut S-75 Dvina S-125 Neva/Pechora S-200 Angara/Vega/Dubna S-300 S-350 (50R6) Vityaz S-400 Triumf S-500/55R6M Triumfator-M M-11 Shtorm Sosna-R
Air-to-surface	KSR-2 KSR-5 KS-1 K-10S Kh-11 Kh-15 Kh-20 Kh-22 Kh-23 Kh-25 Kh-26 Kh-28 Kh-29 Kh-31 Kh-35 Kh-38 Kh-41 Kh-55 Kh-58 Kh-59 Kh-80 Kh-90 9M114V Shturm-V Hermes-A Kh-47M2 Kinzhal
Air-to-air	K-5 R-3 R-4 R-8 R-23 R-27 R-33 R-37 R-38 R-40 R-60 R-73 R-77 R-172
Anti-tank	3M6 9K111 9K112 9K114 9K115 9K115-2 9K121 9M14 9M15 9M17 9M113 9M117 9M119 9M120 9M123 9M133 9M133M Kornet-M Kornet-D Hermes

Unguided
rockets

Air-launched	RP-1 RP-5 RP-6 RP-9 RP-15 RP-21 RS-82 RS-132
Rocket artillery	BM-14 BM-21 BM-24 BM-25 BM-27 BM-30 TOS-1

Engines

This page was last edited on 25 March 2024, at 16:40

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