Russian Navy: Status & News #2

For a mid to top of the line destroyer you should use a Moskit follow-on rather than Oniks for your main anti-ship missile.

Onyx replaces Moskit and Granit.

For a future first line destroyer Zirconium should be the standard missile but as it will be fitted with UKSK launchers that means it can carry Onyx, Brahmos, Zircon, Brahmos II, Kalibr, or Klub family land attack, antiship, anti sub missiles in any combination... he notes on his drawing... 14 UKSK launchers... which means 5 UKSK launchers with Onyx (5x8=40) and 5 UKSK launchers with Kalibr (5x8=40), plus 4 remaining UKSK launchers for the anti sub Klub (4x8=32)

Anti sub Klub is a ballistic rocket that is fired 40km at mach 2 and delivers a torpedo to hunt down subs... very rapidly and with little warning for the sub.

There is a Tsirkon family of missiles that is “identified” as being a replacement for the Oniks family.

Indeed the Zirconium missile is likely to be a scramjet powered Onyx... likely with new electronics and aerodynamic improvements to allow it to operate at hypersonic speeds.

The Soviets had lots of different AShMs... early on they were liquid rocket propelled, but later turbojet powered and now ramjet powered missiles are common.

The turbojet powered Granit basically replaced the liquid rocket powered Bazalt, but the Vulkan also was developed as a replacement... I guess they preferred the turbojet powered Granit over the liquid rocket propelled missiles.

Moskit was the first rocket/ramjet powered anti ship missile the RuN used and was intended as an anti AEGIS missile at shorter ranges than open ocean. The Onyx also uses rocket/ramjet design, while Zircon uses rocket/scramjet propulsion.

The Moskit follow-ons are about 1.5 times heavier than the Oniks family. Each generation of the Moskit follow-ons are much more superior to the corresponding generation of Oniks follow-ons. Moskit follow-ons, of course, use launchers that are larger than UKSK launchers.

Onyx is the follow on missile to Moskit. Moskit upgrades add fuel to extend range and change flight profiles to further improve range and speed performance, but Onyx is the far superior missile in every sense.

No model Moskit can reach targets at the 500km range of Onyx.

the export model of the Onyx is Yakhont which outranges late model Moskit with a 300km range. Moskits are for export to China these days.

The Granit follow-ons are about 2 times heavier than the Oniks family. Each generation of the Granit follow-ons are much more superior to the corresponding generation of Moskit family follow-ons. Granit follow-ons, of course, use launchers that are larger than the launchers for the Moskit family.

What Granit follow ons?

Weight is not a good indication of performance. Granit weighs 7 tons because it uses a turbojet engine and a lot of fuel to reach targets 500-600km away from the launch platform.

Combined rocket/ramjet or combined rocket/scramjet propulsion is far more efficient, simpler, and cheaper than turbojet propulsion... and is used on Onyx/Yakhont/Brahmos and Zircon/Brahmos II respectively.

There is no point in a Granit follow on today because it is no longer in production. They might be still making Vulkans, but the liquid propellent rocket motors might be a problem.

It makes rather more sense to use up stocks of older missiles and focus on two types of launchers... below deck UKSK universal launcher for land attack, anti ship, and anti sub missiles, and the quad launcher for the light Kh-35M that is mounted above deck.

Another advantage will be the ability to secure the communications near the HQ and important buildings of the Navy...