Russia encounters difficulty in manufacturing Kh-59 aerial-deployed cruise missiles
Russia's ongoing production of the Kh-59 air-launched cruise missiles is facing significant hurdles, despite efforts to continue production. The international community is being urged to extend sanctions to all facilities supplying missile components to Russia, as reported by Ukraine's Defence Intelligence.
The production delays and quality issues are primarily due to shortages of both domestic and foreign components, especially the active radar homing heads (ARGSN), which are the most expensive and production-critical parts of the missiles. With many crucial components relying on foreign suppliers now missing or restricted, Russia is facing serious problems in fulfilling its orders.
Ukrainian intelligence reports that about 116 companies are involved in Kh-59 production, with nearly 40% still not under sanctions. Despite this, the country is still struggling to meet its defense order for the Kh-59 air-launched cruise missiles. The active radar homing head production is the main bottleneck, leading to the installation of inert mock-ups in some missiles.
To cope, Russian manufacturers are cannibalizing old missile systems for parts like outdated R95 engines and using mock-ups instead of functional radar seekers on some missiles. However, this practice is insufficient to maintain production rates. Sanctions are having a tangible effect, and Ukraine suggests that expanding sanctions to lower-tier suppliers would further slow Russian missile production.
The Kh-59 missiles are air-to-surface systems designed to strike buildings and fortified targets. Several modifications of Kh-59 missiles are available for different missions and ARH types. Despite the unsanctioned status of many companies, the use of reduced-quality components in the production of Kh-59 missiles is noted.
The situation with the production of Kh-59 air-launched cruise missiles remains unresolved due to Russia's lack of resources and manufacturing capacity. The use of mock-ups instead of active radar homing heads (ARH) indicates a compromise in the quality and functionality of the Kh-59 air-launched cruise missiles. The international community is urged to take action to further slow Russian missile production and maintain peace and security.
[1] https://www.arms-expo.ru/news/2021/12/22/kh-59-missiles-production-in-russia [2] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-struggles-meet-state-defense-order-kh-59-missiles-sources-2021-12-23/ [3] https://www.defense-aerospace.com/article/202201/20/5412834/russia-struggles-to-meet-state-defense-order-for-kh-59-missiles-sources-say/ [4] https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-military-power-explainer/kh-59-missile [5] https://www.military-today.com/missiles/kh-59.htm
- The ongoing production problems of the Kh-59 air-launched cruise missiles, primarily due to a lack of essential components, have significant implications for both the Russian economy and its military industry, as the delays threaten Russia's ability to meet its defense order.
- As the international community considers extending sanctions to all suppliers of missile components, there is growing concern over the impact on Russia's economic health and manufacturing capacity in industries like finance and manufacturing, particularly in the face of the potential cascading effects on other sectors should the missile production crisis worsen.
