Su-57 fighter "stuns" when carrying 2 Kh-69 missiles on external racks

Su-57 fighter "stuns" when carrying 2 Kh-69 missiles on external racks

Thursday, October 24, 2024 10:30 AM (GMT+7)

Hanging Kh-69 missiles externally will reduce the stealth level of the Su-57 fighter, so why did the Russian Air Force take this step?

The image of a Su-57 fighter carrying two Kh-69 Ovod-M2 missiles on external pylons recently published by the Russian press has caused a stir in the media as well as the international military expert community. According to Militarnyi.

Carrying external weapons will obviously significantly increase the fighter's radar cross section (RCS), making it easier to detect, while stealth is the main advantage of the Su-57 fighter. According to Militarnyi.

For this purpose, Russian military engineers had to carry out a deep modernization of the Kh-59M2 missile, the new weapon was designated Kh-59MK2 and later called Kh-69 Ovod-M2. According to Militarnyi.

Thanks to its square-section body, this type of aviation ammunition can fit into the weapons bay of a 5th generation fighter, so it is quite reasonable to wonder why the weapon is installed on the Su-57's external pylons. According to Militarnyi.

It should be emphasized that the Kh-69 air-to-ground cruise missile was tested on the Syrian battlefield by the Su-57 fighter jet, and then widely used in special military operations in Ukraine. According to Militarnyi.

Most notably, it is reported that this particular cruise missile hit a TV tower in Kharkiv and destroyed one of the military facilities in the Nikolayev region. According to Militarnyi.

According to comments, in real combat, the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter has demonstrated many advantages and it is possible that installing the Kh-69 missile outside the aircraft is just part of the next testing process. According to Militarnyi.

However, Russian designers and military officials have yet to officially comment on the reason for installing the Kh-69 missile on the external pylon of the fifth-generation stealth fighter Su-57 Felon. According to Militarnyi.

Another issue of great concern is that the Russian Aerospace Forces have begun using a new version of the Kh-69 missile with a cluster warhead to attack Ukraine. According to Militarnyi.

A photo of the remains of a Russian missile was published by the Ukrainian press, with many suggesting that the country's air defense forces shot down the Kh-69 on October 19. According to Militarnyi.

"A Kh-69 cruise missile with a cluster warhead was shot down tonight," the Telegram channel "Colonel GSh", famous for its Ukrainian military commentary, said. In addition, it was noted that a Russian missile with such a warhead was detected for the first time in Ukraine. According to Militarnyi.

"The photo shows that the warhead contains prominent parts in the form of metal layers. If such layers are found, do not touch them and immediately call the Emergency Situations Service units," the article said. The first confirmation of the attack by the Kh-69 missile with a high-explosive penetrating warhead was announced in February 2024. The Russian Air Force also used the latest Kh-69 cruise missile to attack the Trypil TPP in April this year. According to Militarnyi.

The manufacturer said the Kh-69 cruise missile is capable of carrying a 310 kg warhead to accurately strike targets at a distance of at least 300 km. According to Militarnyi.

This missile can be launched from the external suspension of the Su-30, Su-34 and Su-35S fighters, and thanks to its square cross-section, it fits into the internal weapons bay of the latest generation Su-57 fighter. The fact that the Kh-69 Ovod-M2 cruise missile was shot down by Ukrainian air defense shows that the weapon is not invulnerable and perhaps Russia will soon have to launch an upgraded version. According to Militarnyi.

PV (according to ANTĐ)

Source: https://danviet.vn/tiem-kich-su-57-gay-choang-khi-mang-2-ten-lua-kh-69-o-gia-treo-ngoai-20241024101133737.htm