Kh-38

The Kh-38/Kh-38M (Х-38) is a family of air-to-surface missiles meant to succeed the Kh-25 and Kh-29 missile families. By now, Kh-38 has been developed into a diverse family of guided missiles and glide-bombs.

Design and development


The basic configuration of the Kh-38M was revealed at the 2007 Moscow Air Show (MAKS). The first prototypes of the missile had initially folding wings and tail fins for internal carriage, and would have a variety of seeker heads for different variants. Different warheads (fragmentation, cluster munitions, penetrating) can also be fitted. The Kh-38M is meant to succeed the Kh-25 and Kh-29 missile families. It can be used by combat aircraft such as the Sukhoi Su-34 and Sukhoi Su-57, and it is planned to be integrated on the Kamov Ka-52K helicopter. The first test firing took place in 2010 from a Su-34, and production was ordered to start in 2015.

In a successive version, unveiled at MAKS 2017, both control surfaces were replaced by longer and narrower fixed ones, a solution similar to the one used in the Selenia Aspide missile.

Operational history
The Kh-38M was first used in combat during the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war. It was also used during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Variants

 * Kh-38MA - inertial, active radar homing
 * Kh-38MK - inertial, satellite guidance
 * Kh-38ML - inertial, semi-active laser guidance
 * Kh-38MT - inertial, imaging infrared guidance

Both versions of the Grom are of 600 kg weight, with various guidance mechanisms, and both are created on the basis of the Kh-38M short-range tactical missile and also have modular structures, warheads and seekers. This weapon was first seen at MAKS 2015, and intended to equip all types of fighters, including the MiG-35 and Su-57.
 * Kh-36 Grom-E1 - AS-23 tactical cruise missile derivative/AGM with 120 km range
 * Kh-36 Grom-E2 - AS-23B/KAB-type guided glide bomb with 50 km range.