Styx Variants?

[World B4]

Since it was basically the Sea Scud in terms of operators and proliferation, I'd like to know more about any iraqi, cuban, north korean, libyan, etc. etc. variants. Also any more advanced soviet soviet versions that never became operational, or some other nation's attempts to reverse engineer the missile, or pull the ol' syrian polymerization and combine it with some other soviet equipment. Especially hoping to find something else like the Krajina Krooz Missile aka the Terrestrial Termit aka the Serbian Scud aka the Vergeltungsprska 1 a delightful mashup of soviet equipment that could lay waste to entire balkans region!

K-15 Krajina Missile - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Dilandu]

Well, the Soviet line is that:

* P-15 - basic model, with 40 km range and active radar seeker. Due to non-folding wings, could be used only from hangar-type launchers)
* P-15TG - version with passive infrared guidance, sucsessfulky tested, but not implemented due to original P-15 being replaced by newer models.
* P-15U - improved model with folding wings (to fit into more compact container launcher), active radar seeker.
* P-15UT - version of P-15U with infrared seeker.
* P-20 - export version of P-15U.
* P-15M - improved, long-range version (80 km), active radar seeker.
* P-15MT - version of P-15M with infrared seeker.
* P-21 - export version of P-15M.
* P-22 - export version of P-15MT.

All versions could carry both conventional and nuclear warheads - as far as I know, there weren't specific designation for nuclear-tipped ones.

Sometimes P-15A mentioned as proposed air-launched version, that was not developed far.

 

[World B4]

Here we see the LNA's improvised coastal defense system. The launcher is made out of the loading mechanism for reloading the missiles into their normal launch tubes. There was a widely circulated video of the missile launching and immediately nosediving. What wasn't shown was the radar that made the system (theoretically) functional for coastal defense, as is relatively common.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1318323686299082753

View: https://twitter.com/josephhdempsey/status/1318323686299082753

 

[World B4]

On page 21, probably the closest we'll see to a styx converted into a functional ballistic missile. HY_2 airframes used in the construction of Al-Samud II missiles.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-DUELFERREPORT/pdf/GPO-DUELFERREPORT-2.pdf

On page 45, modified HY-2 missile program, and Al-Jinin missile project.

 

[Dilandu]

On page 21, probably the closest we'll see to a styx converted into a functional ballistic missile. HY_2 airframes used in the construction of Al-Samud II missiles.

What are you talking about?

 

[NMaude]

I find it amazing that there are still thousands of SS-N-2s in service around the world despite the missile's age.

 

[Dilandu]

I find it amazing that there are still thousands of SS-N-2s in service around the world despite the missile's age.

Well, for decades and half (from 1960 till 1975) they were literally the only self-homing anti-ship missiles, available on export market. And their sucsessfull performance against Eliat and later in Indo-Pakistan war was very persuasive.

 

[TomS]

On page 21, probably the closest we'll see to a styx converted into a functional ballistic missile. HY_2 airframes used in the construction of Al-Samud II missiles.

What are you talking about?

In the report, it's noted that some examples of the Iraqi Al Samud II ballistic missile used airframes and structures from the HY-2 missile because they were similar in size the the planned design of Al Samud II. Recycling the HY-2 parts into Al Samud II allowed for quicker development.

An Al Karamah official claimed that Dr. Muzhir, who had previously developed a 750-mm design by 1993, discovered that the airframe and ring assembly for the HY-2 cruise missile was based on a 760-mm diameter. Because of time constraints, these items could easily be used to quickly develop and manufacture his 760-mm-diameter missile. Figure 3 depicts an early Al Samud II using an HY2 airframe.

 

[cattalonX]

http://slide.mil.news.sina.com.cn/slide_8_60922_32023.html/d/8#p=4

 

[Dilandu]

In the report, it's noted that some examples of the Iraqi Al Samud II ballistic missile used airframes and structures from the HY-2 missile because they were similar in size the the planned design of Al Samud II. Recycling the HY-2 parts into Al Samud II allowed for quicker development.

Hm. Theoretically it's... Not impossible. P-15 family missiles (including HY-2) are propelled by liquid fuel rocket engines, using Tonka and nitric acid. If they took the whole hull & engine section, they could save a lot of troubles, by using the existing feeding system.

 

[TomS]

In the report, it's noted that some examples of the Iraqi Al Samud II ballistic missile used airframes and structures from the HY-2 missile because they were similar in size the the planned design of Al Samud II. Recycling the HY-2 parts into Al Samud II allowed for quicker development.

Hm. Theoretically it's... Not impossible. P-15 family missiles (including HY-2) are propelled by liquid fuel rocket engines, using Tonka and nitric acid. If they took the whole hull & engine section, they could save a lot of troubles, by using the existing feeding system.

The engines were from SA-2s (V-750 missile I believe). I think they just used airframes and thrust structures from HY-2, but it's not 100% clear. Much of the Iraqi missile effort was improvised, so who knows what parts they scavenged?

 

[NMaude]

The engines were from SA-2s (V-750 missile I believe).

From the SA-2 wikipedia article:

storable liquid-fuel upper stage, which burns AK-20 (based on red fuming nitric acid ) as the oxidizer and TG-02 (toxic mixture of 50-52% triethylamine and 48-50% isomeric xylidine) as the fuel. [1]

The rocket-motor was the Isayev S2.711V.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/S2_720A2_3.jpg/297px-S2_720A2_3.jpg

 

[World B4]

Good photos of the LNA's contrapshun

https://twitter.com/x/status/1284952553193639939

View: https://x.com/imp_navigator/status/1284952553193639939

 

[NMaude]

I wonder if Ukraine has any old SS-N-2 Styx missiles in its' missile inventory as they could be put to use as land attack cruise-missiles?

 

[Stargazer5]

Well, the Soviet line is that:

* P-15 - basic model, with 40 km range and active radar seeker. Due to non-folding wings, could be used only from hangar-type launchers)
* P-15TG - version with passive infrared guidance, sucsessfulky tested, but not implemented due to original P-15 being replaced by newer models.
* P-15U - improved model with folding wings (to fit into more compact container launcher), active radar seeker.
* P-15UT - version of P-15U with infrared seeker.
* P-20 - export version of P-15U.
* P-15M - improved, long-range version (80 km), active radar seeker.
* P-15MT - version of P-15M with infrared seeker.
* P-21 - export version of P-15M.
* P-22 - export version of P-15MT.

All versions could carry both conventional and nuclear warheads - as far as I know, there weren't specific designation for nuclear-tipped ones.

Sometimes P-15A mentioned as proposed air-launched version, that was not developed far.

P-20 had a new warhead in which the shaped charge fired at 12 degree off axis with the intention of causing an exit hole below the waterline.

 

[World B4]

I wonder if Ukraine has any old SS-N-2 Styx missiles in its' missile inventory as they could be put to use as land attack cruise-missiles?

Ukraine operated the Rubezh system as well as missile boats with Styxs, but these are liquid rockets with toxic fuels that represent a high cost in well trained rocket fuel handling personnel that could be doing other things and hazardous materials susceptible to drone strikes for a missile that’s WAY worse at sinking ships and hitting land targets than a Neptune that’s in production and doesn’t have those drawbacks. Ukrainian rocket specialists are needed for ballistic, heavy mlrs, and sam production, though if Ukraine could use the missile fuselages for ballistics a la Iraq, it could be useful.

 

[Dilandu]

P-20 had a new warhead in which the shaped charge fired at 12 degree off axis with the intention of causing an exit hole below the waterline.

As far as I know, all Termit missiles carry such warhead. The main idea was, that missile hit enemy ship from dive, and the inclination of shaping cavity down would send the jet close to vertically down (thus ensuring that enemy vital parts - machines, magazines, control rooms - would be hit)

 

[Stargazer5]

The first picture is a 4G15 warhead from the P15. It weighed 513kg and had 480kg of explosive. Second shows the 4G20 of the P20 series it weights 475kg. Some claim cruise height for both was 20m and final around 5m, but actual indication of when it transitioned from one to another has not been reported. Best guess is minimum of 500m to go possibly 1km, but simplest to implement and hence most likely would be when seeker locked on to target which could be at seeker switch on. Terminal flight path therefore expected to be near horizontal, which fits with real world events.