UK Defence Intelligence assesses risks posed by upgraded Russian Kh-101 cruise missile

UK Defence Intelligence has reported that the Long-Range Aviation Command of the Russian Aerospace Forces has installed a second warhead on Kh-101/Kh-102 air-launched cruise missiles (AS-23a KODIAK in the Western classification). The Russian army has already adopted the new version of the missile.

Source: European Pravda, citing the latest update from the UK Ministry of Defence

Details: According to the UK Defence Ministry, the Long-Range Aviation Command of the Russian Aerospace Forces has sought to modify its systems and tactics throughout the war against Ukraine.

This is because too many missiles were being intercepted by Ukrainian air defence systems, and Russia seeks to expand its capabilities to achieve a greater effect.

In addition, Moscow wants to use up older missiles, as the Aerospace Forces exhausted their more modern systems in the early days of the full-scale war, the Defence Ministry said.

UK Defence Intelligence estimated that this latest missile modification probably halved the range of the Kh-101/Kh-102 missiles but, analysts say, Russia does not need the full range.

"The second warhead is designed for increased fragmentation at the target. It is likely that this will make the system more effective in striking non-hardened targets," the update says.

Background: 

• UK Defence Intelligence has previously analysed the role of pro-Russian Chechens, better known as Kadyrovites, on the battlefield.
• In an earlier update, UK intelligence predicted that Russian casualties would increase in the next two months.
• It has also reported that following Ukraine’s attack on the Kushchyovskaya airfield, Russia was forced to withdraw approximately 40 aircraft of various types from the area and disperse them to numerous airfields further from the front line.

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