Vietnam to launch Kh-35-based Anti-ship Missile Production

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Naval Defence Industry News - Vietnam
 
 
 
Vietnam to launch Kh-35-based Anti-ship Missile Production
 
Vietnam is planning to start the serial production of indigenous KCT 15 anti-ship missiles (ASM) based on Russian Kh-35E (NATO reporting name: AS-20 Kayak, Russian designation: 3M24E) ASM, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
     
Vietnam is planning to start the serial production of indigenous KCT 15 anti-ship missiles (ASM) based on Russian Kh-35E (NATO reporting name: AS-20 Kayak, Russian designation: 3M24E) ASM, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
     
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the state news agency of North Korea, released a series of pictures showing the Korean People's Army (KPA) Navy test launching a new type of anti-ship missiles from a Surface Effect Ship (SES). The new indigeneously developped missile shares a close ressemblance with the Russian made Kh-35 (Uran or SS-N-25 Switchblade). It is the first time the missile and the SES are officialy revealed by North Korean media.
     
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the state news agency of North Korea, released a series of pictures showing the Korean People's Army (KPA) Navy test launching a new type of anti-ship missiles from a Surface Effect Ship (SES). The new indigeneously developped missile shares a close ressemblance with the Russian made Kh-35 (Uran or SS-N-25 Switchblade). It is the first time the missile and the SES are officialy revealed by North Korean media.
A KPA Navy SES launches a new type of anti-ship missile. With this launch, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea unveiled a missile that extremely resembled AS-20 Kayak.
     
As the specialists of the Institute suppose, the production of KCT 15 will boost the capabilities of the local defense industry and simplify the logistic support for 3M24E ASMs acquired from Russia.

According to the Institute, Vietnam has become the second Asian-Pacific country that developed its own missile based on Kh-35E. Previously, Democratic People's Republic of Korea unveiled missile that extremely resembled AS-20 Kayak.

Vietnamese KCT 15 ASM is reported to be based on the technologies transferred by Russia. Hence, it remains unclear whether KCT 15 is a weapon fully developed by local defense industry. The missile was unveiled in late 2015.
     
The Russian made 3M24 Uran subsonic anti-ship missile can be launched from helicopters, surface ships and coastal defense batteries. It has a range of up to 250 kilometers (135 nautical miles) and carries a 145-kilogram high explosive warhead.
A KPA Navy SES launches a new type of anti-ship missile
     
The Russian made 3M24 Uran subsonic anti-ship missile can be launched from helicopters, surface ships and coastal defense batteries. It has a range of up to 250 kilometers (135 nautical miles) and carries a 145-kilogram high explosive warhead.
KH-35E Uran (SS-N-25 Switchblade) antiship missile on display during IMDS 2013
     
At present, Vietnam is an operator of sea-based Kh-35E missiles. In particular, Gepard-3.9 (Gepard-class) frigates, BPS-500 corvette and Project 12418 (Tarantul V-class) missile boats of Vietnamese Navy have received Kh-35E anti-ship missiles as the main weapon.

As local media outlets report, Russian-Vietnamese license agreement covers three types of Kh-35E missiles, namely, sea-launched, air-launched and coastal defense (a part of 3K60 Bal/SSC-6 Sennight mobile coastal defense system) ones.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute`s (SIPRI) arms transfers database, Russia supplied to Vietnam 198 Kh-35E anti-ship missiles in 2001-2015.

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