Kh-101 missiles: Modern weapons of Russia's strategic aviation

Today, Russia produces almost 8 times more Kh-101 (aka X-101) missiles than before the special military operation, Western media report. In 2021, Russia manufactured 56 Kh-101 missiles and increased their production to 420 pieces in 2023. 

Photo: flickr.com by Министерство обороны Украины, CC BY-SA 2.0

Noteworthy, the Kh-101 missile may contain more than fifty different foreign-made parts, despite numerous anti-Russian sanctions.

For example, two components of the Russian missile are labeled as "products of Swiss company STMicroelectronics", whereas other parts of the Russian missile including chips from Analog Devices, Texas Instruments and Intel are made in the US.

The parts that Russian companies obtained last year were absolutely identical to those that the Russian army used in the January Kh-101s. Russian companies bought them on the market and imported them through China.

On July 8, 2024, six Kh-101 missiles broke through Kyiv's air defense systems and hit a number of targets in the Ukrainian capital. 

Russia continues to actively develop and modernize its armed forces. The Kh-101 cruise missile is one of the key elements of this process. As of 2023, this weapon has become one of the most modern and high-tech weapons in service with Russian strategic aviation.

The Kh-101 missile was designed to hit ground targets at significant distances. It is capable of traveling distances up to 5,500 kilometers, which makes it one of the longest-range cruise missiles in the world. Strategic bombers such as the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS are used as the main carrier of these missiles.

One of the key features of the Kh-101 is its low visibility to enemy radar stations. The missile is made using stealth technology, which significantly complicates its detection and interception. This was made possible thanks to the special design of the body and the use of radar-absorbing materials.

In addition, the Kh-101 is equipped with a high-precision guidance system. The missile control system uses an inertial navigation system, satellite navigation and an optical-electronic trajectory correction system.

The Kh-101 can be equipped with both conventional and nuclear warheads, which makes it a universal weapon for performing various combat missions.

The Kh-101 cruise missiles serves as a powerful deterrent in ensuring Russia's strategic security.

The Kh-101 is a strategic air-to-ground cruise missile developed by Russian design bureau Raduga. It is designed to destroy enemy targets at long distances. The missile is equipped with a combined guidance system, including an inertial system with optical-electronic correction, as well as a homing head at the final stage of flight. The Kh-101 can carry a conventional or special warhead, depending on the modification. The missile has a range of up to 5,500 km and an accuracy of up to 10-20 meters.