The guidance system of the Granit missile has not become outdated in three decades

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Military equipment usually becomes obsolete fairly quickly. The exception is some samples that have become real masterpieces of design thought. The Kalashnikov assault rifle, the B-52 bomber, and a few more examples of products from the military-industrial complexes of the most industrially developed countries make up the "honorary list of old-timers." It also includes the Granit anti-ship missile, developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is still in service with the Russian Navy today.

At NATO Headquarters, there is a habit of assigning their own names to samples of Soviet and Russian military equipment. Apparently, they believe that Russian words do not fully express the essence of the weapons they represent. Indeed, is it a suitable name for a rocket - "Granite"? Solid rock, stone, has nothing to do with the largest anti-ship projectile in the world, capable of destroying an aircraft carrier. According to the NATO classification, the name is different, Shipwreck, which means "shipwreck". This is clearer.

The dimensions of the P-700 rocket are commensurate with the dimensionsjet interceptor MiG-21, for example. Length - 10 meters, wingspan 2.6 m. Starting weight is 7 tons, including a 750-kilogram combat charging compartment, as an option - nuclear.

The speed of the Granit missile varies in different phases of flight, on the combat course it exceeds 4000 km/h, and on the approach stage - 1500 km/h.

Launch is possible both from the surface and from the underwater position of the carrier.

All these technical characteristics are still impressive today, three decades after the adoption of the model. However, progress is inexorable, and in the 21st century you will not surprise anyone with such indicators of the speed and mass of the BZU. Oddly enough, on-board electronics deserves attention.

The backlog of the USSR in the field of information technology was considered an obvious fact. How Soviet engineers managed to create a guidance system on the element base of the 70s of the XX century that fully meets the requirements of the third millennium remains unknown, but many of the parameters of this device are still a military secret.

For example, the memory capacity of the on-board computer of the Granit missile is not published, but it is known that it contains information about all the ships of a potential enemy. Based on it, the built-in computer develops a decision on the priority of the target, and then acts according to the algorithm.

Granit missiles can operate autonomously, be guided by satellites of a space constellation, or carry out a massive attack (up to24 pieces at once). In the latter case, several control systems work together, using radio links as an interface. In this case, the role of the central server goes to the computer of the rocket that will be higher than the others. If it is knocked down by an enemy missile defense system, then within a few microseconds, the control system of another missile will take over the role of leader. Attacking one target with two missiles is excluded. Additional option: electronic suppression of hostile interference and setting your own.

The Granit cruise missile has never been used in combat conditions, so it is possible to judge its possible lethality only by the results of tests and exercises. They are successful, and it will be just fine if no other confirmation of its effectiveness is required. It is enough that our country has such protection.