Raduga Kh-15 (AS-16 Kickback)

The Kh-15 short-range attack missile is analogous to the the American AGM-69 SRAM. Its basic version is the Kh-15P (Article 115) antiradiation missile used for breaking through air defenses. Its Kh-15A anti-ship version (exhibited in Abu Dabi 1993 as the Kh-15S) has an inertial navigation system for the initial flight stage and a millimetric-wave active-radar self-homing system for the final flight stage. During its initial flight stage the Kh-15 missile, using a solid-fuel, rises to an altitude of about 40,000 m, whereupon the target seeking radar turns on. Having been zeroed in on the target, the missile dives while accelerating to a speed of Mach 5.

Control system is inertial. The engine is solid-propellant, is dual chamber. Glider of wingless construction with the controlled cantilever rotary tail assembly. Cargo and instrument compartments of all-welded construction from the materials OTYA-Y and VT -5. Tail section - from OTYA-.I and VT -5. The sections of fuselage have external heat shielding TZMKT and internal heat insulation.

Controls completely rotary, are prepared from the material OT -4 with the external heat-shielding coating. The noses of controls are prepared from the high-temperature (strength) tungsten-molybdenum alloy VM -1. Edgings of sections and fairings - made of high-temperature (strength) steel VZH-Y00. The fairing about the ogival form with the heat insulation (TKCH-'), is coated by cloth ATOM -2. The surface of rocket airframe has the metallized coating for an improvement in the reflective characteristics during the radar irradiation.

With the mastery of this type of rocket in 1978 new technological process on the production of the fairings about the two-layered construction in the rigid molds was inculcated by the impregnation operation under the pressure with the simultaneous press-fitting on the glue VK -20 of two metallic frames. Furthermore, was inculcated the technological process of putting the heatproof material MKT directly on the metallic sections in the rigid molds by the impregnation operation under the pressure, and also the process of putting the heatproof material on the controls by autoclave vacuum forming.

Was mastered technological process on the production of the fairing about the three-layered construction on the connecting material K -9-70. First was formed layer from the cloth TS-8/3- WHO, the second layer - from T-11- R and the third of TS-8/3- WHO. Each layer required its heat working.

Great difficulties were with working of the technology of heat shielding the fairings of article. Essence in the fact that after putting of heatproof layer was necessary its heat working, in process of which were disrupted the geometric dimensions of details from the glass-fiber-reinforced plastic. Then was accepted the solution about the production of metallic details not according to design drawing, but by the technological with the prevention of sizes to the amount of deformation with the extrusion in the rigid mold.

Arose the need for production and large-dimension steel details, which require the very merciless terms for heat working. Not there was equipment of that being suitable. Was developed and built the first furnace PAP - large-dimension, high-temperature furnace with a temperature differential on the zones (this shch(S. made it possible to qualitatively conduct the heat treatment of details (without the residual deformation), and sometimes in the rigid adaptations (thermal calibration). Cowlings from the alloy VT, were processed by this method.

In the process of finalizing the technology of the production of fairings, sections of the rocket airframe, fairings, application of the external heat-shielding coating of these aggregates and in the tests active part took the specialists BAR S. n. ozerov, B. i. makov, A. A. osochenko, In. S. soldatenkov, M. A. Kharchenko, S. A. kuman'kova. Very important work was carry ouied with the institute im. Paton for development and equipment of production with the steel castings of cones by the method of centrifugal electroslag casting (TSESHL). But, to the large regret, could not be finished this work in view of the conversion.