Long-Range Effort

Russian guided-weapons builder Novator is continuing to work, albeit slowly, on an ultralong-range air-to-air missile, with a version on offer for export to a select customer set.

Designated article 172, the weapon was included on a model of the Su-35 derivative of the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker, on display during the Dubai air show. The export version, known as the 172S1, has a 300-km. (186-mi.) range, compared with 400 km. for the original version specified by the Russian air force. The missile, which is also referred to (perhaps erroneously) as the KS-172, is intended to engage specific high-value targets such as airborne warning and control aircraft, air-to-ground surveillance and tanker platforms. The configuration differed from a previous engineering model in having a set of four fins on the boost motor.

The original Russian requirement dates back to the late 1980s. The program was first revealed in 1993, with what appeared to be a full-scale engineering mockup of the design shown.

Alexander Klementiev, Sukhoi commercial director and deputy general director, suggested that the Novator missile was still at the conceptual stage and that the ultimate design could look somewhat different from the one shown in Dubai. However, the exact status of the program remains unclear, as do several other Russian long-range air-to-air missile efforts. One potential customer for the article 172 could be India, which operates the Su-30MKI version of the Flanker family. Also shown on the model was the NPO Mashinostroenia Yakhont/Onix (SS-NX-26) antiship missile. India is to produce a version of the Yakhont, known as Brahmos, and has recently completed a test-firing program.

The six firings included land and ship-based launches of the missile. India and Russia are also pursuing air-launched versions, known as Brahmos-A/Yakhont-M. Potential launch platforms in the Indian inventory include the Su-30MKI derivative of the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker, and the Tupolev Tu-142 Bear-F antisubmarine-warfare aircraft.