CRUISE-MISSILE design bureau NPO Mashinostroenia claims development projects to design next-generation supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles for the Russian navy are being hit by a lack of state funding.
According to the design bureau, neither the ramjet-powered Yakhont or turbojet-powered Alfa supersonic attack missiles are receiving state funding.
As far as Yakhont is concerned, NPO Mashinostroenia says that it is:"funding the programme independently", although it admits that it cannot continue to do this indefinitely.
According to the design bureau, the programmes began in the early 1990s. A first flight for the Alfa could be expected by the end of the decade, should the project continue.
The Yakhont can be either ship or submarine launched, while the Alfa could also be air-launched, according to the company. Each missile would have inertial mid-course guidance, coupled with an active-radar seeker for terminal engagement of the target.
The Yakhont is intended to be launched from a 600mm-diameter launch tube. The design bureau says that this is intended to allow the replacement of the system now fielded in this canister. It declines to identify this missile.
Source: Flight International