Russian missile-design house Raduga is offering Middle Eastern states a retrofit deal covering the fitting to large patrol vessels and frigates of its ramjet-powered 3M-80E (SS-N-22 Sunburn) supersonic anti-ship missile. The design bureau considers that Saudi Arabia and Egypt are among the potential customers.
As well as offering the 3M-80E in the ship-launched configuration, Raduga is also proposing fixed and coastal-defence variants of the weapon, dubbed the 3F-80E. There are unconfirmed reports that Iran acquired a limited number of SS-N-22s from Ukraine and deployed the missiles in this way.
The design house is also proposing a similar upgrade to China, as well as to Indonesia and Malaysia. China has already ordered the 3M-80E as part of its purchase of Sovremenny-class destroyers from Russia. Raduga considers that China's Huangfin-, Jianchiu- and Luda-class warships could also be fitted with the missile.
The 3M-80E has a maximum engagement range of 120km (65nm), with a cruise altitude of 60ft (18m). In the terminal phase, the missile descends to around 1ft altitude. It is also capable of executing 10g lateral manoeuvres to complicate engagement by ship- defence weaponry. The missile is fitted with a dual-mode active/passive radar seeker for the terminal-engagement phase.
The 3M-80E is viewed as a considerable threat to many of the West's navies. Its increasing proliferation will fuel the debate over the need for more capable inner-layer defence against supersonic sea-skimming attack missiles.
Source: Flight International