Non Strategic Nuclear Weapons - Federation of American Scientists

Non-Strategic Nuclear Weapons May 2012
configuration is one AS-4 under each wing. Despite its age, the missile is in widespread
use at Backfire bases. In September 2011, Tu-22M3 bombers from Shaykovka Air Base in
western Russia conducted a 1,200-km range cruise missile attack at the P-500 range in
Astrakhan Region. 131
There have been reports that an upgraded version of the AS-4, know as Kh-32, was
under development. Development of the possibly dual-capable 500-km range missile began
in 1995 with a rumored in-service date of 2005, but nothing has happened and the
program may have been delayed or canceled. 132
The AS-16 Kickback (Kh-15) is a dual-capable short-range attack missile with a range
of 150 km and a 350-kt warhead. Each Backfire-C can carry six missiles internally in a
rotary launcher and four more under each wing for a total of 10 missiles per aircraft. One
source stated in February that the AS-16 has been retired, 133 although this has not been
confirmed elsewhere.
The Su-24M Fencer-D, Russia’s main tactical bomber, is capable of delivering nuclear
gravity bombs. It has a combat range of approximately 1,000 km and is widely deployed at
bases along Russia’s borders. Part of the 1970s-vintage Su-24M fleet is being upgraded;
the upgrade is known as Su-24M2.
Gradual replacement of the Su-24M is underway with the Su-34 Fullback; the first
was deployed to Voronezh Air Base in western Russian in December 2011. The new Su-
34 bomber might inherit a nuclear mission from the Su-24M, although there is no confirmation
of this.
Other aircraft that had nuclear capability in the Soviet air force include the MiG-27
Flogger and Su-22 Fitter. These aircraft are getting old and their current nuclear capability
is uncertain. 134
Information about Russian non-strategic nuclear gravity bombs is scarce. One source
lists a wide range of versions with yields ranging from 20 to 1,000 kilotons for delivery by
a wide range of aircraft: Tu-22M Backfire-C medium-range bombers, Il-38 May and Tu-
142 Bear-F anti-submarine aircraft, and fighter-bombers such as Su-24 Fencer, MiG-27
Flogger, Su-27 Flanker, and MiG-29 Fulcrum. 135
Russia is also working on a new nuclear cruise missile, known as the Kh-102. Because
the Kh-102 is being developed in parallel with a conventional version (Kh-101), there is
some confusion as to whether the nuclear version will only be deployed on the strategic
131 "Russian strategic bombers hit mock targets in training launches," Interfax-AVN, September 7, 2011 (translation by
Open Source Center via World News Connection).
132 “Offensive weapons, Russian Federation,” Jane’s Strategic Weapon Systems, August 24, 2011.
133 Piotr Butowski: “New Lease on Life for the Tu-22M3,” Air & Cosmos, February 22, 2012. Translation by Open Source
Center via World News Connection.
134 Note that Jane’s Aircraft publications continue to credit the MiG-27 and Su-22 with nuclear capability.
135 See: “Offensive Weapons: Russian Federation,” Jane’s Strategic Weapon Systems, August 24, 2011, p. 68.
A Russia source says there are no nuclear gravity bombs for the Tu-95MS and Tu-160 aircraft. Pavel Podvig, “Test of a
Kh-555 cruise missile,” russianforces.org, May 26, 2005,
http://russianforces.org/blog/2005/05/test_of_a_kh555_cruise_missile.shtml
57 Federation of American Scientists www.FAS.org