Last Updated: 06 July 2006

KLUB (SS-N-27) ASCM


Special Thanks to Jane's Missiles & Rockets


The Yekaterinburg-based Novator Design Bureau has developed a new cruise missile system designated Klub (NATO: SS-N-27) and is sometimes referred to as the Club, Biryuza and Alpha/Alfa. The Klub ASCM (anti-sub/ship cruise missile) has been designed to destroy submarine and surface vessels of all known types and also engage static/slow-moving targets, whose co-ordinates are known in advance, even if these targets are protected by active defences and electronic countermeasures. There are presently, two 'known' modifications of the system; Klub-S (for submarines) and Klub-N (for surface vessels). The latter can be installed in vertical launch cells or in angled missile boxes, depending upon operational requirements. Both systems are based on common hardware, the only difference being the design of the missile launchers and the missile transport-launching containers. Both modifications come in the supersonic 3M-54E or the subsonic 3M-54E1 AShM (anti-ship missile) variant and the 3M-14E LACM (Land Attack Cruise Missile) variant. Klub-S can also be armed with the 91RE1 anti-submarine torpedo and Klub-N with the 91RE2 anti-submarine torpedo.

Image © Jane's Missiles & Rockets via Nikolai Novichkov

These models show the four of the five missiles in the Klub ASCM family. From left to right, are the 91RE2, the 3M-54E, the 3M-54E1 and the 91RE1. Not pictured is the 3M-14E LACM.

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- 3M-54E 3M-54E1 3M-14E 91RE1 91RE2
Length {m} 8.22 6.2 6.2 8.0 6.5
Diameter {m} 0.533 0.533 0.533 0.533 0.533
Launch Weight {kg} 2,300 1,780 1,770 2,050 1,300
Maximum Range {km} 220 300 275 50 40
Speed {Mach} Depends on flight mode (1) 0.6 - 0.8 (2) 0.6 - 0.8 (3) 2.5 (4) 2.0 (5)
Warhead Weight {kg} 200 400 400 76 76
Control System Inertial plus Active
Radar Homing
Inertial plus Active
Radar Homing
Inertial Inertial Inertial
Flight Altitude
over Sea Surface
Not Known Not Known 20 meters Not Known Not Known
Flight Altitude
over Ground Surface
Not Known Not Known 50 - 150 meters Not Known Not Known
Flight Path Low-Flying Low-Flying Low-Flying Ballistic Ballistic

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(1) Subsonic Mode: Mach 0.6 - 0.8, Supersonic Mode: Mach 2.9
(2) Terminal Stage Speed for the 3M-54E1
(3) Terminal Stage Speed for the 3M-14E
(4) Ballistic Stage Speed for the 91RE1
(5) Ballistic Stage Speed for the 91RE2

Note: The initial booster stage speed for both the 3M-54E and 3M-54E1 are unknown. The 91RE1 and 91RE2 anti-submarine torpedoes have a largely ballistic flight profile. The maximum velocity indicated in the table above relates to the ballistic phase, and not the speed at which the weapon emerges from the torpedo tubes or re-enters the water. The missile continues to accelerate during its burn, until the motor cuts out and it coasts to the top of its trajectory. The torpedo payload is released and a parachute is deployed to reduce velocity and prevent break up on splash down, upon which the torpedo engages the target submarine.

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Image © Jane's Missiles & Rockets via Nikolai Novichkov

(Left) The pointed nose of the supersonic rocket, which forms the payload of the deadly 3M-54E AShM, protrudes from the front of the complete missile. (Right) The subsonic 3M-54E1 AShM, with wings extended.

Image © Andrei Pinkov via Kanwa.Com

The 3M-54E three-stage anti-ship missile consists of a booster, a subsonic cruise low-flying sustainer stage and a low-flying supersonic terminal stage. For surface vessels of smaller displacement or with shortened torpedo launchers, the system uses the 3M-54E1 anti-ship missile, which has a booster and a subsonic cruise sustainer stage, but carries a heavier warhead than the 3M-54E missile. After launch from either a vertical or angled deck-mounted launcher or from a submarine torpedo tube, the 3M-54E and 3M-54E1 follow similar trajectories. At an altitude of up to 150 metres, the solid-propellant booster is jettisoned, the under-fuselage air intake is extended, and the air-breathing sustainer engine is started. At the same time the wings and tail surfaces are extended, and the weapon descends to its cruising altitude of 10 to 15 metres above sea level. At a distance of up to 30 to 40 km from the target, the missile climbs to higher altitude and activates its ARGS-54 active homing radar seeker.

Developed by the Radar-MMS company of St. Petersburg, the ARGS-54 seeker has a maximum operational range of 60 km. As the missile continues towards the target at subsonic speed, the seeker scans from +45º to -45º in azimuth, and from and +10º to -20º in elevation. The ARGS-54 is 70 cm long, 42 cm in diameter, and weighs 40 kg without the radome. It can operate in precipitation conditions of up to 4mm/sec and in heavy sea conditions of up to sea state 6. After the target is detected and the seeker has locked on, the 3M-54E1 flies on at high subsonic speed to destroy the target. The 3M-54E, on the other hand, reaches its target in a different manner. At 20 km from the target, the 3M-54E's supersonic solid rocket-powered third-stage terminal 'dart' separates from the missile, descends to 3 to 5 metres above sea level and accelerates to a supersonic speed of Mach 2.9 in a zigzagging terminal run to hit its target.

The 3M-14E LACM has been designed to destroy ground-based targets and consists of a booster stage and a subsonic low-flying sustainer stage. The onboard control system includes a barometric altimeter used to maintain altitude in terrain-following mode (making the weapon stealthier than designs which rely on radar altimeters), plus a receiver for the Glonass satellite navigation system. The 3M-14E can be launched from either a submarine or a surface vessel. For most of the flight to the target area, the 3M-14E flies autonomously, following the pre-programmed route and turning points. Once over land, it uses a terrain-following flight path that will make it a difficult target for enemy air defences. This low-level flight mode poses a higher load on the wings and missile structure than flight over the sea surface, so the land-attack missile has slightly redesigned wings of shorter span and deeper chord, plus a stronger structure. A jam-resistant radar seeker is used for the final attack phase.

Image © Jane's Missiles & Rockets With the exception of the supersonic terminal stage, the 3M-14E LACM flies largely in subsonic mode.
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Image © Jane's Missiles & Rockets A close up shot of the 3M-14E's missile fins which it uses to maintain attitude control during flight.
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Image © Jane's Missiles & Rockets The 3M-14E's two stage motor gives it a long reach of 300 km.

The 91RE1 (Klub-S) and 91RE2 (Klub-N) anti-submarine torpedoes, use a separating underwater missile with a hydro-acoustic seeker and have been designed to destroy submarines. They differ only in their booster configuration. In the Klub-S variant, the torpedoes are launched from the submarine's tubes and the Klub-N uses ship-mounted launchers which can fire in any direction. Both variants use a rocket-booster to reach the designated target area. This considerably extends the target-engagement range in comparison to a conventional torpedo. In the case of the 91RE2 variant, it allows surface vessels to create a far larger defensive perimeter against submarine threats. The 91RE2 weights 1200 kg and has a maximum range of 40 km. The 91RE1 variant allows the launch submarine to engage the target submarine much earlier than a conventional tube-launched torpedo. The 91RE1, is designed to be launched from a 533mm torpedo tube at depths of up to 150 meters while the launch submarine is traveling at up to 15 knots. The missile weighs a total of 2050 kg. At the maximum launch depth, target engagement can be at a range of up to 50 km.

Image © Andrei Pinkov via Kanwa.Com

The sub-launched, 91RE1 anti-submarine torpedo (middle).

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Image © Andrei Pinkov via Kanwa.Com

The ship-launched, 91RE2 anti-submarine torpedo (left).

A universal FCS is used to plan the flight mission, upload this to the missile, and conduct pre-launch preparations. Both versions use a common shore-based system for planned inspection and maintenance of the missiles. Since the different types of missile are compatible with a common shipboard system, the user can load the vessel with whatever mix of weapons is best suited to the planned mission. An un-named official with the Novotar Design Bureau, when describing the 3M-54E variant, said "The Alfa combines aspects of the U.S. Harpoon and French Exocet besides the U.S. Tomahawk. This configuration offers speed, better fuel economy and a greater accuracy rate than the current Western missiles. Once launched from ship, submarine or aircraft, the 1.5-ton missile cruises at subsonic speed 15 feet above the sea to evade radar."

The official adds, "At around 40 miles to its approach to the target, the forward section of the missile separates and ignites a solid booster, which rockets the missile to a supersonic speed of Mach 2.9. The purpose of this is to defeat current anti-missile systems with the Alfa missile's sheer speed. By the time the missile is within enemy radar range, it is already doing Mach 2.9. Within seconds it will be upon its target, even before existing anti-missile systems can fire their engines. Its ability to attack land targets is enhanced by a new homing and guidance system that put it in the Tomahawk league." The Klub presents new challenges to Western defenses like Phalanx and Aegis CIWS currently found aboard many Western-built naval vessels. The Klub-S ASCM is planned to be incorporated into Russia's next generation Amur Class submarine, reportedly of which the first vessel is being built for the Indian Navy. However, that is yet to be confirmed from reliable sources.

Image © Jane's Missiles & Rockets

Two possible launch modes of the 3M-54E1 AShM.

The Sindhugosh Class submarines are being equipped with the Klub-S (the 3M-54E variant), while the three Talwar Class frigates will be equipped with the Klub-N (the 3M-54E variant, in VLS mode). Induction of the Klub ASCM, makes India the first export customer and also gives the Indian Navy it's first under-water launched missile capability. The Indian Navy is truly excited about this missile and calls it the Russian Tomahawk. Admiral Sushil Kumar (Retd.), former Chief of Naval Staff, has said, "The missile will give us unsurpassed reach and kill capability. The Klub fits into the torpedo tubes of the submarine and can target ships and land targets." This indicates that the Indian Navy might have possibly acquired the 3M-14E variant as well.  In December 2001, India Defence Consultants reported that up to 200 Klub ASCMs are being supplied for the Sindhugosh Class submarines being refitted and for the future needs for the Project 17 Class frigate and the Kolkata Class destroyers. In July 2002, Jane's Defence Weekly (JDW) reported that the INS Sindhugosh might also be equipped with the 3M-14E, in addition to the 3M-54, during her mid-life refit. On 06 July 2006, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the purchase of 28 Klub-S (3M-14E variant) land-attack cruise missiles at a cost of USD $184 million.

Acceptance trials conducted by the Indian Navy for its modernised Sindhugosh Class submarines, resulted in six successful 3M-54E test launches which demonstrated both minimum (20km) and maximum (220km) range capability against surface targets. During a test launch, in an Indian Ocean test range, a 3M-54E missile launched from INS Sindhushastra failed to hit its target. Upon further investigation it was revealed that the fault was with the target on the test range and not with the ARGS-54 seeker. An anchored target with a corner radar reflector simulating a frigate-class surface ship was displaced and the reflector began to radiate signals in a direction perpendicular to a flight trajectory of the missile's third supersonic stage. As a result, the ARGS-54 seeker failed to acquire the target. During qualification tests conducted for the Talwar Class frigates, a  3M-54E missile completed a successful live-fire test in the Barents Sea, demonstrating its maximum operational range of 220 km. The missile performed flawlessly and accurately hit the target. No reliable info exists on whether the Indian Navy intends to acquire the 91RE1 or 91RE2 anti-submarine torpedoes.

Reportedly, an air-launched variant is being examined by the Indian Navy to arm it's long-range Tu-142M maritime patrol aircraft. The 3M-24E (NATO: SS-N-25) AShM remains the most likely replacement for the BAe Sea Eagle AShM. The 3M-51 with it's heavier warhead, longer range and much higher terminal velocity will compliment rather than compete with the Sea Eagle's successor. The 3M-51 reportedly uses a high-level cruise profile, with a dive to low level followed by the discarding of the main motor assembly. It's not clear how far along the missile is in the platform integration and testing cycle. Given the strong visual similarities, existing design history, and available reports it seems likely that the same two stage approach and active seeker seen in the supersonic 3M-54E would also be used in the 3M-51. A truck-mounted version of the missile, for coastal defence, is planned by the Novator Design Bureau.

Image © Jane's Information Group A B&W image of an early prototype model of the supersonic 3M-51, with wings extended. The missile also goes by the designation, ASM-MS.
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Image © Jane's Information Group The 3M-51 on display in 1996, by Novator NPO, in front of a Su-27IB Flanker. The scoop for the turbojet is visible to the rear of the missile.
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Image © Jane's Information Group An un-dated photograph of the 3M-51. The 3M-54E1 AShM is at right.

3M-51 Specifications*

Length: 8.5 meters
Diameter: ?
Wing Span: 3.1 mete
rs
Launch Weight: 2000 kg
Range: 108n miles (200 km)
Speed: Mach 2 (Terminal Stage Speed)
Warhead: 200 kg (High Explosive)
Guidance:
Inertial + Active Radar Homing
Flight Path: Low Flying

*Note: The following specifications have been acquired from various sources and are thus speculative.


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