S-8 (missile)
The S-8 refers to a family of unguided air-to-surface missiles that were developed in the Soviet Union and are still used by the Russian Air Force . The missile is primarily used to combat semi-hard and hard targets on the ground.
Development history
At the end of the 1960s, the design office KB Totschmasch ( Russian КБ "Точмаш" ) was commissioned to develop a new unguided air-to-surface missile with a caliber of 80 mm. On the basis of the established and proven S-5 missile (caliber 57 mm), a weapon with a greater range was to be developed. The missile should also be reliably protected against aerodynamic heating in order to increase the maximum permissible speed of the carrier aircraft. The effects of the rocket's exhaust gases on the carrier aircraft when fired should be minimized, the time interval between individual launches and the minimum deployment altitude should also be reduced.
In order to meet the requirements, especially with regard to aerodynamic heating and the effects of the exhaust gases, the rocket is fired from the launch container B-8M or B-8M1. Such a launch container holds 20 rockets that can be fired individually or as a volley. In March 1972, the B-8M container was tested by the state and by the state; from April to July 1974 the B-8M and B-8M1 containers were compared in flight tests on a Su-17. Ultimately, the variant B-8M1 turned out to be the better; Dimensions and weights were smaller, and production was easier. Therefore, this variant was adopted in the armament. Both variants were developed by the MKB Wympel design office (Russian: МКБ "Вымпел"). The pod weighs 100 kilos empty; loaded with 20 missiles almost 400 kilos.
The B-8W7 launch container only holds seven missiles and is used on smaller aircraft and helicopters. This starting container was originally developed for export. It is mainly used on the many MiG-21 aircraft that are still in use outside of Russia. The S-5 missiles intended for this aircraft are no longer in production. The launch container B-8M1 can only be carried on the inner suspension points of the last series of the MiG-21, but not on the outer ones for weight reasons. With the smaller and lighter B-8W7 this equipment gap can be closed.
The starter device B-8-0 has an additional heat protection, the starter device B-8B20A used on helicopters has no aerodynamic fairing.
The family currently comprises 25 series variants and more than ten prototypes, some of which have been tested but not introduced. The large number of variants results from the fact that, on the one hand, certain warheads were equipped with different rocket motors, on the other hand, tried-and-tested rocket motors were provided with different warheads. Based on the base structure S-8 with a shaped charge - warhead , the variants S-8M, and S-8KOM formed with a warhead with increased penetration capability and a solids engine with extended burn time. The S-8KOM can penetrate armor up to a thickness of 400 mm. The S-8S variant is used to combat soft targets, its warhead breaks down into 2000 arrow-shaped fragments. The warheads of the S-8B and S-8BM variants are optimized for fighting bunkers and runways, the penetration rate is 0.8 m of reinforced concrete. The warhead of the variants S-8D and S-8DM is filled with liquid explosives. After the warhead has been dismantled, an aerosol cloud forms with an explosive force equivalent to 5.5–6 kg of TNT. The types S-8O and S-8OM are used for battlefield lighting. You can illuminate a target for 30 seconds with a light intensity of 2 mega- candelas . The S-8P missile is used to generate passive radar interference. For this purpose, metallized glass fibers are ejected; the effect of the chaff lasts about 3 seconds.
All variants with the letter “M” added have an improved solid fuel motor with a longer burning time and thus have a longer range. In the variants S-8A, S-8W, S-8AS and S-8WS, the solid-fuel motor has been further improved and the stabilization surfaces have been changed by changing the composition of the fuel.
construction
The rocket has a cylindrical fuselage with a diameter of 80 mm. The warhead is in the front third, the solid motor in the rest of the fuselage. The stabilization surfaces are foldable and are located at the rear end of the fuselage.
variants
- S-8: basic type, shaped charge warhead
- S-8M / KOM: increased penetration capacity, greater range
- S-8S: fragmentation warhead for fighting soft targets
- S-8B / BM: Bunker fighting
- S-8D / DM: aerosol warhead
- S-8O / OM: light head for battlefield lighting
- S-8P: passive radar interference
specification
| designation | Type | Rocket length | Weight (total) | Weight (warhead) | Range | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-8KO / KOM | Shaped charge | 1.57 m | 11.3 kg | 3.6 kg (0.9 kg of explosives) |
1.3-4 km | Penetration 400 mm armored steel |
| S-8B / BM | Bunkering | 1.5 m | 15.2 kg | 7.41 kg (0.6 kg of explosives) | 1.2-2.2 km | Penetration 800 mm reinforced concrete |
| S-8D | Aerosol | 1.66 m | 11.6 kg | 3.8 kg (2.15 kg warhead) | 1.3-3 km | |
| S-8 O | Battlefield lighting |
1.63 m | 12.1 kg | 4.3 kg | 4-4.5 km | 2 Mega Candela lamp head |
Carrier aircraft
The rocket was or is used on almost all modern Soviet and Russian combat aircraft and helicopters.
Warplanes
- MiG-27 "Flogger"
- MiG-29 "Fulcrum"
- Su-24 "Fencer"
- Su-25 "Frogfoot"
- Su-27 / K "Flanker"
- Su-34 "Fullback"
helicopter
Web links
- S-8 unguided aircraft rockets ( Memento from March 21, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
- Warfare.ru S-8 rockets (English)
- www.airwar.ru (Russian)