Kh-38
Kh-38ME
Type	Tactical air-to-surface missile
Place of origin	Russia
Service history
In service	2012 (Kh-38ME) - 2019 (Kh-36)
Used by	Russia
Wars	Syrian Civil War[1][2] Russo-Ukrainian War
Production history
Designer	Tactical Missiles Corporation JSC
Designed	2007 (Kh-38ME) - 2015 (Kh-36)
Manufacturer	Tactical Missiles Corporation JSC
Produced	2015 (Kh-38M) - 2019 (Kh-36)
Specifications
Mass	520 kg (1,150 lb)
Length	4.2 m (13 ft 9 in)[3]
Diameter	0.31 m (12.2 in)[3]
Wingspan	1.14 m (44.9 in)
Warhead	HE fragmentation, cluster warhead, armor-piercing
Warhead weight	up to 250 kg (551 lb)[3]
Detonation mechanism	Contact fuse
Engine	Two-stage solid rocket motor[3]
Operational range	up to 40 km (21.6 nmi)[3]
Flight altitude	200-12000 m
Maximum speed	Mach 2.2[3]
Guidance system	Laser, active radar, IR, satellite, depending on variant
Launch platform	Kh-38: Su-34, Su-57, Ka-52K Kh-36: Su-57, MiG-35

The Kh-38/Kh-38M (Russian: Х-38) is a family of air-to-surface missiles meant to succeed the Kh-25 and Kh-29 missile families.

Design and development

The basic configuration of the Kh-38M was revealed at the 2007 Moscow Air Show (MAKS). The first prototypes of the missile had initially folding wings and tail fins for internal carriage, and would have a variety of seeker heads for different variants.^[4] Different warheads (fragmentation, cluster munitions, penetrating) can also be fitted. The Kh-38M is meant to succeed the Kh-25 and Kh-29 missile families. It can be used by combat aircraft such as the Sukhoi Su-34 and Sukhoi Su-57, and it is planned to be integrated on the Kamov Ka-52K helicopter. The first test firing took place in 2010 from a Su-34, and production was ordered to start in 2015.^[3]

In a successive version, unveiled at MAKS 2017, both control surfaces were replaced by longer and narrower fixed ones, a solution similar to the one used in the Selenia Aspide missile.^{[5][needs update]}

Operational history

The Kh-38M was first used in combat during the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war.^[3] It was also used during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.^{[citation needed]}

Variants

• Kh-38MA - inertial, active radar homing^[3]
• Kh-38MK - inertial, satellite guidance^[3]
• Kh-38ML - inertial, semi-active laser guidance^[3]
• Kh-38MT - inertial, imaging infrared guidance^[3]

• Kh-36 Grom-E1 - AS-23 tactical cruise missile derivative/AGM with 120 km range^[6]
• Kh-36 Grom-E2 - AS-23B/KAB-type guided glide bomb with 50 km range.^[7]

Both versions of the Grom are of 600 kg weight, with various guidance mechanisms, and both are created on the basis of the Kh-38M short-range tactical missile and also have modular structures, warheads and seekers. This weapon was first seen at MAKS 2015, and intended to equip all types of fighters, including the MiG-35 and Su-57.^[8]