Anti-ship missile


An anti-ship missile is a guided missile that is designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea skimming variety, and many use a combination of inertial guidance and active radar homing. A good number of other anti-ship missiles use infrared homing to follow the heat that is emitted by a ship; it is also possible for anti-ship missiles to be guided by radio command all the way.
The first anti-ship missiles, which were developed and built by Nazi Germany, used radio command guidance. These saw some success in the Mediterranean Theater in 1943–44, sinking or heavily damaging at least 31 ships with the Henschel Hs 293 and more than seven with the Fritz X, such as the Italian battleship Roma or the cruiser. A variant of the HS 293 had a TV transmitter on board. The bomber carrying it could then fly outside the range of naval AA guns and use TV guidance to lead the missile to its target by radio control.
Many anti-ship missiles can be launched from a variety of weapons systems including surface warships, submarines, bombers, fighter planes, patrol planes, helicopters, shore batteries, land vehicles, and conceivably, even by infantrymen firing shoulder-launched missiles. The term surface-to-surface missile is used when appropriate. The longer-range anti-ship missiles are often called anti-ship cruise missiles.

Etymology

A typical abbreviation for the phrase "anti-ship missile" is AShM or ASHM, it used to avoid confusion with air-to-surface missiles, anti-submarine missiles and anti-satellite missiles.

History

Anti-ship missiles were among the first instances of short-range guided weapons during World War II in 1943–1944. The German Luftwaffe used the Hs 293, the Fritz X, and others, all launched from its bombers, to deadly effect against some Allied ships in the Mediterranean Sea, seriously damaging ships such as the United States Navy light cruiser off Salerno, Italy. These all used radio command-guidance from the bombardiers of the warplanes that launched them. Some of these hit and either sank or damaged a number of ships, including warships offshore of amphibious landings on western Italy. These radio-controlled missiles were used successfully until the Allied navies developed missile countermeasures—principally radio jamming. The Allies also developed some of their own similar radio-guided AShMs, starting with the U.S. Navy's SWOD-9 Bat – the first autonomously-guided, radar-homing anti-ship weapon deployed worldwide, being deployed against the Japanese in April 1945 – but the Bat saw little use in combat, partly from its own late-war deployment date leaving few axis ships remaining as targets.
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union turned to a sea-denial strategy concentrating on submarines, naval mines and the AShM. One of the first products of the decision was the SS-N-2 Styx missile. Further products were to follow, and they were soon loaded onto the Soviet Air Force's Tu-95 Bear and Tu-22 Blinder bombers, in the case of the air-launched KS-1 Komet.
In 1967, the Israeli Navy's destroyer was the first ship to be sunk by a ship-launched missile – a number of Styx missiles launched by Egyptian s off the Sinai Peninsula.
In the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 the Indian Navy conducted two raids using s employing the Styx on the Pakistani naval base at Karachi. These raids resulted in the destruction or crippling of approximately two thirds of the Pakistani Navy. Major losses included two destroyers, a fleet oiler, an ammunition ship, approximately a dozen merchant ships and numerous smaller craft. Major shore-based facilities, including fuel storage tanks and naval installations were also destroyed. The Osas returned to base without loss.
The Battle of Latakia in 1973 was the scene of the world's first combat between missile boats. In this battle, the Israeli Navy destroyed Syrian warships without suffering any damage, using electronic countermeasures and ruses for defense. After defeating the Syrian Navy the Israeli missile boats also sank a number of Egyptian warships, again without suffering any damage in return, thus achieving total naval supremacy for the rest of the war.
Anti-ship missiles were used in the 1982 Falklands War. The British warship, a Type 42 destroyer, was struck by a single air-launched Exocet AShM, she later sank as a result of the damage that she sustained. The container ship was also sunk by an Exocet. was damaged when she was struck by an MM38 missile launched from an improvised trailer-based launcher taken from the Argentine Navy destroyer ARA Comodoro Seguí by Navy technicians, but she was able to take evasive action that restricted the damage.
In 1987, a US Navy guided-missile frigate,, was hit by an Exocet anti-ship missile fired by an Iraqi Mirage F-1 fighter plane. Stark was damaged, but she was able to steam to a friendly port for temporary repairs.
In October 1987, Sungari, an American-owned tanker steaming under the Liberian flag, and, a Kuwaiti tanker steaming under the American flag, were hit by Iranian HY-2 missiles.
In 1988 AShMs were fired by both American and Iranian forces in Operation Praying Mantis in the Persian Gulf. During this naval battle, several Iranian warships were hit by American AShMs. The US Navy hit the Iranian Navy frigate with three Harpoon missiles, four AGM-123 Skipper rocket-propelled bombs, a Walleye TV-guided bomb, and several "iron bombs". Despite the large number of munitions and successful hits, Sahand did not sink until fire reached her ammunition magazine, causing it to detonate, sinking the vessel. In the same engagement, American warships fired three Standard missiles at an Iranian Navy corvette. This corvette had such a low profile above the water that a Harpoon missile that arrived several minutes later could not lock onto it with its targeting radars.
In 2006, Lebanese Hezbollah fighters fired an AShM at the Israeli corvette, inflicting battle damage, but this warship managed to return to Israel in one piece and under its own power. A second missile in this same salvo struck and sank an Egyptian merchant ship.

Comparison

NameYearWeightWarheadRangeSpeedPropulsionLaunch platformGuidanceCountryComments
ZirconExpected for Size 4 pcs instead of 1 P-700 for 1 launcher / Min 4700 km/h, up to 8MSurface, submarineRussia
P-700 Granit1980Solid-fuel ramjetSurfaceInertial, active radar homing/anti radar, mid course correctionUSSR/Russia
P-10001985Approx. 700 and 1000 km Solid-fuel ramjetSurfaceInertial, active radar homing/anti radar, mid course correctionUSSR/Russia
Fritz X1943None AirManual GermanyUsed in combat
Henschel Hs 2931943Liquid-propellant, then glidingAirMCLOS GermanyUsed in combat
Kh-551984 conventional/200 kt nuclearTurbofanAirRadar inertial, tERCOM, infraredUSSR/Russia
Blohm & Voss BV 2461943None AirManual Germany
Ohka1943Solid-propellantAirManned JapanUsed in combat
Type 801982TurbojetAirInfrarredJapan
Type 911991TurbojetAirInertial, mid course correction, active radarJapan
Type 931993TurbojetAirInertial and IR ImageJapan
XASM-32016RamjetAirInertial / GPS, mid-course correction, active/passive radarJapan
Hsiung Feng I1978Solid-fuel rocketAir, surfaceInertial / Radar beam riding plus terminal semi-active homingTaiwan
Bat1944-AirActive radarUnited StatesUsed in combat
Harpoon1977Turbojet engineAir, surface, submarineRadar United StatesUsed in combat
AS.34 Kormoran1991RocketAirInertial, active radarGermany
Penguin1972Over Solid propellantAir, surface, submarineInertial, laser, infrarredNorway
AGM-65F Maverick1972Solid propellantAirLaser, infrarredUnited StatesUsed in combat
Naval Strike Missile2009High subsonicTurbojet and solid fuel boosterAir, surfaceInertial, GPS, terrain-reference, imaging IR, target databaseNorway
AGM-123 Skipper II1985Solid-fueledAirLaser-guidedUnited StatesUsed in combat
SS.12/AS.121960Solid-fueledAir, surfaceWire-guided MCLOSFrance
BGM-109B Tomahawk1983TurbofanAir, surface, submarineGPS, TERCOM, DSMACUnited StatesUsed in combat
RB 041955SubsonicSolid propellantAirActive radarSweden
RB 081966SubsonicTurbojetSurfaceRadio link active radarFrance/Sweden
RBS-151985TurbojetAir, surfaceInertial, GPS, radarSweden
Exocet1979Solid propellant, turbojet Air, surface, submarineInertial, active radarFranceUsed in combat
Gabriel1962Solid-fuel rocketAir, surfaceActive radarIsraelUsed in combat
Otomat1977Over TurbojetSurface, airInertial, GPS, active radarItaly
Martel1984Solid propellantAirPassive radar, videoUnited Kingdom/France
Sea Eagle1985Over TurbojetAirInertial, active radarUnited Kingdom
Sea Skua1983Solid fuelAirSemi-active radarUnited KingdomUsed in combat
LRASM2013 / 2018~900 kg450 kg370-560 kmHigh subsonicLiquid-fuel rocketAir, shipPassive radar and infrared homingUnited States
BrahMos-II2017+ScramjetShip, surface, air, submarineIndia/Russia
KSShch 1958NuclearLiquid-fuel rocketSurfaceInertialUSSR
P-15 Termit 1958Liquid fuel rocketSurfaceActive radar, infrarredUSSRUsed in combat
P-5 Pyatyorka 1959TurbojetSurfaceInertial, mid course correction, active radarUSSR
Kh-22 19621000 kg conventional/nuclearLiquid-fuel rocketAirInertialUSSR/Russia
P-70 Ametist 1968Solid rocketSubInertial, terminal homingUSSR
Moskit 1970RamjetSurface, airActive radar, infrarredUSSR
P-120 Malakhit 1972Mach 0.9Turbojet, solid fuelSurfaceInertial, mid course correction, active radarUSSRUsed in combat
P-500 Bazalt 19751000 kg / 350 kt nuclearLiquid fuel rocketSurface, submarineSemi-active, terminal active radarUSSR
P-800 Oniks 1983RamjetSurface, airActive-passive, radarRussia
3M-54 Kalibr 19930.8 M, 2.5/2.9MTurbojetSurface, sub, shipping containerInertial, active radarRussia
3M-54E1 Klub 20060.8 M, 2.5/2.9MTurbojetSurface, sub, shipping containerInertial, active radarRussia
3M-54E Klub 20060.8 M, 2.5/2.9MTurbojetSurface, sub, shipping containerInertial, active radarRussia
Kh-35 1983TurbofanSurface, airInertial, active radarUSSR/Russia/North Korea
Kh-15 1988150 kg conventional/nuclearSolid-fuel rocketAirInertial/Active radarUSSR/Russia
P15 & Silkworm KN1TurbofanSurface, coastalInertial, active radarNorth Korea/USSR/Russia
Hae Sung-I 2005TurbojetShip, surfaceInertial, active radarSouth Korea
SOM 2006Over kmTurbojetAirInertial / GPS, terrain referenced navigation, automatic target recognition, imaging infraredTurkey
Atmaca2017Over TurbojetSurface, airInertial/GPS+RA+DLTurkey
BrahMos2006, RamjetShip, surface, air, submarineInertial, active radarIndia/Russia
Hsiung Feng III2007RamjetShip, surfaceInertial, active radarTaiwan
MANSUP2009Solid-fuel rocketShip, surfaceInertial, active radarBrazil

Threat posed

Anti-ship missiles are a significant threat to surface ships, which have large radar, radio, and thermal signatures that are difficult to suppress. Once acquired, a ship cannot outrun or out-turn a missile, the warhead of which can inflict significant damage. To counter the threat posed, the modern surface combatant has to either avoid being detected, destroy the missile launch platform before it fires its missiles, or decoy or destroy all of the incoming missiles.
Modern navies have spent much time and effort developing counters to the threat of anti-ship missiles since World War II. Anti-ship missiles have been the driving force behind many aspects of modern ship design, especially in navies that operate aircraft carriers.
The first layer of antimissile defense by a modern, fully equipped aircraft carrier task force is always the long-range missile-carrying fighter planes of the aircraft carrier itself. Several fighters are kept on combat air patrol 24 hours a day, seven days a week when at sea, and many more are put aloft when the situation warrants, such as during wartime or when a threat to the task force is detected.
These fighters patrol up to hundreds of miles away from the task force and they are equipped with excellent airborne radar systems. When spotting an approaching aircraft on a threatening flight profile, it is the responsibility of the CAP to intercept it before any missile is launched. If this cannot be achieved in time, the missiles themselves can be targeted by the fighters's own weapons systems, usually their air-to-air missiles, but in extremis, by their rapid-fire cannon.
However, some AShMs might "leak" past the task force's fighter defenses. In addition, many modern warships operate independently of carrier-based air protection and they must provide their own defenses against missiles and aircraft. Under these circumstances, the ships themselves must utilize multilayered defenses which have been built into them.
For example, some warships, such as the U.S. Navy's guided missile cruisers, the guided missile destroyers, and the Royal Navy's Type 45 guided missile destroyer, use a combination of powerful and agile radar systems, integrated computer fire-control systems, and agile surface-to-air missiles to simultaneously track, engage, and destroy several incoming anti-ship missiles or hostile warplanes at a time.
The primary American defensive system, called the Aegis Combat System, is also used by the navies of Japan, Spain, Norway, and South Korea, and Australia. The Aegis system has been designed to defend against mass attacks by hostile anti-ship missiles or warplanes.
Any missiles that can elude the interception by medium-ranges SAM missiles can then be either deceived with electronic countermeasures or decoys; shot down by short-range missiles such as the Sea Sparrow or the Rolling Airframe Missile ; engaged by the warship's main gun armament ; or, as a last resort, destroyed by a close-in weapon system, such as the American Phalanx CIWS, Russian Kashtan CIWS, or the Dutch Goalkeeper CIWS.

Current threats and vulnerabilities

To counter these defense systems, countries such as Russia are developing or deploying very low-flying missiles that slowly cruise at a very low level to within a short range of their target and then, at the point when radar detection becomes inevitable, initiate a supersonic, high-agility sprint to close the terminal distance. Missiles, such as the SS-N-27 Sizzler, that incorporate this sort of threat modality are regarded by U.S. Navy analysts as potentially being able to penetrate the U.S. Navy's defensive systems.
Recent years have seen a growing amount of attention being paid to the possibility of ballistic missiles being re-purposed or designed for an anti-ship role. Speculation has focused on the development of such missiles for use by China's People's Liberation Army Navy. Such an anti-ship ballistic missile would approach its target extremely rapidly, making it very difficult to intercept.

Countermeasures

Countermeasures against anti-ship missiles include:
On February 25, 1991, during the first Gulf War, the Phalanx-equipped was a few miles from and the destroyer. The ships were attacked by an Iraqi Silkworm missile, at which Missouri fired its SRBOC chaff. The Phalanx system on Jarrett, operating in the automatic target-acquisition mode, fixed upon Missouris chaff, releasing a burst of rounds. From this burst, four rounds hit Missouri which was from Jarrett at the time. There were no injuries. A Sea Dart missile was then launched from HMS Gloucester, which destroyed the Iraqi missile, achieving the first successful engagement of a missile by a missile during combat at sea.
Modern stealth ships – or ships that at least employ some stealth technology – to reduce the risk of detection and to make them a harder target for the missile itself. These passive countermeasures include:
Examples of these include the Norwegian, the Swedish, the German, the US Navy's and Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, their Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's close counterparts in Aegis warships, the, and the, the Chinese Type 054 frigate and the Type 052C destroyer, Russian Navy's and, the Indian and, the French, the FREMM multipurpose frigate and the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyer.
In response to China's development of anti-ship missiles and other anti-access/area denial capabilities, the United States has developed the AirSea Battle doctrine. Amitai Etzioni of the Institute for Communitarian Policy Studies has characterized AirSea Battle as an escalatory military posture that entails ordering new or additional weapons systems, and has stated that AirSea Battle could "lead to an arms race with China, which could culminate in a nuclear war."