Kh-90

The Kh-90 (NATO: AS-19 Koala /SS-N-24 SCORPION / Kh-90 Meteorit-M/SSC-X-5 GLCM (DoD)) was a Soviet cruise missile which was supposed to replace subsonic intermediate range missiles in Soviet inventory. The missile was an ambitious project since the target was to ultimately develop it into hypersonic missile. However the entire program was canceled as a result of the INF treaty with the United States.

According to astronautix.com (link below ) the development of three variants of this cruise missile was authorized on 9 December 1976. The Meteorit-M strategic version would be deployed from 667M submarines with 12 launchers per boat. The air-launched Meteorit-A would be launched from Tu-95 bombers. The land-based version was designated Meteorit-N. The missile was also sometimes referred to by the code-name Grom. The first test launch, on 20 May 1980, was unsuccessful, as were the next three attempts. The first successful flight did not come until 16 December 1981. The first launch from a 667M submarine took place on 26 December 1983 from the Barents Sea. However all variants were canceled in 1988 as a result of the INF Treaty.

The missile was designed by Chelomei at NPO Mashinostrenniye and designated the SSC-X-5 GLCM by the US Department of Defense. The turbojet-powered missile would cruise at Mach 2.5 to 3.0 at 20 km altitude over its 3000 km range. It was equipped with a 1 Mt thermonuclear warhead and used inertial navigation with data link updates.

Manufacturer: Chelomei. Maximum range: 3000 km.