Notes: One of the first ASMs used by the Soviet Union, the Kipper (Russian designation: K-10S) was designed to be slung underneath the center fuselage of a TU-16 Badger-C bomber. It has to be slung since it is so large. The conventional version shown here carries a 1000-pound high-explosive warhead, but is a very inaccurate weapon, with a CEP of 1-2 kilometers against land targets and 150 meters against ships. The Kipper is now almost entirely out of service, used only by a few Third World nations that also fly TU-16s, such as Syria and Libya.

Notes: The Kangaroo (Russian designation: Kh-20) was designed to provide a larger punch for Russian cruise-missile carrying bombers. It is a large missile carried one per Bear-B or Bear-C bomber, and is primarily designed for use with a nuclear weapon against enemy aircraft carriers. However, a version does exist carrying a conventional warhead (if a GM wants to put a nuclear weapon on one, the nuclear weapon normally used by the Kangaroo is an 800 kiloton thermonuclear warhead). Production of the AS-3 stopped at about the same time as the Kipper (1965); perhaps the only country that might still be using it is China, but even this is doubtful. A major shortcoming of the Kangaroo is that it is a beam riding missile that must be controlled by the firing aircraft for its entire flight through a radio link. This also makes it quite vulnerable to ECM.

Twilight 2000 Notes: China did use some of these missiles during the Twilight War, as well as Russia and India.

Merc 2000 Notes: These are primarily museum pieces.

Notes: The AS-4 (Kh-22) was originally designed to be fired by the supersonic Tu-22 Blinder bomber. It is carried recessed under the center fuselage of the Blinder (and the Tu-22M Backfire and Tu-95 Bear) and is guided by the firing aircraft or a Tu-95 Bear in the area until the missile comes within range of the Kitchen’s own active radar or IR homing devices (about halfway through its maximum range). There are three variants: the AS-4A (Kh-22N) with inertial guidance and a 350-kiloton nuclear warhead (not dealt with here); the AS-4B (Kh-22M) with active radar for attacking ships and land targets; and the AS-4C (Kh-22MP) with infrared guidance for use in high-ECM environments. Despite their age, these missiles are still in fairly common use.

Notes: This is a smaller missile designed to allow Russian bombers such as the Badger to carry two cruise missiles instead of one of the larger ones such as the AS-2, AS-3, or AS-4. The Kelt resembles a small jet fighter and may be based on the design of the MiG-17. The AS-5 Kelt is one of the few Russian cruise missiles actually used in combat; the Egyptian Air Force fired about 25 of them at Israeli targets during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, with 20 of them being shot down before they could hit their targets. There are at least three variants: AS-5A is a nuclear-tipped missile (not dealt with here); AS-5B has a conventional warhead and radar guidance; and AS-5C has a conventional warhead and antiradiation guidance.

Notes: This is basically a smaller version of the AS-4, designed to allow the Backfire, Blinder, and Badger bombers to carry two missiles instead of one. This was done using more advanced and miniaturized components rather than reducing the size of the warhead; the range is also longer. By 2003, the only countries still using the Kingfish on a regular basis are Iraq, Russia, and the Ukraine, though the status of the Iraqi missiles is now in serious doubt, as are the Badgers they used to carry them.

Notes: This was the first tactical air-to-surface missile built by Russia, and was still in widespread use by 2004. It is an older missile, guided by radio commands from the pilot, and must be steered its entire flight by the operator. It comes in two versions, the lighter Kh-66 and the heavier and faster Kh-23. The Kh-66 has a speed of 3250 meters per phase, and the Kh-23 version has a speed of 3995 meters per phase.

Notes: This Russian tactical missile equips both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. There are three versions: the heavier Kh-25 for aircraft, the lighter Kh-25ML for helicopters, and the long-range Kh-25MP. All are product-improved AS-7 missiles.

Notes: This weapon was first displayed in an arms show in the United Arab Emirates in 1991. It is a fire-and-forget missile related to the heavier AS-18 Kazoo. Because the missile is TV-guided, it can be thrown off by obscuring smoke if caught early in its flight.

Notes: This ASM was designed by the Molniya Design Bureau. It is their only ASM design; Molniya’s claim to fame is air-to-air missiles. The AS-14 was built to be carried by small and medium tactical aircraft, such as the MiG-27, Su-17, Su-24, and MiG-29. It is specifically designed to be used against hardened targets, with a reinforced nose section and almost half the weight of the missile being the warhead. There are 3 versions: the AS-14A (Kh-29L) is laser-guided; the AS-14B (Kh-29T) is TV-guided; and the AS-14C (Kh-29D) has fire-and-forget thermal imaging guidance. All three versions have been heavily exported and can be encountered almost anywhere in the world.

Notes: The AS-15 (Russian designation: K-55/65/555 Granat) was originally designed as a strategic cruise missile for use against large ships such as aircraft carriers and against land targets. The Kh-55 was the original version, with a 200-kiloton nuclear warhead and a range of 2500 or 3000 kilometers depending upon the model. (This will not be elaborated on here.) The Kh-65 (NATO AS-15C) is a tactical model; it has a greatly-reduced range to comply with the SALT and START treaties, and carries a high-explosive warhead. The Kh-555 (AS-15D) is a newer model that complies with revised START restrictions; it has the same HE warhead, but has a range of 3000 kilometers. These missiles do have a defect: they are designed to be used against large targets. If the target is between 150-299 meters square (based on the angle of approach of the missile), increase difficulty by one level. If the target is smaller than 150 square meters, increase difficulty by two levels.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The AS-15D does not exist. The AS-15C does exist, but the range should be increased to 600 kilometers.

Merc 2000 Notes: All three versions exist, but most AS-15Cs are using the increased range engine.

Notes: This weapon is roughly analogous to the US AGM-69 SRAM, being a short-range attack missile meant to be deployed primarily from rotary launchers on large bombers such as the Backfire and Blackjack. Once launched, the missile climbs to an altitude of 40000 meters, turns on its radar or seeker, acquires its target, and then dives at maximum speed towards it, using momentum to penetrate. It then detonates its warhead. Though some Kickbacks were produced with nuclear warheads, most of them carry conventional warheads.

Notes: This is a modern antiradiation missile employed by Russia and her allies. It can even be used against AWACS aircraft. The missile has a rocket booster motor and a ramjet sustainer, resulting in long range. The Krypton was specifically designed to deal with the US Patriot SAM. The missile may home in on the last known location of the target if the target's radar has been turned off.

Notes: This is an updated version of the AS-13 Kingbolt. In the Kazoo, the missile is boosted by a rocket, but the sustainer motor is a small turbojet engine. This results in vastly increased range. In addition, the guidance system is supplemented by a radio command guidance system that allows the firing pilot to make course corrections or take over if the target is obscured by smoke. The size of the warhead is greatly increased, and two warheads are available.