Vietnam produces components for Kh-29 missiles

The Air Defense - Air Force Technical Institute has successfully researched and manufactured the PP-35 gas generator primer block 2 - a device used for Kh-29 missiles on Su-27/30MK2.

This information was mentioned in an article published in the PK-KQ newspaper in early 2017. In recent times, the Institute has researched, designed, and manufactured a multi-function screen with integrated satellite navigation and data recording to replace the IPV-1 direct indicator block and the TNL-1000 satellite navigation device in the weapon control system on the Su-27 aircraft.

In particular, the Institute also successfully researched and manufactured the PP-35 gas generator primer block 2 of the Kh-29 missile, researched, designed and successfully manufactured the CB-5V70-CM block cluster of the SIMVOL-GIB computer on the Su-27SK aircraft and many other tasks.

Vietnam Su-30 fighter.

According to SIPRI data, by 2004 Vietnam had purchased more than 100 Kh-29 missiles to equip the Su-22M4 and Su-30MK2 fighter jets of the Vietnam Air Force.

The Kh-29 missile is a supersonic missile that can attack fortified targets, combat ships, landing ships, and command and logistics ships with functions similar to the American AGM-65 Maverick missile and the French AS-30.

The Kh-29 launcher is the APU-58 and AKU-58, the missile will be dropped from the aircraft before the engine is activated. The maximum Kh-29 carrying configuration on the Su-27/30 is 6 missiles.

The Kh-29 missile's warhead is a shaped charge designed specifically for penetration and according to the manufacturer it can penetrate 1 meter of concrete behind 3 meters of soil. After launch, the missile climbs to an altitude of 5,000 meters and then dives vertically towards the target.

The Kh-29's fuse can be set to either impact mode (when attacking targets such as bridges or culverts) or delayed mode (to penetrate bunkers or fortified structures, warships).

At the tail of the missile is a PRD-228 engine that uses solid fuel for easy maintenance and use. This engine works for 3 - 6 seconds, helping the missile fly at a speed of about 1,250 km/h and reach a range of 30 km (X-29TE version).

When firing the Kh-29, the missile will be dropped about 3m below the aircraft, then the wire connecting the aircraft to the safety pin on the Kh-29 will be released, the rocket engine will be activated. This design is to avoid the impact of the extremely powerful engine on the missile on the aircraft, as well as to prevent the smoke from the rocket engine from being discharged into the aircraft's air intake.

Interestingly, the Kh-29 has a large tail of fire for the first few seconds after launch, but it quickly disappears from the pilot's sight, leaving only a thin trail of smoke before hitting the target and detonating an impressive explosion.

And with a warhead weighing up to 320kg, the Vietnam Air Force's Kh-29 missile can destroy many types of fortified targets or warships with a displacement of over 10,000 tons with just a single shot.

According to Dat Viet Newspaper