Will Vietnam manufacture a ground-to-ground version of the KCT15?

The KCT 15 anti-ship cruise missile, with some changes in guidance technology, could become a land-attack version.

The military website Defenceblog once quoted a source from the Russian Tactical Missile Corporation (KTRV) saying that Moscow had transferred designs for different versions of the KCT 15 missile at the request of Vietnam.

It is expected that Vietnam will produce large quantities of KCT-15 anti-ship missiles, including three variants: surface-launched, air-launched, and land-launched.

In addition, Vietnam also has the right to export KCT 15 to any country, similar to the case of India exporting BrahMos missiles. The addition of a large number of these advanced weapons will help our defense capabilities increase significantly compared to the present.

Prototype of the KCT 15 anti-ship cruise missile produced in Vietnam. Photo: VOV

However, the development potential of KCT 15 is considered to be untapped. It should be noted that most anti-ship missiles now have a land-attack cruise missile variant.

Modifying to swap functions is not too difficult, just replace the active radar probe with a terrain image matching probe, combine with a reference system, correct the flight path through GPS or GLONASS global positioning... then you will have a weapon as desired.

It is easy to mention here a few typical cases such as the 3M-14 Kalibr which is produced based on the 3M-54 supersonic anti-ship missile, CM-602 - the land-attack version of the YJ-62, or even recently the P-800 Oniks/Yakhont and PJ-10 BrahMos missiles also have ground-attack variants.

Vietnam's Molniya 1241.8 will be capable of launching extremely powerful attacks if it is integrated with the KCT 15 anti-ground version.

If the KCT 15 anti-land missile is successfully manufactured, current warships of the Vietnam People's Navy such as Gepard 3.9, Molniya 1241.8 or even BPS-500 will not have to be upgraded to carry Kalibr missiles and can still launch extremely powerful long-range attacks.

With a small, light weight, an estimated cost of only 1/3 compared to Kalibr and expected to apply advanced guidance technology and control algorithms to help increase the firing range to 300 km (compared to 130 km of Kh-35 Uran-E), a small ship like Molniya 1241.8 can also carry at least 8 KCT 15-round anti-ground missiles to suddenly approach the enemy base and launch a thunderous attack.

Obviously, manufacturing an additional land-attack version of the KCT 15 missile will bring great benefits, and the technology is no longer as advanced as it was a few decades ago. Therefore, it is not impossible that after mastering the production process of the KCT 15 anti-ship missile, Vietnam will launch the final variant.

According to Baodatviet