Missile Kh-35 (AS-20 Kayak)

Development of the Kh-35 began in the 1970s to provide the Soviet Navy with a low-flying anti-ship missile for medium tonnage vessels. The system was intended as a lower-cost, compact alternative to larger contemporary anti-ship weapons. Official development was authorized in the early 1980s, and flight testing commenced in 1985. Following the resolution of seeker development issues, the system was first displayed in 1992. Export deliveries began in 1996, while the Russian Navy officially adopted the ship-based version in 2003 and the coastal defense variant in 2004. NATO reporting names distinguish the launch platform rather than the weapon: the air-launched version is designated AS-20 Kayak, the ship-launched version SS-N-25 Switchblade.

The Kh-35 is a subsonic cruise missile powered by a turbofan engine. It utilizes a sea-skimming flight profile to reduce radar signature, maintaining an altitude of 10–15 meters during the cruise phase and descending to 4 meters during the terminal phase. The missile features a normal aerodynamic configuration with cruciform wings and a semisubmerged air intake. Guidance is provided by an inertial system and radio altimeter during the en route phase, with an active radar seeker used for terminal target acquisition. The ARGS-35E X-band seeker is the standard equipment, though some versions utilize the Gran-KE seeker. The system is designed to engage naval targets up to 5,000 tonnes and can operate in sea states up to 5–6. The missile carries a 145 kg high-explosive fragmentation or penetrating shaped-charge warhead. The Kh-35U variant is a unified version capable of striking both maritime and land targets.

The missile is widely deployed across naval, aerial, and coastal platforms. Shipborne installations are designated Uran, while the mobile coastal defense system is designated Bal. Launch platforms include Su-30, Su-34, and Su-35 fighter aircraft, Tu-142 patrol aircraft, and Ka-27 and Ka-52 helicopters. The system is operated by Russia, India, Vietnam, Algeria, Iran, Myanmar, and Egypt. North Korea operates a domestic variant known as the Kumsong-3, and Vietnam produces a local version designated VCM-01. Ukraine utilizes the Neptune, a derivative of the Kh-35 design. The missile has seen combat use during the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Ukrainian military data reported in 2024 indicates that 6.7 percent of launched Kh-35 missiles were intercepted by air defenses. Venezuela has also acquired the coastal defense variant.