Missile Kh-22 (AS-4 Kitchen)

The Kh-22 was developed in the Soviet Union following an analysis of naval engagements during and after World War II. Soviet military doctrine shifted toward stand-off attacks to neutralize carrier battle groups without direct naval confrontation. This led to the conversion of heavy bombers into missile carriers capable of launching strikes from coastal or island airfields.

The system is a liquid-fuel rocket-powered cruise missile utilizing a combination of fuel and inhibited red fuming nitric acid. It supports multiple flight profiles, including a high-altitude mode where the missile climbs into the stratosphere before executing a high-speed terminal dive. A low-altitude mode provides a shallower approach. Guidance is provided by a gyroscope-stabilized autopilot and radio altimeter, with terminal phase engagement via active radar homing. Modernized variants incorporate inertial navigation systems and improved seeker heads that function independently of satellite navigation.

Warhead options include a conventional shaped charge or thermonuclear options. Specialized variants include the Kh-22P for anti-radiation missions against radar installations. The Kh-32 is a contemporary derivative featuring an updated motor and seeker head designed for engagement of ships and radio-contrast land targets such as bridges, military bases, and power plants.

The Kh-22 entered service in 1968 and was widely deployed by Soviet Air Forces and Naval Aviation. It is currently operated by Russia, primarily utilizing the Tu-22M3 strategic bomber as a launch platform. Former operators include Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine; the latter decommissioned and scrapped its inventory following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The first combat use occurred during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The missile has been employed against various ground targets, including industrial sites, hydraulic structures in Kryvyi Rih, and urban infrastructure in Odesa, Dnipro, and Kremenchuk. The missile is used against "radio-contrast" targets and has been noted for limited accuracy in land-attack roles. Interception rates remained low due to the missile's high speed until 2024, when Ukrainian forces claimed the first successful engagement of Kh-22 and Kh-32 variants. Many older missiles in the inventory are believed to have self-destructed during flight due to their age.