Metel Anti-Ship Complex
Metel Anti-Ship Complex (Russian: противолодочный комплекс «Метель» 'Snowstorm'; NATO reporting name: SS-N-14 Silex) is a Russian family of anti-submarine missiles. There are different anti-submarine variants ('Metel') for cruisers and frigates, and a later version with a shaped charge ('Rastrub') that can be used against shipping as well as submarines.
| RPK-3 Metel (NATO reporting name: SS-N-14 'Silex') | |
|---|---|
Launcher with SS-N-14 missiles on an Udaloy-class destroyer. | |
| Type | Anti-submarine/ship missile |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1969–current |
| Used by | Russia |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1960s |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3,930 kg (8,660 lb) |
| Length | 7.2 m (24 ft) (85R missile) |
| Warhead | Various ASW torpedoes or nuclear depth charge. Later multi purpose torpedoes and 185 kg shaped charge warhead against ships. |
| Propellant | solid fuel rocket |
Operational range | 10 – 90 km for 85RU/URPK-5 Rastrub (versus ship) 5 – 50 km (anti-sub ) |
| Maximum depth | 20–500 metres |
| Maximum speed | Mach 0.95, 290 m/s (650 mph) |
Guidance system | Radio command via helicopter or other external guidance plus an IR seeker. |
Launch platform | Kresta II, Kara, Krivak 1 & 2, Udaloy I, Kirov |
The missile carries an underslung anti-submarine torpedo which it drops immediately above the suspected position of a submarine. The torpedo then proceeds to search and then home in on the submarine. In the case of the 85RU/URPK-5, the UGMT-1 torpedo is a multi-purpose torpedo and can be used against submarines as well as surface ships. The missile has been in operational service since 1968, but is no longer in production; it was superseded by the RPK-2 Viyuga (SS-N-15 'Starfish').