Rubezh-ME Coastal defense missile system (Russia)
Channel: Main Battle Tank
Date: 21/01/2023

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The Rubezh-ME is a new Russian coastal defense missile system. It was developed specially for export. As the designation suggests it can be seen as a successor to the ageing Rubezh (Western reporting name SSC-3 or Stryx) coastal defense system. It was first publicly revealed in 2019.

   The Rubezh-ME uses Kh-35UE anti-ship missiles. These have a range of up to 260 km. Though these missiles are less capable comparing with the Kh-35U missiles used by the Russian military. The launcher vehicle is based on KamAZ-6350 military truck chassis. The launcher vehicle carries 4 containerized Kh-35UE missiles. Russia also offers for export customers a Bal-E coastal defense missile system. Its launcher vehicle is based on MZKT-7930 heavy high mobility vehicle and it carries a total of 8 missiles. So the Rubezh-ME can be seen as a lighter, less expensive, but also less capable alternative to the Bal-E.

   The Kh-35UE is a sea skimming missile. It outperforms Western anti-ship cruise missiles like the French Exocet and Franco-Italian OTOMAT. However it looses in terms of range and destructive power to the US Harpoon missile.

   The missile carries a 145 kg High Explosive Fragmentation (HE-FRAG) warhead. It was designed to pierce horizontally through the bulkheads and compartments prior to exploding inside the ship. This missile was designed to defeat vessels with a displacement of up to 5 000 t. So it should be efficient against frigates and smaller destroyers.

   The Kh-35UE has inertial navigation system with active radar homing on the terminal stage of its flight. This missile travels 10-15 meters above the surface. In the terminal stage of the flight the missile descends to 3-5 meters above the surface in order to overcome hostile defense systems. This missile travels at subsonic speed of 950-1 010 km/h. However it is estimated that due to its subsonic speed this anti-ship missile can be intercepted rather easily, especially by advanced naval defense systems.

   The Kh-35UE is efficient out to a Sea State 6. It is a relatively inexpensive weapon, that costs around $500 000 per missile.

   The Rubezh-ME coastal defense system launches its missiles at a fixed angle. Missiles can be launched several seconds between the launches. Also the missiles can be launched up to 10 km from the sea. The Kh-35UE missiles have secondary capability against ground targets.

   The launcher vehicle is fitted either by Mineral-ME1 active radar with detection range of 250 km or Mineral-ME2 passive radar with detection range of 750 km. Each of these radars can detect up to 200 targets simultaneously.

   The launcher vehicle is operated by a crew of 2, including commander and driver. There is an NBC protection system provided for the crew.

   The launcher vehicle uses a number of automotive components of commercial KamAZ trucks. It is powered by a KamAZ-740.50-360 turbocharged diesel engine, developing 360 hp. This truck has good off-road mobility.

   A typical battery of the Rubezh-ME includes up to 8 launcher vehicles with missiles and a mobile command post, equipped with Monolith-B radar. It is based on the same KamAZ 8x8 military truck chassis. Each launcher vehicle is supported by an associated reloading vehicle, which is fitted with a crane and carries reload missiles.

   All components of the Rubezh-ME can be briefly redeployed from one location to another. It takes around 10 minutes to prepare the launcher vehicles for firing from a new position. Firing data is provided by the command post vehicle. It also distributes targets between launchers. Firing data can be provided from external sources including coastal radars, other coastal defense systems or warships.

   The Rubezh-ME battery can launch up to 32 anti-ship cruise missiles. This is sufficient to disrupt operations of a large hostile battlegroup.

   Once the missiles are launched it takes 30-40 minutes to reload the launcher vehicles.

   Recently a broadly similar coastal defense missile system was developed in Ukraine. It is called Neptun. It uses Ukrainian R-360 anti-ship missiles that are similar to the Russia's Kh-35U. The launcher vehicle is based on a KrAZ 8x8 chassis and also carries 4 missiles.