Russian BrahMos, the missile that Ukraine is struggling to block

The P-800 Oniks missiles fly at an extremely low altitude of 10-15 metres above the sea and travel at a hypersonic speed of 3,000 kilometres per hour. Because of these factors, Ukraine’s air defence systems have found it challenging to detect these missiles effectively. According to a defence expert based in Moscow, the P-800 Oniks missiles, commonly referred to as the Russian BrahMos, currently possess a high level of invulnerability against interception by Ukraine’s air defence systems.

Yuri Knutov, who serves as a military historian and director of the Museum of the Air Defence Forces (ADF), recently made statements to Sputnik regarding the P-800 Oniks missiles. These remarks coincided with Moscow’s utilization of these missiles, deployed through the Bastion coastal missile system in Crimea, to specifically target the port city of Odessa. 

The Bastion coastal missile system refers to a military system specifically designed for coastal defence. It consists of missile launchers stationed along the coastline to protect against potential threats from the sea.

Ukraine’s Massive Arms and Ammunition Cache

The Black Sea Grain Initiative was an agreement between Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations to allow the safe export of grain and foodstuff from Ukrainian ports. The agreement was terminated by Russia on July 18, 2023. 

Instead, Russia launched missile strikes on Odessa, a major Ukrainian port city. The strikes targeted stockpiles of arms and ammunition that the Ukrainian government had been storing in Odessa. The strikes caused significant damage to the port and its infrastructure.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative was an important agreement for global food security. Ukraine is a major exporter of grain and the blockade of its ports caused a global shortage of wheat and other foodstuff. The termination of the agreement by Russia is a major setback for global food security.

The missile strikes on Odessa are a further escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The strikes are also a reminder of the importance of the Black Sea to global trade. The Black Sea is a major shipping route for oil, gas and grain. The conflict in Ukraine has disrupted shipping in the Black Sea and this has had a significant impact on global markets.

On October 10, 2022, the Russian military began attacking Ukraine’s infrastructure in response to a terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge, which was carried out by intelligence agencies of the Ukrainian government. As reported by Russia’s Defence Ministry, these strikes targeted various facilities related to energy, defence, military command and communication across Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Air Force admitted the effectiveness of the P-800 Oniks missile after a Russian attack on Odessa between July 19 and 20. In a statement, they acknowledged that they were unable to intercept, or stop, even a single missile of this type that was launched at the town.

Kyiv Acknowledges Its Inability to Intercept

Later, Yury Ignat, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, confirmed to Sputnik in an interview, “Due to its speed exceeding 3,000 km/h, Ukraine currently lacks the capability to successfully intercept those missiles.”

Knutov explained why the Ukrainian and Western air defence systems have a hard time detecting the P-800 Oniks missile. He said the P-800 Oniks missile was versatile because it could be used from ships or aircraft and could effectively target both sea and ground-based enemies. The P-800 Oniks missiles were used in Syria for the first time to attack ground targets and they were highly successful.

P-800 Oniks: What Makes It Difficult to Intercept?

Moreover, the Oniks missile is highly manoeuvrable due to special gas-dynamic rudders, granting it a significant level of super-maneuverability. Gas-dynamic rudders are specialized components that enable the Oniks missile to make precise and agile manoeuvres during flight. 

In the beginning, the Oniks missile can reach heights of up to 14 kilometres for long-range purposes. However, as it gets closer to the target, it flies at very low heights of 10-15 metres. This low-flying approach makes it extremely difficult for enemy radar and missile guidance systems to detect and engage the missile.

Knutov also mentioned that the missile’s speed was incredibly fast, reaching Mach 3. This makes it almost impossible for Kyiv’s air defences to intercept it successfully. He highlighted that the air defence systems relied on by Ukraine, such as NASAMS or Patriot, used a ‘capture system’ to send information to the missile guidance station.

A ‘capture system’ is a method used by air defence systems to lock onto and track targets, providing crucial information to the missile guidance station for accurate engagement. After receiving radar data, the missile guidance station automatically locks onto the target and tracks it without manual intervention. Then, the missile launch time is determined to ensure the missile intercepts the target at the right moment and it flies accordingly to that point. 

The P-800 Oniks is equipped with electronic warfare systems, including jamming capabilities, which can disrupt and confuse tracking stations. Because of this, the electronic warfare systems used by Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces have been unable to affect the guidance system of these missiles.

Comparison of P-800 Oniks and the BrahMos Missiles

The historian was asked about the similarities between the BrahMos and P-800 Oniks missiles. Knutov replied that both the P-800 Oniks and BrahMos were potent weapons that were difficult to shoot down. Knutov explained that the new BrahMos missile accelerated to hypersonic speed, making it challenging to intercept. 

Knutov argued that Russia started using the P-800 Oniks missiles to target ground-based enemies. However, they could not deploy a large number of these missiles due to Ukraine’s actions. Under the guise of a grain deal, Ukraine accumulated warehouses of ammunition and equipment in Odessa and conducted personnel training there, making it difficult for Russia to use the missiles extensively.

Since the deal was stopped, Kyiv did not have the chance to remove anything or place any air defences at those locations. As a result, Russia was now considering these military facilities as potential targets, Knutov concluded.

The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political analyst