5 types of missiles that create the power of the 'king cobra' Su-30MK2

At the outdoor display area of the exhibition "80 years of the Journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness" taking place at the Vietnam Exhibition Center ( Hanoi ), there is a simulation model of the Su-30MK2 fighter jet and 5 types of missiles.

This is a product of Factory Z176, General Department of Defense Industry. This inflatable model has the same size as the Su-30MK2 fighter currently in service with the Vietnam People's Army with a length of 21.9m, a width of 14.6m, a height of 6.4m and a weight of 230kg.

Su-30 fighter jet models and missiles at the outdoor display area

According to the People's Army Newspaper, using inflatable decoy weapons is a tactic that dates back to World War II, aimed at attracting firepower and wasting the enemy's military resources, while also helping to conceal the real strategic purpose.

To make them more realistic and fool enemy optical-thermal reconnaissance systems, modern inflatable models also integrate special heat emission devices, simulating heat signals identical to real military equipment in operation.

Notably, displayed with the model are 5 types of missiles: air-to-air R-27ER1, air-to-ship Kh-31A, air-to-air RVV-AE, air-to-ground Kh-31P and air-to-air R-27ET1.

The Kh-31A air-to-ship missile is intended to destroy destroyers operating independently as well as as part of a strike group (fleet), in simple and complex weather conditions, day and night.

The missile weighs 605kg, has a combat part mass of 94.5kg, is 4.7m long, has a diameter of 0.36m; has a maximum launch range of up to 50-70km with a target with a reflective surface of 5,000m2; 25km with a target with a reflective surface of 500m2.

The Kh-31P missile is a variant of the Kh-31 with the mission of attacking the ground thanks to a passive radio homing head used to destroy active radio radars that are part of short-range, medium-range, and long-range air defense missile systems, control, communication, and target designation equipment of automated air defense systems, as well as other types of ground radars in the 2mm - 1m wave range with all meteorological conditions.

The missile is 4.7m long, weighs 590kg, has a combat part of 85kg, has a wing span of 1.11m, and a diameter of 0.36m. The missile has a maximum launch range of 110km and a minimum of not less than 15km.

The R-27ER1 air-to-air missile has a semi-active radio homing head, used to destroy long-range aerial targets in all weather conditions and electronic suppression. The missile is 4,775m long, weighs 350kg, has a warhead mass of 39kg; maximum launch range is 70km, minimum launch range is 0.5km; target altitude is from 0.02-27km; attacks in all directions.

w img 3286 3351.jpg — R-27ER1 air-to-air missile.

RVV-AE air-to-air missile is designed to destroy air targets, including highly maneuverable fighter and attack aircraft. The missile can operate effectively day and night, in simple and complex weather conditions.

RVV-AE weighs 173kg, the warhead weighs 22.5kg, is 3.6m long, and has a diameter of 0.2m. This missile has a maximum launch range of 50km.

w img 3279 3352.jpg — RVV-AE air-to-air missile

The R-27ET1 air-to-air missile has an infrared homing head and is used to destroy long-range aerial targets in all weather conditions and electronic suppression. The R-27ET1 is 4.49m long, weighs 347kg, the warhead weighs 39kg, and has a wingspan of 0.972m. The missile has a maximum launch range of 70km and a minimum of 0.3km.