Screenshot showing the Russian Defence Forces testing the P-800 Onyx supersonic missile

by Girish Linganna

There are rising worries that Western warships, especially those from the American-led coalition safeguarding commercial ships in the Red Sea, may be targeted by Russian anti-ship missiles. Some Western media reports, referring to an unnamed source speaking to Middle East Eye (MEE), have pointed out this threat. The concern centres on Russia’s P-800 Onyx supersonic cruise missile, which is similar to the BrahMos missile.

Reports suggest that Russian President Vladimir Putin may worsen the 'Western strategic dilemma' in the area by giving advanced cruise missiles to the Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi movement. However, Russia has not officially commented on this, despite media requests.

Newsweek reports that Moscow’s cooperation with the Houthis is part of its closer relationship with Iran. This partnership is seen as a strategic move by Russia to strengthen ties with anti-Western groups following its major invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The Houthis now possess Russian-made P-800 Onyx supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, which they acquired through Syria and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. According to Russian news agency RIA Novosti, they started building their own hypersonic missile in March. The missile uses solid fuel and can reach speeds of up to Mach 8 (about 9,800 km/h), according to a military source close to the Houthis.

How Lethal Is The P-800 Onyx?

The P-800 Onyx, also known by its NATO name SS-N-26 "Strobile", is a Russian-made, fast, anti-ship cruise missile. It is built to target various naval vessels, including aircraft carriers and destroyers.

Its high speed and advanced guidance systems make it a powerful weapon in modern naval battles.

The P-800 Onyx is about 8.9 metres (29.2 feet) long and 0.7 metres (2.3 feet) in diameter. It weighs around 3,000 kilograms (6,614 pounds) when launched, including the warhead. These measurements show it is a large missile, capable of carrying a big payload over long distances.

The P-800 Onyx uses a hybrid propulsion system that combines a solid-fuel rocket booster with a liquid-fuel ramjet engine. This setup allows the missile to reach supersonic speeds of up to Mach 2.5 (about 3,062 km/h).

The solid-fuel booster gives the initial push to launch the missile and then the ramjet engine takes over to maintain high-speed flight.

Features of The Supersonic Missile

The P-800 Onyx has an advanced guidance system featuring inertial navigation, active radar homing and electronic counter-counter-measures (ECCM).

The inertial navigation system guides the missile during its mid-course flight, while the active radar homing system locks onto and tracks the target in the final phase. The ECCM capabilities help the missile avoid enemy jamming and other electronic counter-measures.

The range of the P-800 Onyx depends on how, and from where, it is launched. When fired from a surface ship or submarine, it can reach up to 300 kilometres (186 miles). This long range allows it to hit targets from far away, giving it a tactical edge in naval battles.

Advantages

Over-the-horizon firing range
Full autonomy of combat use ("fire and forget")
A set of flexible ("low-profile sea-skimming", "high-low") trajectories
High supersonic speed in all phases of flight
Full harmonization for a wide range of platforms (surface ships, submarines and land-based launchers)
Possible use of the missile in electronic countermeasures environment and under enemy fire

The Houthi Arrangement

Earlier this year, the Houthis made a pact not to target Chinese or Russian vessels.

In March, Houthi leader Ali al-Kahoum highlighted the increasing cooperation and knowledge exchange between Yemen, Russia, China and the BRICS nations, according to reports from BulgarianMilitary.com. This move is aimed at cutting down US and the West’s clout in the Red Sea region.

The BRICS group originally included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Since then, the grouping has expanded and now includes Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt and the UAE.

Onyx: Russian Equivalent of BrahMos

It is important to note that India’s BrahMos missile is based on the Russian Onyx missile, especially the latest BrahMos-Extended Range (ER) land attack cruise missile (LACM), which has an increased range of 450 km compared to the previous 290 km.

This missile can also be used for anti-ship missions. The missile’s supersonic speed allows it to cause significant damage to fortified targets and some experts see it as the next best thing to the Kinzhal aeroballistics hypersonic missile.

India has lessons to learn from the manner in which Russia has been using the Onyx, especially in non-contact standoff warfare.

With good surveillance and target-acquisition capabilities, the BrahMos can effectively strike an enemy’s rear positions, which, in military context, refer to areas that are behind the front lines of combat.

These areas typically include command and control centres, logistical supply nodes and other support and infrastructure facilities essential for the functioning and coordination of military operations. Striking these positions can disrupt an enemy’s ability to manage and supply their front-line forces.

The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bangalore