P-15 Termit - Versions

Versions

In total, the P-15 family had the following models:

• P-15: A basic (SS-N-2A) with I-band, a conical search sensor and 40 km range.
• P-15M: (SS-N-2C), heavier and longer than the P-15, it had a range of 80 km and several minor improvements.
• P-15MC: Essentially a P-15M, coupled with a Bulgarian-made electronic countermeasure package for that country's navy.
• P-20: A P-15 updated with the new guidance system but with the original shorter range. They were perhaps known as SS-N2 B and used by Komar and Osa class boats.
• P-20K: A P-15M with a new guidance system.
• P-20M: A surface version of the P-20L with folding wings. This was the definitive version of the P-15M with radar guidance.

The Chinese used this missile as a basis for their Silkworm series, with IR, radar and turbojets or rocket engines depending on the model. It had a fuselage of 75–80 cm width and a mass of over 2 tonnes. This is comparable to the 600–800 kg and 35–40 cm of Western missiles. With improved electronics, the warhead reduced to 250 kg and the original rocket engine replaced with a turbojet, this weapon was much improved with a range of over 100 km. Chinese Silkworm missiles were used in hundreds of ships and shore batteries. The Chinese Navy built more than two hundred modified versions of the 183R (Komar-class), the Hegu-class, (complete with a longer hull and an additional 25 mm mount aft) and the Osa-class. Frigates and destroyers were also equipped with the missile. Some were exported and they were used in shore batteries built for North Korea, Iraq and Iran. The Soviet Union developed an equivalent, the P-120 Malakhit.

Chinese variants:

• SY-1(C.201)(SY is the abbreviation of pinyin:Shàng Yóu, literal meaning is upper river): The original Chinese copy of P-15 as ship-to-ship missile, called as Project 544, designed and assembled by Nanchang Aerocraft Factory from 1960, first inland test flight in December 1964 and ship-mounted test-fired in August 1965, finished the research tests in June 1966, began definitizing test from Nov 1966, permitted definitize on August 1967. It entered service during 1968 in missile boats and destroyers and later coastal batteries. Dimensions were: 6.55 m (length), 0.76 m (diameter), 2.4 m (wingspan). It weighed 2,095 kg of which 513 kg was the HEAT warhead. Its range was 40 km at mach 0.8, with a flight altitude of 100–300 m, it used inertial and active radar guidance systems. This unit employed conical scanning and was vulnerable to electronic counter measures (ECM), due to its slow onboard computer. The SY-1A entered service after 1984, with a monopulse search radar comparable to the evolution of the AIM-7, F to M model.

• SY-2: An improved version developed from 1976. Used the solid rocket engine and supersonics flight, smaller and lighter than SY-1, extended range to 50 km. The exported version is FL-2.

• HY-2(C.201)(HY is the abbreviation of pinyin:Hǎi Yīng, literal meaning is Sea Eagle):It was the equivalent of the P-15M, and was known as the C-SS-3 Saccade. Designed for coastal batteries, with a larger airframe, its dimensions were: 7.48 m x 0.76 m x 2.4 m, weight 2,998 kg. extended range from 30 km of SY-1 to 50 km. Trials were carried out from 1967 to 1970 with 10 missiles out of 11 hitting the target. It entered service in China and was also exported. There were several versions:
  • HY-2: Basic, inertial and conical radar search (improved to SY-1), 1970.
  • HY-2A: IR-guidance variant. Developed during the 1970s and in 1980, it did not enter service despite certification in 1982. It was the equivalent of the P-22.
  • HY-2A-II: An improved variant of the HY-2A with an improved IR sensor, it entered service in 1988. It was also available for export.
  • HY-2B: Fitted with monopulse-search radar to improve accuracy and reliability, it was test-fired, scoring five hits out of six and entered service two years later in 1984. The YB-2B-II had another radar search system, entering service in 1989. These two missiles were capable of flying at an altitude of 20–50 m, so the overall capabilities (altitude, range, reliability, Electronic Counter Counter Measures (ECCM) were greatly superior.
  • C-201W: Fitted with a turbojet engine instead of a liquid rocket version. It was only used for export, it had a 150 km range. It is arguably also called YH-4 or C-SS-N-7 Sadpack, its dimensions are similar to the YH-1 and YH-2, but its weight is only 2,000 kg, demonstrating the differences between turbojet and rocket propulsion systems. It is capable of flying at 70 m and attacking at 8 m, with a 300–500 kg charge. The XW-41 land attack missile was extrapolated from this design, it had a range of about 400 km, (which was enough to attack Taiwan). It is not known if this model entered service.

Substitutes of these missiles are the FL-2 and FL-7, which were solid-rocket fuelled and the C-701 and C-801, which were similar to the Exocet and other missile systems, among them the SS-N-22 Sunburn, it was bought for Sovremenny class destroyers.