| RPK-3 Metel (NATO reporting name: SS-N-14 'Silex') | |
| Origin: | Soviet Union |
| Type: | Anti-submarine/ship missile |
| Is Missile: | yes |
| Service: | 1969 - current |
| Used By: | Russia |
| Design Date: | 1960s |
| Weight: | 3930kg (8,660lb) |
| Length: | 7.2m (23.6feet) (85R missile) |
| Speed: | Mach 0.95, 290m/s |
| Vehicle Range: | 10 - 90 km for 85RU/URPK-5 Rastrub (versus ship) 5 - 50 km (anti-sub) |
| Filling: | Various ASW torpedoes or nuclear depth charge. Later multi purpose torpedoes and 185 kg shaped charge warhead against ships. |
| Propellant: | solid fuel rocket |
| Depth: | 20 - 500 metres |
| Guidance: | Radio command via helicopter or other external guidance plus an IR seeker. |
| Launch Platform: | Kresta II, Kara, Krivak 1 & 2, Udaloy I, Kirov |
Metel Anti-Ship Complex (Russian: противолодочный комплекс «Метель» 'Snowstorm'; NATO reporting name: SS-N-14 Silex) is a Russian family of anti-submarine missiles. There are different anti-submarine variants ('Metel') for cruisers and frigates, and a later version with a shaped charge ('Rastrub') that can be used against shipping as well as submarines.
The missile carries an underslung anti-submarine torpedo which it drops immediately above the suspected position of a submarine. The torpedo then proceeds to search and then home in on the submarine. In the case of the 85RU/URPK-5, the UGMT-1 torpedo is a multi-purpose torpedo and can be used against submarines as well as surface ships. The missile has been in operational service since 1968, but is no longer in production; it was superseded by the RPK-2 Viyuga (SS-N-15 'Starfish').
In the early 1960s the Soviet Union introduced the RBU-6000 and RBU-1000 anti-submarine rocket launchers, which worked on a similar principle to the Royal Navy's Hedgehog system of the Second World War, propelling small depth charges up to 5800m (19,000feet) from a ship. However this meant that a ship would still be in range of the submarine's torpedoes and missiles, and depth charges were less accurate than homing torpedoes. In 1963 the US Navy introduced ASROC, a missile that flew to the estimated position of the target submarine, and then dropped a torpedo into the water to destroy it. The SS-N-14 was the Soviet response.
In 1993, an upgraded version, designated YP-85, with a range of 250km (160miles), was proposed for export.
The missile is based on the P-120 Malakhit (NATO: SS-N-9 'Siren') anti-shipping missile. The missile itself is radio command guided and is powered by a solid fuel rocket motor. The later 'Rastrub' models of the weapon were "universal" carrying a UGMT-1 multi-purpose torpedo and in addition had shaped charge warhead for use against ships guided by radio command and infrared seeker.[1] In anti-submarine mode the missile flew at approximately altitude, and when it was over the estimated position of the target submarine the missile was commanded to release the torpedo or depth charge. In anti-shipping mode the missile flies much lower, at .[2]
The URPK-3 entered service in 1969 on the and classes of cruisers. The URPK-4 was introduced in 1973, and the anti-ship version URPK-5 Rastrub in 1976. The URPK-4 has been used With the first batch of the s; the Udaloy II carries the SS-N-15 'Starfish'. The system was installed on the battlecruiser Admiral Ushakov (ex-Kirov) but not on her sister ships.
Of these the Krestas and Karas have been retired, along with most of the Krivaks and half the Udaloys; the Kirov appears to have been upgraded to the SS-N-16 'Stallion' at some point. 100 missiles are estimated to remain in service .
According to some unconfirmed reports, this missile has been used in combination with Tupolev Tu-143 Reys observation UAVs and Russian Tu-243 and Tu-300 derivatives, launched from BAZ-135MB truck launch platforms (originally planned for the Redoubt anti-ship missile complex to SS-N-3 Shaddock missile in coastal defense role, onboard infrastructure and general missile container inherited by the SS-N-9 Siren and the cited and Siren-derivate SS-N-14 Silex missiles) by pro-Russian separatist UAV units in the Russian Invasion of Ukraine since 2014, as a ground attack missile system.
The adaptation includes replacement of originally used UGMT-1 multi-purpose torpedo and PLAB-100 naval depth-charge (variant of Soviet-Russian FAB-100 general-purpose aerial bomb) to FAB-50 or FAB-100, ZAB-50, ZAB-100, OFAB-50 or OFAB-100 and AO-50, AO-100 (twin 50 kg or single 100 kg unguided bombs).
Due to the 100 missiles stock left behind after by the successive withdrawal of the last Soviet-origin Kara-class cruisers and Krivak-class frigates in the near Russian Black Sea Fleet depots in Crimea, also by current upgrade of the Udaloy-class destroyers in the Russian service.