Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence has revealed details of Russia’s new S-71K “Kover” cruise missile. The weapon was developed for the Su-57 fighter jet and has already been used in the war.
According to Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, an interactive 3D model of the missile, along with information about its components and electronic base, has been published on the War&Sanctions portal.
The agency said the missile was first used at the end of last year and appears to be one of the first attempts by Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation to develop missile systems. It was specifically designed for deployment from Su-57 fighter jets.
The missile uses a high-explosive fragmentation aerial bomb OFAB-250-270 weighing 250 kg as its warhead, integrated into the nose section. The корпус is made of multilayer fiberglass-based material with additional reinforcement, while internal elements are made from aluminum alloys.
Its onboard system includes a flight controller, an inertial navigation system and a power supply unit. Most of its electronic components are of foreign origin, including parts from the United States, China, Switzerland, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and Ireland.
The missile is equipped with an R500 turbojet engine produced by the Russian company Reynolds, part of the United Aircraft Corporation. With its fuel system, the missile’s range is estimated at up to 300 km.
Russia is also considering using the missile from the S-70 Okhotnik unmanned aerial vehicle in the future.