The warhead of the 9M727 cruise missile from the Iskander operational-tactical missile system has received a seemingly minor but in fact highly dangerous upgrade.
It is now equipped with a set of contact fuzes designed to ensure the detonation of its 450 kg warhead under any circumstances. A similar solution had previously been applied to the warheads of the air-launched Kh-101 cruise missile.
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According to information and photos obtained by Defense Express from its own sources, the new warhead clearly shows five such sensors, some covered with brown protective plastic caps.
However, the fact that such photos exist indicates that this additional initiation system does not always function as intended.
For reference, the 9M727 is the land-based version of the 3M-14 Kalibr sea-launched cruise missile, adapted for launch from ground-based systems. Along with the 9M728 and 9M729, all three are sometimes referred to collectively as Iskander-K. It was precisely this type of cruise missile that recently struck the Cabinet of Ministers building in Ukraine.
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