The missile guidance system Granit has not become obsolete in three decades

Military equipment is usually obsolete rather quickly. Exception is made by some samples, which have become real masterpieces of design ideas. The Kalashnikov assault rifle, the B-52 bomber, several other examples of the production of military industrial complexes of the most industrialized countries are "an honorary list of old-timers". There is also an anti-ship missile "Granite" developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is still in service with the Russian Navy today.

At NATO headquarters, it is customary to assign own names to the samples of Soviet and Russian military equipment. Apparently, they believe that Russian words do not fully fully express the essence of the weapons represented by them. Indeed, is the proper name for the rocket "Granite"? A solid rocky rock, a stone, has nothing in common with the largest anti-ship shell in the world, capable of destroying an aircraft carrier. According to the NATO classification, the name is different, Shipwreck, which means "shipwreck". This is more understandable.

The dimensions of the P-700 rocket are commensurate with the dimensions of the MiG-21 jet interceptor, for example. The length is 10 meters, the wingspan is 2.6 meters. The starting weight is 7 tons, including the 750-kilogram battle charge station, as an option, the nuclear one.

The speed of the rocket "Granite" varies at different phases of the flight, on the combat course it exceeds 4000 km / h, and at the approach stage - 1500 km / h.

Running is possible from both the surface and underwater position of the carrier.

All these technical characteristics are impressive today, three decades after the adoption of the model for armament. However, progress is inexorable, and in the 21st century such indicators of the speed and mass of the BZU will not surprise anyone. Oddly enough, on-board electronics.

The backlog of the USSR in the field of information technology was considered an obvious fact. How the Soviet engineers succeeded in creating the guidance system on the elemental basis of the 1970s of the XX century, which fully meets the requirements of the third millennium, remains unknown, but many parameters of this device today still constitute a military secret.

For example, the amount of memory onboard the Granite missile is not published, but it is known that it contains information about all the ships of the probable enemy. Based on this, the built-in computer develops a solution for the priority of the target, and then acts according to the algorithm.

The rockets "Granite" can operate in an autonomous mode, be guided by satellites of a space grouping or carry out a massive attack (up to 24 pieces at a time). In the latter case, several control systems act together using radio communication channels as an interface. In this case, the role of the central server goes to the computer of the rocket, which will be higher than the rest. If it is knocked down by the enemy's missile defense, then within a few microseconds, the control system of another missile will take over the leader's role. Attack of one target by two missiles is excluded. Additional option: electronic suppression of hostile interference and staging your own.

The cruise missile "Granite" has never been used in combat conditions, therefore it is possible to judge its possible striking ability only by the results of tests and exercises. They are successful, and it will be just fine if other evidence of its effectiveness is not needed. It is enough that our country has such protection.