Udaloy's permanent helicopter hangars help explain its ASW designation, but the fitted SS-N-14 Silex also provides a substantial anti-ship capability. This version combines a missile with a roughly 180 kg shaped-charge warhead and a multipurpose torpedo. The stated engagement ranges are about 100 kilometers against surface ships and 90 kilometers against submarines. Against a surface ship, the attack combines a missile impact with a torpedo; against a submarine, it delivers the torpedo. The combination makes interception before torpedo release especially desirable because the final attack threatens both fire and flooding. Earlier Silex versions were more strongly oriented toward submarine attack, so this assessment concerns the version fitted to Udaloy.
Chapter · 1:11:29-1:14:59
Udaloy's Silex complicates single-role labels
Udaloy's helicopter hangars support its ASW label, but the dual-purpose SS-N-14 Silex can threaten both submarines and surface ships with missile and torpedo effects.