The Styx anti-ship missile (Russian: -15 English: SS-N-2 Styx) is a short-range subsonic flying anti-ship missile designed by the Soviet Union in the 50s of the 20th century, mainly equipped with missile boats, suitable for attacking large and medium-sized surface ships. The missile was nicknamed "Styx" because it had a range of only 35 kilometers and its flight altitude was maintained at about 150-300 meters using a barometric altimeter, as if it had suddenly appeared from the ground. The missile is considered one of the most prestigious anti-ship missiles of the early period and the first true anti-ship missile in the world to set a record for sinking**.
The P-15 anti-ship missile uses a liquid-fueled rocket engine and 1 solid-fueled booster rocket with a thrust of 15 tons, the maximum speed is 0Mach 9 (about 3400 km h), the range is 35 km (about 56 km), and the range of attack does not exceed that of the water antenna. The missile weighs 2300 kg (about 50000 lb) and has a length of 58 meters (about 19 feet) with a diameter of 076 meters (about 2.)6 inches), with a wingspan of 24 meters (about 7.)9 feet). The missile has a hollow charge weighing 454 kg (about 10000 pounds) and has high armor-piercing capabilities and lethality.
The P-15 anti-ship missile, which was equipped with the Soviet Navy in 1960, is a short-range subsonic flying anti-ship missile, which is mainly equipped with missile boats, such as the "Mosquito" class, the "Wasp" class, etc. The missile played an important role in the Soviet Navy, achieving brilliant results in a number of naval battles. For example, on October 21, 1967, Egypt launched three attacks on the Israeli destroyer Eilat, and successfully sank the ship for the first time, which was the first maritime missile battle in the history of naval warfare, showing the power of anti-ship missiles and the combat effectiveness of missile boats against large ships in small boats. ；In Operation Trident in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, the Indo-Pakistani Army fired a total of four P-15 bombs at the Pakistani Navy's minesweeper Muhafiz and destroyer Khyber, sinking both of themIt is said that the Indian and Pakistani forces fired a total of 13 P-15 missiles during the war, and achieved other successes.
The P-15 anti-ship missile was the first full-fledged short-range subsonic flying anti-ship missile developed and produced by the Soviet Navy in the period from the 50s to the 70s of the 20th century. It not only has a high technical level and performance advantages, but also has a long history and influence. It was considered one of the most prestigious anti-ship missiles of the early days, and had a positive impact on the later development and imitation of similar missiles by other countries.
During the Vietnam War, the P-15 anti-ship missiles were also used by the Vietnamese army, causing certain threats and losses to the US Navy. For example, on April 19, 1972, the North Vietnamese Army fired two P-15 bombs at two patrol boats of the 77th Patrol Boat Squadron of the United States Navy, one of which hit the PCF-19, killing four American soldiers on board, and the other was shot down by the PCF-12 aircraft. In addition, the P-15 anti-ship missile was also exported by the Soviet Union to many countries and regions, such as Egypt, Syria, Algeria, Cuba, North Korea, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc., and became an important military and diplomatic means of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
In short, the P-15 anti-ship missile is a sharp weapon of the Soviet Navy, which has a high technical level and performance advantages, and also has a long historical heritage and influence. It is the world's first real anti-ship missile to set a record of sinking, and it is also an anti-ship missile that has had a positive impact on the development and imitation of similar missiles by other countries later. It was the first full-fledged short-range subsonic flying anti-ship missile developed and produced by the Soviet Navy in the period from the 50s to the 70s of the 20th century, and it was also an important military diplomatic means of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.