According to statements from the Russian Defense Ministry, the two squadrons equipped with Mig-31 interceptors belonging to the Russian naval aviation forces are will be equipped with Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles, to ensure, among other things, naval control of the Arctic zones. In the press release, it is specified that the missile could be used against land and naval targets, suggesting that the Kinzhal would be capable of heading towards a ship as long as it is large enough.
If the information were to be confirmed, it would be a major threat to Western forces, even before entry into service of the Tzirkon hypersonic anti-ship missile. With a range of 2000 km, a semi-ballistic trajectory, an aerial launcher and a speed of Mach-10, the Kh-47M2 missile, which can also be armed with a nuclear warhead, is today impossible to intercept by existing anti-missile systems. By adding the estimated range of a Mig-31 modified to carry the Kinzhal, Russia would be able to create an access denial perimeter for major Western naval units of 2500 to 3000 km around its coasts.
While there is no doubt that the Kh-47M2 is indeed functional, and hypersonic, there are doubts about its ability to detect and target a mobile naval target. But these doubts are today, if not swept away, in any case largely reduced. Indeed, in an article published by the Sveszda website in March 2018, specialist Alexeï Leonkhov indicates that the missile has guidance by an inertial unit readjusted by the Russian GLONASS satellite positioning system. In addition, it would be possible to reset the position of the target dynamically after launch, without the method being explained. Above all, the Kinzhal would have an optical guidance system allowing it to detect its target in the terminal phase and ensure guidance until impact, even towards a moving target.
It is interesting to note that the guidance is presented as "optical" and not "infra-red", which paradoxically gives credibility to the declaration since the release of heat linked to the friction of the air on the missile cell during flight, and in particular when it enters the lower layers of the atmosphere, generates a very significant release of heat, which would render any infrared system inoperable. On the other hand, this also suggests that the guidance system could be significantly handicapped in the event of bad weather, or at night. This finally assumes that the inertial/Glonass guidance elements are sufficiently precise to bring the missile within optical range of the target so that the optical seeker can take over.
From then on, the Kinzhal appears as a waiting solution, certainly impressive, but with very uncertain performance, especially in the Arctic where the weather conditions are rarely optimal. However, pending the entry into service of an airborne version of the Tzirkhon capable of equipping Tu-22M3M Backfire supersonic long-range bombers, the Kinzhal mounted on Mig-31 will make it possible to pose a diffuse but real threat to keep large Western naval units away from the Russian coasts, in addition to the Onyx and Bastion systems already arming the country's ships and coastal batteries.