Russia targets 120 Banderol cruise missiles per month
Russia plans to produce 120 Banderol cruise missiles per month, although the manufacturing plant has not yet reached its target production rate.
Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, an Adviser to Ukraine's Defense Minister shared the information on Facebook, CE Report quotes Ukrinform.
"There has been a lot of discussion recently about the Banderol missile, although I first spoke about it more than a year ago. What do we know about it? The production target for this year is 120 missiles per month. That means the enemy could launch four such missiles every day. In my assessment, the plant has not yet reached its planned production capacity," Flash said.
The missile can be launched from airborne platforms. At present, the Orion unmanned aerial vehicle is used as its primary launch platform.
"Modern warfare has demonstrated how difficult it is to operate large UAVs over frontline areas and deep inside enemy territory. Large drones – whether the Orion or the Bayraktar – are simply too easy to shoot down. So, the Orion has been assigned a new role: launching Banderol missiles from Russian territory. Launches from Mi-8 helicopters have also been tested," Beskrestnov explained.
The missile carries an OFBCh-150 high-explosive fragmentation warhead containing 50 kilograms of explosives. According to Beskrestnov, its destructive power is broadly comparable to that of a Shahed attack drone.
The missile has a maximum range of up to 500 kilometers, although Ukraine's Defense Forces have so far recorded strikes at distances of no more than 300 kilometers.
It typically flies at altitudes between 400 and 2,000 meters, descending to around 200 meters before striking its target. The missile is also capable of significant maneuvering during flight; for example, it requires only about 2.5 kilometers to execute a 180-degree turn.
The Banderol relies on satellite navigation for guidance. While it is vulnerable to electronic warfare (EW) interference, it is also equipped with an autonomous navigation system.
"Overall, there's nothing extraordinary about it. It's a low-cost cruise missile with a relatively small warhead," Flash concluded.
As previously reported, Russia is also testing a new fiber-optic guided cruise-type drone.
Photo: Chat GPT
