3K55 Bastion

NATO: SS-C-5 Stooge

Overview

3K55 Bastion

K-340P launch vehicles of the 3K55 Bastion-P (NATO: SS-C-5 Stooge) seen in a firing position.
Source: Unknown author - © Copyright lies with original owner

Origin

Russia

Type

Coastal defense system

Entered service

2010

Status

In service

Development

2000's

Developer

Russia - NPO Mashinostroeniya

Production

Late 2000's - present

Producer

Russia

Number produced

Over 60 launch vehicles by 2022

Designations

SS-C-5 Stooge (NATO reporting name)
K-300P Bastion-P

Notable users

Russia
Vietnam
Syria

Description

Introduction

The 3K55 Bastion is a modern era coastal defense system of Russian origin. It was developed in the 1990's as a possible replacement for the 4K44 Redut system and for export sales. The NATO designation for the Bastion is SS-C-5 Stooge and it is possible that in Russia the system is referred to as 3K55 Oniks. The 3K55 Bastion is centered on the 3M55 Oniks missile, which is also used on ships and aircraft.

Design

The Bastion is a mobile coastal defense system that consists of several vehicles. A typical battery would include four launch vehicles, a command vehicle, a radar vehicle and several maintenance and transloader vehicles. The launch vehicles are based on the MZKT-7930 8x8 chassis. Three missiles are carried per vehicle and stored in a large box with two large doors that cover the roof. The command vehicle is based on the Kamaz 43101 6x6 truck chassis and may control up to 12 launch vehicles.

Targeting

The Bastion system relies on radar data for plotting the flight path of the 3M55 missile. The three types of radar systems that may be used are existing coastal radars, special targeting helicopters and mobile radar systems. The system that is most likely to be used with the Bastion is the vehicle mounted Monolit-B radar that has a passive range of 150 to 200 km and active range of 35 to 70 km.

Firepower

The Bastion launches the large and powerful 3M55 Oniks missile, which is known in the West as the SS-N-26 Strobile. The ground launched variant has a maximum range of 300 km on a high altitude flight profile and 120 km when sea skimming all the way. Due to the Mach 2.5 speed and sea skimming abilities the 3M55 is very difficult to intercept. Since the missile is dependent on radar data the range is limited to the effectiveness of the coastal radar systems. The Bastion has a secondary land attack capability.

Mobility

The Bastion system is mounted on cross country trucks and is able to cross almost any terrain, albeit at limited speed when off road. The setup time of the launch vehicles and the Monolit-B radar system can be as low as 5 minutes, allowing immediate action upon halt.

Users

Russia is the major user of the Bastion, ordering the Bastion for delivery beyond 2010. By 2021 at least 12 systems with four launch vehicles each were in service. During the 2022 war with Ukraine Russian systems based in Crimea fired missiles against land targets on multiple occasions. The first confirmed export user of the Bastion system is Vietnam, which ordered two systems in 2011 to supplement their 4K44 Redut systems. Syria is a second nation that acquired the Bastion, with mixed reports of two or four systems acquired.

System composition

3K55 Bastion

3K55 Bastion system as delivered to Vietnam. Picture shows 8 launch vehicles and two command vehicles.
Source: www.periscope2.ru - © copyright lies with original owner

Battery composition

K-340P launch vehicle

Four K-340P launch vehicles are included in a battery. These are based on the MZKT-7930 8x8 truck chassis. Each has two missiles ready to fire. The 3M55 missiles are transported horizontally and launched vertically.

K-380P command post

One or two K-380P command post vehicles are present in a battery. These are based on a 6x6 truck, such as KamAZ-43101 or MZKT-65273. The command module contains telecommunication equipment to transfer target data from external radar systems to the missiles in the launch vehicles.

K-342P transloader

Four transloaders are part of a battery, one for each launch vehicle.