--- title: "New Russian Air-Launched Cruise Missile Appears In Ukraine" description: "The Izdeliye 30 is likely cheaper, faster to produce, and harder-hitting than previous Russian air-launched cruise missiles. The izdeliye 30 is likely cheaper, faster to produce, and harder-hitting than previous Russian air-launched cruise missiles." date: "2026-03-03" modified: "2026-03-03" authors: - name: "Thomas Newdick" job_title: "Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick" url: "https://www.twz.com/air/new-russian-air-launched-cruise-missile-appears-in-ukraine" categories: - "Air" - "Air Force Munitions" - "Air Forces" - "Air-To-Ground" - "Anti-Ship Cruise Missile" - "Around The Globe" - "Europe" - "Naval Munitions" - "News & Features" - "Russia" - "Russian Air Force" - "Sea" - "Uncategorized" --- # New Russian Air-Launched Cruise Missile Appears In Ukraine ![New Russian cruise missile is being used in Ukraine.]() *GRU* Russia is using a new kind of air-launched cruise missile in its war in Ukraine, the Izdeliye 30, based on analysis of recovered wreckage. The new development further underscores the fact that Russia is running low on its stocks of ‘legacy’ [air-launched cruise missiles]() and new production cannot meet its wartime demand. As a result, it is seeking to field weapons in this class that are cheaper to produce and better suited to the nature of the conflict. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) was the first to [publicly release information]() on the new missile, which it says has been used in the war since the end of 2025. https://twitter.com/DI_Ukraine/status/2028401819278270821?s=20 Providing an interactive 3D model, based on found wreckage, as well as photos of the wreckage itself, the GUR describes the missile as having folding wings with a span of about 10 feet, a warhead weighing 1,760 pounds, and a range of at least 930 miles. It is powered by a new compact turbojet engine providing a cruising speed of 450 miles per hour. ![]() *A series of photos released by the GUR shows the wreckage of a downed Izdeliye 30. *GUR** ![]() **GUR** ![]() **GUR** Based on “markings and design features,” the GUR identifies the new missile as coming from the Zvezda Design Bureau. The missile also bears a superficial similarity to Zvezda’s [Kh-35]() anti-ship cruise missile, known to NATO as the SS-N-25 Switchblade, in its surface-launched application. ![]() *Russian forces fire a ground-launched version of the Kh-35 during training. *Russian Ministry of Defense** Certain components on the Izdeliye 30 are said to be identical to those used on the air-launched Kh-35U (AS-20 Kayak), including parts of the pneumatic system. Meanwhile, the aircraft interface is similar to those used to launch Kh-101, Kh-55, and Kh-555 ‘legacy’ air-launched cruise missiles from strategic bombers like the [Tu-95MS Bear-H]() and [Tu-160 Blackjack](). ![]() *A model of an air-launched Kh-35U anti-ship missile. *Vitaly V. Kuzmin* Vitaly V. Kuzmin* Other components in the missile appear to have been reused from existing weapons, reducing cost and complexity and speeding development. The satellite navigation system includes a jam-resistant satellite signal receiver combined with a digital satellite receiver, the GUR states. The navigation system is integrated with the flight control system using the same technology as found in Russia’s guided aerial bombs. The intelligence directorate also notes that components from the navigation system are sourced from foreign manufacturers in China, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United States. ![]() *A transceiver produced by Maxim Integrated Products in the United States and alleged by the GUR to be used in the Izdeliye 30. *GUR** The existence of the Izdeliye 30 [has also been confirmed]() by the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategy and Technologies (CAST) think tank. CAST assesses that the new weapon is intended as a cheaper, simpler alternative to the air-launched cruise missiles otherwise used by Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers, namely the Kh-101 and Kh-555 (the Kh-55 carries a nuclear warhead). Compared to Russia’s conventionally armed air-launched cruise missiles, the Izdeliye 30 also has a more powerful warhead, CAST said. The Kh-101 (AS-23A Kodiak) is a modern, stealthy, subsonic cruise missile, with a reported maximum range of between around 1,870 and 2,480 miles. According to the GUR, the Kh-101 has a warhead weighing around 880 pounds, roughly half the size of that understood to be fitted in the Izdeliye 30. It should be noted that some Kh-101s also appear to have been fitted with cluster warheads, as you can read about [here](). Firm evidence of a Kh-101 modified with a *second* warhead appeared in May 2024, as you can read about [here](). This also suggests that Russia may not be altogether happy with the destructive power of the basic Kh-101, at least for certain types of targets. https://twitter.com/JohnH105/status/1788260845933179036?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1788260845933179036%7Ctwgr%5Ee906ee02b6efcc050c99907f2d3b8fc4d95a9012%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twz.com%2Fair%2Frussias-cluster-warhead-version-of-its-kh-101-cruise-missile-caught-on-camera The Russian think tank also assesses that the Izdeliye 30 was likely designed on the basis of the existing Kh-35, scaled up. That would provide a very interesting parallel with Ukraine’s Neptune series of cruise missiles. The most capable of these is the [Long Neptune](), an extended-range derivative of the previous [land-attack version]() of the Neptune anti-ship missile, which is also powered by a small turbofan engine. ![]() *An official photo of the Long Neptune. *Government of Ukraine** Ukraine famously [used Neptune missiles]() to sink the Russian Navy’s [*Slava* class cruiser *Moskva*]() in 2022 and reportedly began developing a new land-attack version in 2023. ![]() *Ground launch of the original anti-ship Neptune. *Ukroboronprom** The anti-ship Neptune is, in turn, a Ukrainian development of the Soviet-era Kh-35. In some ways, then, the Kh-35 may have been further developed, in parallel, by both Russia and Ukraine, with the aim of producing a longer-range land-attack cruise missile. However, the Ukrainian land-attack Neptunes are, as far as is known, only available for ground launch, while the Russian Izdeliye 30 is intended for air launch, at least in its initial iteration. https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1989263073912533171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1989263073912533171%7Ctwgr%5E30a269e0c234a4cf7c47997650eddcfaebbfbf22%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twz.com%2Fland%2Fukraines-long-neptune-cruise-missile-seen-in-action-for-the-first-time Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for Military Aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think-tank, told *TWZ* that he considered that the Izdeliye 30 may well have been developed as a lower-cost supplement to Russia’s larger air-launched cruise missiles but with a longer range than the Kh-69. As you can read about [here](), the Kh-69 is widely associated with the [Su-57 Felon]() new-generation fighter, although it can also be launched by ‘legacy’ Russian tactical aircraft. https://twitter.com/GuyPlopsky/status/1557816850045861888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1557816850045861888%7Ctwgr%5E80ae9a038e1a6d9f77869c7d25f88f236b319d0c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twz.com%2Fair%2Frussia-now-using-kh-69-cruise-missiles-in-ukraine-reports The Kh-69 is primarily intended to hit hardened targets with known coordinates and is said to have a range of at least 186 miles. It has not been adapted for carriage on long-range bombers, however. While it remains to be seen exactly how the Izdeliye 30 will be used going forward, it’s clear that Russia has a need for a cheaper, easier-to-produce air-launched cruise missile for its bomber fleet. Russia routinely launches its Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers to strike Ukraine without a full load of munitions (up to eight Kh-101s in the Tu-95MS, or 12 Kh-101s in the Tu-160). The availability of the Izdeliye 30 could make it easier for these bombers to be used closer to their full potential in terms of weapons loads. ![]() *Kh-101s on a Tu-95MS Bear-H. *CSIS.org** At least one Kh-101 reportedly [downed by Ukrainian air defenses in January]() was manufactured in the first quarter of 2026. The use of such a recent missile highlights the degree to which Russia has depleted its stocks of older weapons, a situation that we have [discussed in the past ]()and which is exacerbated by [sanctions]() that have disrupted its ability to produce precision weapons at scale. It certainly appears that Russia is using its Kh-101 in a ‘just in time’ fashion, as soon as they roll off the production line. https://twitter.com/vladvlas/status/2013526061871427931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2013526061871427931%7Ctwgr%5Eadfb604a09d25cdcbb07f7cfeb81e8e4d9a47e07%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.twz.com%2Fland%2Fclaims-swirl-around-use-of-new-russian-missiles-to-strike-ukraine The Izdeliye 30 would appear to offer something of a solution to that problem. After all, if Russia is to use its bombers to launch ‘factory-fresh’ missiles, it makes sense to ensure that these missiles can be produced more cheaply and at scale. These are, meanwhile, also issues that [the United States is increasingly grappling with](), as it looks to prepare itself for a future conflict with China, in which air-launched cruise missiles are expected to play a hugely important role. At the same time, the Izdeliye 30 will come with certain disadvantages compared to more sophisticated missiles like the Kh-101. In particular, the new missile is less survivable. It doesn’t have the low-observable features of the Kh-101, and it very likely lacks the option to add countermeasures of the kind [we’ve seen in the past]() on the previous missile. It could also be more limited in terms of its navigation capabilities. At the very least, the appearance of the Izdeliye 30 in combat will provide another headache for Ukraine’s hard-pressed air defenders. This is a particular concern when the supply of [Western-supplied]() ground-based air defense systems remains strictly limited. *Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com* ## Author Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at *TWZ*, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond. Over a journalism career spanning more than 25 years, Thomas has become known for making complex defense and aerospace topics accessible to a broad audience. His reporting combines technical expertise, historical context, and a focus on the real-world operational and strategic implications of military developments. ### Author social links [Twitter]()