P-15 Termit

P-15 Termit SS-N-2 Styx
A P-15M missile (SS-N-2c) being unloaded from a former East German Navy Tarantul class missile boat
Type	Anti-ship missile
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1960–present
Production history
Manufacturer	MKB Raduga
Specifications
Weight	2,580 kg (5,690 lb)
Length	5.8 m (19 ft)
Diameter	0.76 m (2 ft 6 in)
Warhead	454 kg (1,001 lb) hollow charge high explosive
Engine	Liquid-propellant rocket, solid-propellant rocket booster
Wingspan	2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
Operational range	80 kilometres (50 mi)
Flight altitude	25 to 100 metres (82 to 328 ft)
Speed	Mach 0.95
Guidance system	autopilot (inertial guidance), active radar homing, supplemented in some with infrared homing
Launch platform	naval ships, ground launch

The P-15 Termit (Russian: П-15 "Термит"; English: termite) is an anti-ship missile developed by the Soviet Union's Raduga design bureau in the 1950s. Its GRAU designation was 4K40, its NATO reporting name was Styx or SS-N-2. China acquired the design in 1958 and created at least four versions: the CSS-N-1 Scrubbrush and CSS-N-2 versions were developed for ship-launched operation, while the CSS-C-2 Silkworm and CSS-C-3 Seersucker were used for coastal defence. Other names for this basic type of missile include: HY-1, SY-1, and FL-1 Flying Dragon (Chinese designations typically differ for export and domestic use, even for otherwise identical equipment) . North Korean local produced KN-1 or KN-01 , derived from both Silkworm variants and Russian & URSS P-15 , Rubezh, P-20 P-22 .

Despite its huge size, thousands of P-15s were built and installed on many classes of ships from MTBs to destroyers, as well as coastal batteries and even bombers (Chinese versions). The P-15 was quite successful in the conflicts where it was deployed.

The P-15 was not the first anti-ship missile in Soviet service; that distinction goes to the SS-N-1 Scrubber, and to the aircraft-launched AS-1 Kennel. The SS-N-1 was a powerful but rather raw system, and it was quickly superseded by the SS-N-3 Shaddock. This weapon was fitted to 4,000-ton Kynda class cruisers and replaced an initial plan for 30,000-ton battlecruisers armed with 305mm and 45mm guns. Rather than rely on a few heavy and costly ships, a new weapons system was designed to fit smaller, more numerous vessels, while maintaining sufficient striking power. The P-15 was developed by the Soviet designer Beresyniak, who helped in the development of the BI rocket interceptor.