What is an Onyx Missile?

About Onyx Missile

• The P-800 Onyx missile, also known as Oniks, is a supersonic medium-range cruise missile developed by Russia.
• It is designed to combat surface ship groups, as well as to destroy ground targets in conditions of strong fire and electronic countermeasures.
• Features:
  • o Also known as Russian Brahmos, it can reach speeds of over 3,000 km/h, making it extremely difficult to intercept. 
  • o Additionally, the missile operates at an altitude of 10-15 meters above land or water, further enhancing its stealth capabilities.
  • o The missile has a range of up to 300 kilometers in its default trajectory and a range of 120 km in a low-altitude trajectory.
  • o It can be launched from surface ships, submarines, and land-based equipment.
  • o It is a self-guided munition, designed with the "shoot and forget" principle in mind.
  • o Unlike some other missiles that rely on extensive target data, the Onyx missile requires minimal information about its target to strike it successfully.

Q1) What are cruise missiles?

Cruise missiles are unmanned vehicles that are propelled by jet engines, much like an airplane. They can be launched from ground, air, or sea platforms. Cruise missiles remain within the atmosphere for the duration of their flight and can fly as low as a few meters off the ground. Flying low to the surface of the earth expends more fuel but makes a cruise missile very difficult to detect. 

Source: BrahMos Analog, Russia’s P-800 Onyx Supersonic Cruise Missile To Get Deadlier With New Target Seeker