Operational usage P-15 Termit

1 operational usage

1.1 cuban missile crisis
1.2 war of attrition
1.3 indo-pakistani war
1.4 yom kippur war
1.5 iran–iraq war
1.6 gulf war (1990-1991)

operational usage
cuban missile crisis

the first use of these weapons in 1962, during cuban missile crisis. komar-class missile boats deployed in operation anadyr ( Анадырь ), organized soviet union castro government. @ least 8 sent in cargo ships, due partly small dimensions , presumably left cuban navy after crisis, many other weapons of soviet origin.

p-15 missiles on parade


war of attrition

during war of attrition after 6 day war in 1967, israeli destroyer eilat sailing @ low speed outside port said on 21 october, when 17 nautical miles (31 km) attacked 2 egyptian komars, each firing both missiles inside harbour (they acting coastal missile battery). target hit, despite anti-aircraft fire opened against incoming fireballs . first 2 missiles blew eilat in two, hit after, last exploded near wreck in sea. eilat sank 2 hours after first attack. 47 crew killed. after engagement, interest in type of weapon raised in both offensive weapons , defensive weapons such ciws (close-in weapon system) , ecm.

indo-pakistani war

during indo-pakistani war of 1971, indian osa-class boats raided port of karachi in 2 highly successful operations causing severe damage , sinking several ships p-15s, among them destroyer, khaibar. former battle class destroyer, designed anti-aircraft ship. armament might effective against conventional air threats, (mounting 5 × 114mm guns , several 40mm bofors), had little chance against anti-ship missiles.

these raids meant strike karachi , destroy pakistani navy in western pakistan. first action, operation trident, carried out 3 osa class missile boats on night of 5 december [1]. operation trident involved:

ins nipat (lt.-cdr b.n kavina, vrc)
ins nirghat (lt.-cdr i.j sharma, avsm, vrc)
ins veer (lt.-cdr o.p mehta, vrc, nm)

around 20:30, target acquired radar, @ distance of on 40 miles (64 km), , nirghat fired 2 missiles. target destroyer khaibar, sailing @ 20 knots (37 km/h). crew of ship saw bright light in sky, low on water. believing afterburner of fighter aircraft, khaibar opened fire bofors guns, these not effective against such small, fast target. missile struck starboard side @ 22:45, destroying electrical system. 1 of boilers, possibly struck heat charge, exploded. despite thick smoke , fire, khaibar still able engage second missile, again mistaking enemy fighter. missile struck ship 4 minutes after first, destroying , sinking her.

p-20 launcher on osa ii class fast attack craft, wings folded

during action, nipat attacked 2 ships; cargo vessel venus challenger, carrying ammunition saigon, destroyed. escort, destroyer pns shahjahan severely damaged , later scrapped.

veer attacked muhafiz @ 23:05, (she minesweeper had witnessed attacks against khaibar); hit , disintegrated, throwing of crew water before sank.

nipat fired 2 missiles @ port of karachi. first known use of anti-ship missile against land targets. large oil tanks, identified radar, hit first missile, destroying it, while second weapon failed. on following nights there other ship actions. karachi again attacked missiles, while petja-class frigates provided anti-submarine protection osa-class boats.

on night of 8 december, in second operation, operation python, osa-class boat vinash, escorted 2 frigates, fired missiles @ karachi in six-minute action. 1 missile hit oil tank, destroying it. british ship harmattan sunk, panamanian ship gulfstar set on fire. pakistan navy fleet tanker, pns dacca, badly damaged , survived because commanding officer, captain. s.q. raza s.j. p.n., ordered release of steam in pipes prevented fire reaching tanks. though anti-aircraft guns opened fire in response, managed hit greek ship, zoë, moored in port , consequently sank.

in these actions against large ships, p-15 proved effective weapon, devastating warhead. out of eleven missiles fired, 1 malfunctioned, giving 91% success rate. gave every osa fac possibility of striking several targets. big ships, without specialized defence, targets p-15s.

yom kippur war

despite these successes, 1973 yom kippur war saw p-15 missiles used egyptian , syrian navies prove ineffective against israeli ships. israeli navy had phased out old ships, building fleet of saar class facs: faster, smaller, more maneuverable , equipped new missiles , countermeasures.

although range of p-15 twice of israeli gabriel, allowing arab ships fire first, radar jamming , chaff degraded accuracy. in battle of latakia , battle of baltim, several dozen p-15s fired , missed. arab ships did not possess heavy firepower required surface combat against enemy vessels, 25 , 30mm guns, , osa , komar boats not able outrun israeli pursuers.

iran–iraq war

p-15 variants, including chinese duplication silkworm , employed iran against iraq in 1980–1988 iran–iraq war, success. iranian coastline longer iraq s, control of persian gulf relatively easy. shore batteries missiles can control large part of area, around hormuz strait.

iraq acquired silkworms, ir homing capability. iraqi osa-class missile boats equipped ss-n-2 used them against irin navy, managed hit , sink iranian la combattante iia-class fast attack craft, sustained heavy losses, iranian harpoons , mavericks. iraqi forces combined ss-n-2, launched tu-22, french-made exocet launched mirage f1 & super etendard , chinese-made silkworm c-601 launched tu-16 , h-6 bombers bought china engage iranian navy , tankers carrying iranian oil.

gulf war (1990-1991)

during first gulf war iraqi missile crew attacked battleship uss missouri silkworm, while escorting fleet of minesweepers engaged in coastal anti-mine operations. hms_gloucester engaged missile salvo shot of sea dart missiles destroyed it.