Publications

Letters & Notes LN-017

Road-Launched Cruise Missile (RLCM) as a New Taxonomy Class

for Heavy Ground-Launched Cruise Missiles

Sergey V. Karamov

In the research and development of new cruise missiles, the challenge of selecting the appropriate

launch method is highly pressing today, especially in terms of minimising the cost of executing a combat

mission objective. To facilitate a comprehension of the fundamentals of cruise missile launch theory, let

us construct a general taxonomy. The modern taxonomy of cruise missiles is highly diverse. At least 12

significant classification categories can be identified, as listed below:

1. Launch site {Ground-Launched, Air-Launched, Sea-Launched}:[GLCM, ALCM, SLCM]

2. Target class {Land-Attack, Anti-Ship}

3. Range {Short, Medium, Long, Intercontinental}

4. Speed {Subsonic, Supersonic, Hypersonic}

5. Warhead weight {Light, Medium, Heavy}

6. Warhead type {Conventional/Explosive, Nuclear, Chemical, Biological}

7. Propulsion type {Turbojet, Turbofan, Ramjet, Scramjet, Rocket, Internal Combustion}

8. Fuel type {Liquid-propellant, Solid-propellant, Hybrid-propellant}

9. Guidance method {INS, GNSS, Radar, Laser, Vision Imaging, Infrared}

10. Launcher configuration {Open-based launching, Close-based Launching/Container/Canisters}

11. Launcher mobility {Static launcher/Catapult, Mobile/Track}

12. Source of launch energy {Solid-propellant rocket boosters, Pneumatic, Mechanical Catapult}.

If we hypothetically calculate the potential diversity of possible cruise missile types as a combinatorial

intersection of class sets, the result is over a million design variants. Of course, this combinatorial space

contains a large number of incompatible class combinations; nevertheless, a figure in the hundreds of

thousands does little to improve our understanding.

However, the most important distinguishing factor for all missiles is category No 1, which categorises

them based on their launch site. This specific class determines the variations of all other parameters, as

it influences the military's choice of the primary method for achieving the mission objective.

Let us consider only Ground-Launched Cruise Missiles (GLCM), as they are currently in extremely high

demand, the most numerous, widely used and do not require aircraft. All GLCMs employ either static

launchers or mobile truck-mounted systems. Launch is achieved using solid-propellant rocket boosters

i.e., RATOG (Rocket-Assisted Take-Off Gear), or pneumatic catapults. The use of such launchers and

boosters entails significant drawbacks, including the need for launch infrastructure, the requirement for

expensive delivery platforms and costly, hazardous boosters, and the risk of revealing the launch site's

position. It is also necessary to consider that the heavier the cruise missile, the more problems arise

regarding the use of launchers and trucks to provide RATOG. Obviously, these issues must be

addressed through the development of a new type of weapon system.

To address these issues, we propose a new class of cruise missiles: the Road-Launched Cruise Missile

(RLCM). RLCMs require no infrastructure, dedicated launch platforms, or mobile transport vehicles;

RLCMs are entirely self-sufficient. They can be launched from a variety of surfaces: runways, airstrips,

highways, tarmac roads and paved roads. RLCM-class missiles offer numerous advantages, such as

ultimately low cost, suitability for mass production, ease of concealment during storage, and minimal

maintenance requirements.

The pioneer in the widespread use of RLCM is the British company Novus Converged Aerospace Ltd.

developing a variable range of missiles of diverse classes and various applications.

The first prominent representatives of the RLCM class are the Griffon and Pelican family, in particular

the Griffon Mk2 — Heavy Deep-Strike Precision Long-Range Cruise Missile / One-Way Effector (OWE).