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According to photos on social media, on the evening of May 16, Ukraine's "Patriot" air defense missile system successfully intercepted the incoming missiles of the Russian army, and this incident attracted widespread attention. However, surprisingly, after interception, Kiev found a crashed Russian Kh-55 cruise missile, known in the West as Tomahawksky, which usually carries nuclear submarines or strategic bombers.
What is even more surprising is that after examining the wreckage of this cruise missile, it was found that it did not have a warhead. This led to speculation that this could be a "decoy missile" used to deceive the Ukrainian "Patriot" air defense missile system. Once Ukraine's anti-aircraft missile systems activate their radars to intercept decoy missiles, Russian electronic warfare aircraft will be able to accurately detect their location, and subsequent missile attacks are expected to break through missile interception and eventually destroy the Patriot air defense missile system.
The Kh-55 cruise missile has a long history. This missile is a long-range subsonic air-launched nuclear cruise missile developed by the Rainbow Design Bureau of the former Soviet Union in 1968 and put into service in 1981. It is similar to the American Tomahawk cruise missile, so it is nicknamed the Tomahawksky.
With a range of more than 2,000 kilometers, the Kh-55 was originally designed for the Akula attack nuclear submarine, the submarine-launched version was called the SS-N-21, while the air-launched version was mainly equipped on the Tu-95MS "Bear" strategic bomber and the Tu-160 "Corsair" strategic bomber, and the land-based version was later reduced.
If it is confirmed that this is a Kh-55 missile, then at least it means that the attack involved bombers of the Strategic Air Force, since the Black Sea Fleet did not have the "Akula" class attack nuclear submarines, so the possibility of a submarine-launched type was ruled out.
Ukraine announced that they had successfully intercepted 18 ballistic and cruise missiles and multiple drones that night. However, if this is a saturation strike on the positions of the "Patriot" anti-aircraft missiles, then the Russian army may have launched more missiles, some of which may carry jamming equipment or decoy systems designed to confuse Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile systems. This "dummy missile" is actually still a missile, but does not carry a warhead, but is equipped with electronics to lure Ukraine's anti-aircraft missile systems into turning on the radar and determining its location so that subsequent missiles can be aimed precisely at the target.
The Kh-55 cruise missile may well be a form of such a "dummy missile". Since the Kh-55 is a nuclear cruise missile, which is no longer used in a nuclear strike, it is quite appropriate to dismantle its warhead and use it as a decoy missile.
From the information published by Ukraine, several cruise missiles were shot down, but they were basically identified as sea-based launched "Caliber" NK cruise missiles. Together with the presence of the Kh-55 cruise missile, it shows that the Russian army has made detailed plans for this operation. In addition to using the Kh-55 cruise missile as a "false target", they also used the Shahid-136 suicide drone. Such "patrol missiles" can be used both as "false targets" to lure Ukrainian anti-aircraft missiles into fire, or as a "killer tool" to attack the guidance radar of the "Patriot" missile system. In such a fierce battle, the radar system of the Ukrainian "Patriot" air defense missile system is likely to have been paying attention to high-altitude high-speed ballistic missiles, which provides an opportunity for the "Shahid"-136 UAV to find loopholes and deliver a fatal blow.
In conclusion, the incident revealed the importance of electronic warfare and decoy missiles in modern conflicts. Russia's strategy clearly includes multiple levels of jamming and confusion to weaken Ukraine's air defenses. It also reminds us that warfare is no longer limited to traditional military operations, and that electronic warfare and information warfare are becoming increasingly important. This event is important for understanding the evolution of contemporary conflicts.
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