X-55 cruise missile and its carrier Tu-95 (ENGLISH)

The history of the creation of the X-55 strategic air-launched cruise missile (NATO classification AS-15 "Kent") has always been shrouded in mystery. In the beginning, it was a state secret and technical secrets of the Cold War. Then - the protection of a unique project due to the desire of some ambitious countries to jump over their own stage of scientific research and try to copy one of the most successful technical solutions for aircraft of this class. Even today, implemented in the design of the X-55 at the end of the 70s of the last century can be of keen interest - no longer as a weapon, but as high-speed UAVs for more peaceful purposes. A subsonic, low-flying and perfectly controllable drone based on the X-55 concept could be of interest for rapid monitoring missions; delivery of super-emergency compact cargo: medical equipment and medicines, saving a person's life in hard-to-reach areas; installation of emergency beacons, restoration of communication systems ...
This year marks 40 years since the start of production of the X-55 at the Kharkov Aviation Plant and the transfer of the first serial cruise missile for testing. By the way, at that time, practically simultaneously with the rocket, in Ukraine, the serial production of small-sized by-pass turbojet engines for the X-55 was started at the Zaporozhye Motor-Building Production Association (now - Motor Sich JSC).
When you recall such developments of our predecessors, you, willingly or unwillingly, think about the modern lightweight attitude to your own heritage, taking into account the constant attempts to create another “breakthrough product” from scratch. Maybe that's why the wonderful words of one of the founders of mathematical analysis and probability theory, the 17th century philosopher Blaise Pascal, come to mind: "The past and the present are our means, only the future is our goal."

Видео X-55 cruise missile and its carrier Tu-95 (ENGLISH) канала Павел Науменко