Still that is pretty much the technique of the SLAM and SLAM-ER, which uses a man in the loop system with infra red imaging, and GPS/inertial navigation in the midphase. The SLAM-ER is the Navy’s only current SOAD weapon (a weird acronym that stands for Stand off Outside Area Defense system). The acronym pretty much speaks for itself. SLAM-ER has a range of 250km.
I am aware of that.
Kh-59ME with 285km and a new datalink pod, could pretty much act as a SOAD device. I don’t see that much vulnerability for the launcher if you stand off 285km from the target.
Vulnerability is entirely dependant on the surrounding environment at the time. The target might be tucked inside a SAM belt or defended by fighter aircraft flying CAP, or if at sea, protected by AAW vessels on picket duty with long range SAMs, or even carrier-borne fighters on BARCAP. At max. range the subsonic flight time of the missile might feel like a life time if hostiles are not far away.
If you consider a Taiwan scenario, the MKK could launch a 285km missile even before it ever passes the coast, while over home territory. The distance across the straits is only 100 to 140km. So yes, the MKK could shoot those missiles right over home territory beyond reach of SAMs (the longest ranged ROC SAM is the 160km Sky king2 or Tienkung 2) and beyond range of ROC interceptors. These interceptors would have to interdict the MKK right over the mainland, and doing that well exposes the ROC defenders to the S-300s and HQ-9s lined up along the coast.
Obviously this is not the scenario that I was thinking of. The missile’s max. stand of range would indeed enbale launch-to-impact with the parent fighter well inside friendly territory. OTOH, subsonic cruise missiles flying fairly high prior to their terminal phase would not be that hard to shoot down for the ROC.
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