Defense Experts Warn U.S. Warship Deployment Near Venezuela Could Face Threat from Russian-Made Missiles

U.S. naval forces operating off the coast of Venezuela could face a credible threat from Russian-made anti-ship missiles in the event of a military confrontation, according to a detailed analysis by The War Zone, a publication specialized in military technology.

The report warns that Venezuela’s air force possesses Kh-31A supersonic missiles — known to NATO as the AS-17 “Krypton” — capable of targeting U.S. warships deployed in the Caribbean. These missiles, launched from Venezuela’s Su-30MK2V Flanker fighter jets, remain one of the country’s most effective deterrents against foreign intervention.

“The Kh-31A is a threat to be taken seriously,” The War Zone wrote, adding that the system gives the Venezuelan military a credible means to engage U.S. ships operating near its coast. The publication described the weapon as “the most relevant anti-ship asset in Venezuela’s arsenal,” highlighting its ability to reach speeds of up to Mach 3.5 and perform high-speed evasive maneuvers that make interception difficult.

Developed in the late 1970s by the Soviet Union, the Kh-31 was originally designed to destroy radar systems linked to U.S. and NATO air defenses, including the Patriot and Aegis systems. Its anti-ship version, the Kh-31A, carries a 192-pound warhead designed to penetrate a vessel’s hull before detonating.

Venezuela operates 21 Su-30 fighters, many of which have been filmed carrying the missiles in military exercises near the country’s coastline in the past. The site shared a clip from 2019 which features the planes during a mock attack:

According to The War Zone, it is unclear whether Venezuela also received the Kh-31P, an anti-radiation variant that could be repurposed to target ship radars.

U.S. forces currently deployed in the Caribbean include the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group and several guided missile destroyers and cruisers. These ships are equipped with advanced air-defense systems, but the proximity of Venezuelan aircraft operating within missile range poses a tactical challenge. “Its speed leaves very little reaction time, especially if vessels are operating close to the Venezuelan coastline,” the analysis stated.

In early September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the U.S.’s strike on a vessel off the Venezuelan coast, expressing “serious concern about Washington’s escalating actions in the Caribbean Sea that are fraught with far-reaching consequences for the region.”