The Kh-38MAE, Kh-38MKE, Kh-38MLE, Kh-38MTE short-range air-to-surface guided modular missiles are designed to engage a wide range of armored, reinforced and soft ground single and group targets.

The Kh-38ME type missiles are a general-purpose modular weapon used over the battlefield or in immediate tactical depth. The modularity provides high combat effectiveness against a wide range of targets through using a variety of types of warheads and guidance systems:

• Kh-38MAE – inertial + active radar;
• Kh-38MKE – inertial + satellite navigation;
• Kh-38MLE – inertial + semi-active laser;
• Kh-38MTE – inertial + thermal imaging.

Available warhead versions:

• high explosive or penetrating warheads used in Kh-38MAE, Kh-38MLE, Kh-38MTE missiles;
• cluster warhead used in Kh-38MKE missile.

A dual-mode solid fuel rocket motor propels the missile to a speed of Мach 2.2.

The Kh-38ME-series missiles can be carried not only by aircraft, but also attack helicopters. Compared with the previous generation of similar modular missiles (like the Kh-25M), maximum firing range has been quadrupled (40 km compared to 10 km for Kh-25ML).