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2016-03-01

TEN OF THE BEST

Rating the world’s most effective air-to-air missiles

Air-to-air missiles are now pivotal in modern warfare. The more threats emerge the more essential they are in any success in achieving air superiority and successful defence operations as they deal with increasingly sophisticated aircraft and ground-air defence systems in potentially hostile environments. NATION SHIELD wraps up its two part series on the world’s most effective air-to-air missiles.

AIM-120 AMRAAM (Raytheon)

The Air Intercept Missile 120 (AIM 120) Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) is the world’s most sophisticated air dominance weapon. With more than 25 years of design, upgrades, testing and production, the AIM-120 continues to meet all warfighter requirements. Its capabilities have been fully demonstrated in more than 3,900 test shots and 10 combat victories.

The AMRAAM is a versatile and proven weapon with operational flexibility in a wide variety of scenarios, including air-to-air and surface-launch engagements. In the surface launch role, AMRAAM is the baseline weapon on the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS).

In the air-to-air role, no other missile compares to AMRAAM. The weapon’s advanced active guidance section provides aircrew with a high degree of combat flexibility and lethality.

Its mature seeker design allows it to quickly find targets in the most combat challenging environments.

Procured by 37 countries including the U.S., the combat-proven AMRAAM has been integrated onto the F-16, F-15, F/A-18, F-22, Typhoon, Gripen, Tornado and Harrier.

The AIM-120C5 and AIM-120C7 are fully integrated on the F-35 and support United States Marine Corps’ (USMC) F-35B initial operational capability as the only air-to-air missile qualified on the F-35.

AIM-9X Sidewinder (Raytheon)

The Air Intercept Missile 9 (AIM-9) Sidewinder is the most advanced infrared-tracking, short-range air-to-air and surface-to-air missile in the world. It is configured for easy installation on a wide range of modern aircraft, including the F-15, F-16, F/A-18 and F-4 fighters, A-4, A-6 and AV-8B attack aircraft, and the AH-1 helicopter. Allied aircraft configured for Sidewinders include the Tornado, the JA-37 Viggen and the Sea Harrier.

A true dual use missile, AIM-9X is effective in either air-to-air or surface-to-air applications with no modifications required to the missile. It is compatible with the U.S. Army’s ground-based multi-mission launcher.

Over the years, the Sidewinder’s effectiveness and all-aspect capabilities have been combat-proven in several theaters throughout the world.

The AIM-9X® Block II is the current version of the AIM-9 Sidewinder short range missile family in use by more than 40 nations throughout the world. This next generation Sidewinder missile is in its 14th year of production.

AIM-9X is actively deployed on U.S. Navy and Air Force F-15, F-16, and F-18 aircraft, and is further deployed in the air forces of 18 international customers.

The AIM-9X Block II adds a redesigned fuze and a digital Ignition Safety Device that enhances ground handling and in-flight safety. The Block II variant also features updated electronics that enable significant enhancements, including lock-on-after-launch capability using a new weapon datalink to support Beyond Visual Range engagements.

AIM-132 ASRAAM (MBDA UK)

Built by MBDA UK, the missile is designed as a ‘fire-and-forget’ weapon, able to counter intermittent target obscuration in cloud as well as sophisticated infrared countermeasures.

When combined with digital signal-processing and imaging software, Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) is able to see individual areas of its target, such as engines, cockpit or wings.

The picture is very similar to a monochrome TV picture, and gives the missile excellent long-range target acquisition, even against employed countermeasures such as flares or similar pyrotechnics.

In addition to its ability to image targets, the seeker also allows the missile to be fired at very high off-boresight angles, in either lock-before or lock-after-launch modes. Because the missile has a fire-and-forget capability, the pilot can engage multiple targets with several missiles simultaneously.

To increase its speed and its operating range, the missile has a low-drag design; only tail fins are provided for control purposes; and a new, low-signature, dual-burn, high-impulse solid rocket motor provides the power. Compared to other similar missiles, this new motor improves both the missile’s instantaneous acceleration and its maximum cruise velocity.

In a typical within visual range (WVR) engagement, the ASRAAM is slaved to the target either visually or by the launch aircraft’s on-board sensors. Following release, the missile accelerates to speeds in excess of Mach 3 whilst being guided to the target using its IR seeker. Detonation of the high-explosive fragmentation warhead is achieved by either a laser proximity fuse or an impact fuse.

A-Darter (Denel Dynamics)

A-Darter is a leading wing tip fifth-generation Imaging Infrared Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (SRAAM) missile system. It has a lock-on after launch and memory tracking with the latest processing capabilities.

The A-Darter may be designated to a target by using the aircraft’s radar, a helmet sight or the missile’s very effective autonomous scan feature if radar silence is required. The seeker’s large look-angles and the airframe’s agility enable high off-bore sight helmet designated firings.

Long-range intercepts beyond IR detection range are also possible with the lock-on after launch capability of the A-Darter.

The A-Darter missile can be integrated on the latest and older generation aircraft platforms. It has already been integrated on the JAS-39 Gripen. Integration on the Hawk Mk 120 is underway.

The missile can be integrated on JAS-39 Gripen, Hawk Mk120, F-5E/F Tiger II, F-5A/B and future F-X2 fighters. Its lightweight design is also compatible with conventional Sidewinder hard-points.

R-77 (Vympel Design Bureau)

The R-77 (RVV-AE) (NATO: AA-12 Adder) is a medium-range air-to-air missile developed by State Machine-Building Design Bureau “Vympel”. The R-77’s multi-purpose target engagement capabilities and resistance against countermeasures are among the best in the world.

The R-77 (RVV-AE) can be deployed on MiG/Sukhoi fighters and other foreign-made aircraft as well as land-based anti-air weapon systems. It is launched from AKU-170E launch unit aboard the aircraft.

The R-77 carries a 22.5kg multi-shaped charge rod type warhead for a maximum distance of 80km.

CHAMP

Champ flight test in the Utah desert changed the future warfare after the missile successfully defeated electronic targets with little to no collateral damage.

Boeing and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, successfully developed the Counter-electronics High-powered Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP).

CHAMP is a nonlethal alternative to kinetic weapons that neutralizes electronic targets. It would allow the military to focus on these targets while minimizing or eliminating collateral damage.

The CHAMP missile pointed at a set of simulated targets, confirming that the missile could be controlled and timed while using a High-powered Microwave (HPM) system against multiple targets and locations. The software used was identical to the software required for a vehicle with a fully integrated HPM system on board.

CHAMP, which renders electronic targets useless, is a non-kinetic alternative to traditional explosive weapons that use the energy of motion to defeat a target.

During the test, the CHAMP missile navigated a pre-programmed flight plan and emitted bursts of high-powered energy, effectively knocking out the target’s data and electronic subsystems. CHAMP allows for selective high-frequency radio wave strikes against numerous targets during a single mission.

According to Boeing officials, “This technology marks a new era in modern-day warfare. In the near future, this technology may be used to render an enemy’s electronic and data systems useless even before the first troops or aircraft arrive”.

Boeing received the contract in April 2009. As the prime contractor, Boeing provides the airborne platform and serves as the system integrator. Albuquerque, N.M.-based Ktech Corp. -- the primary subcontractor -- supplies the HPM source. Sandia National Laboratories provides the pulse power system under a separate contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory.

PL-15 air-to-air missile

According to Chinese media mil.huanqiu.com’s report, the website of U.S. media Popular Science monthly said in its report that the PL-15 beyond visual range air-to-air missile has a range of 150 to 200 km further than any U.S. air-to-air missiles in service.

In addition, it has a longer active radar monitoring and anti-jamming data chain. Gen. Carlisle said that with an additional ramjet engine, the missile had a longer range to threaten not only US F-22 and F-35 stealth fighter jets but also U.S. bombers and aerial refueling aircrafts.

The report continued that General Herbert Carlisle, the head of the U.S. Air Force’s Air Combat Command, asked the rhetorical question in a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., “How do we counter that and what are we going to do to continue to meet that threat?”

K-77M long range missile

The Detal Design Bureau, part of the Tactical Missile Corporation (KTRV), K-77M is a long-range air-to-air missile intended for the Russian Air Force PAK T-50 stealth fighter and fitted with the most accurate radar-guidance system ever produced.

The Active Phased Array Antenna (APAA) radar seeker has been designed to avoid the unlock of the missile by the target aircraft carrying out violent maneuvers in close proximity to get out of the seeker’s angle-of-view.

The APAA seeker features a wider angle-of-view than older narrow angle radar-based seekers thus minimizing missing the target. With the APAA seeker the new missile is an absolute killer compared with domestic and foreign air-to-air missiles.

The K-77M missile existence was revealed in late 2013 and is expected to enter serial production for the Russian Air Force and foreign customers by 2015.

The APAA radar seeker consists of a large number of cone-shaped cells installed under a transparent-to-radio-waves cap on the nose of the missile.

Each cell receives only a part of the signal, but once digitally processed, the information from all cells is summarized into a full picture. With a full picture the K-77M missile immediately responds to sharp turns of the target making interception inevitable.

Text / Photo credit:

www.raytheon.com

www.mbda-systems.com

www.wikipedia.org

www.boeing.com

www.af.mil

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