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Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 12/96 NEW MISSILES FOR THE NEW FIGHTERS by Karl Schwarz Air combat scenarios are subject to a continuous change. Due to a lack of practical experience from real employments, the experts rarely agree on the consequences. While continuous efforts are being made to increase the turning performance and supersonic speed capabilities of new fighters, along with other performance improvements, the "missile division" looks at these efforts rather skeptically. According to them, it would make more sense to improve the air-to-air missiles. Missiles with extreme turning capability, high speed, and significantly increased range are to increase the no-escape-zone and leave no chance even to the most agile opponent who is maneuvering with 9 g. These requirements are based on the knowledge that the Russian missiles, which are now being exported worldwide, are partially superior to Western missiles. The current considerations concern two categories: + A replacement of the widely used AIM-9 Sidewinder with a new system for use on short distances. + The development of a new missile with an active radar head for medium ranges (10 to 120 km) which is to be much more efficient than the Hughes AIM-120 AMRAAM. Required is a three times bigger "no escape zone" which means longer range and higher speeds especially in the end-phase of the flight. This necessitates a change from a solid fuel booster to ramjet propulsion. The answers to both requirements are currently being evaluated by several manufacturers. Concerning the new FMRAAM (Future Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile) the interest is focusing on the decision of the Royal Air Force which is expected for 1997. Two bids were submitted for the staff requirement (Air) call in June which show interesting differences. British Aerospace managed to team up a powerful European partnership for its Meteor program. Along with Matra, Saab Dynamics, Alenia, GEC-Marconi, and Dasa's Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH (LFK) are participating in the project. Although not many details have been revealed, LFK seems to have good chances to supply the ramjet propulsion for Meteor. LFK's system uses solid fuel containing boron, in combination with a nozzle-less booster. Competitor Hughes is proposing a ramjet propulsion system from Aérospatiale which uses liquid fuel. It could offer speeds between Mach 1.8 and Mach 5. Other than that, Hughes is using the missile guidance section, warhead, and radar of the AIM-120. The RAF's decision is closely monitored by countries like Sweden, Italy, and Germany, since they as well need a new FMRAAM for their new fighters. A European joint-venture would only make sense. However, there is less agreement on the missile systems with IR seeker heads. Several projects are in development on both sides of the Atlantic, the most advanced being the ASRAAM. The first guided shot was accomplished at the end of May from a Lockheed Martin F-16. While the ASRAAM program funding is secured with over # 630 million until the start of the series production, the development of IRIS-T under the lead of BGT (Bodenseewerk Gerätetechnik) just began in August with a DM 28 million definition phase. IRIS-T combines an Infrared Imaging System seeker head with a new missile body. The missile features little strakes in its forward section, large lift-devices in the middle, and small aerodynamic rudders which are coupled to jet rudders. The development of IRIS-T is estimated at DM 450 million, 250 of which is to be funded by Germany. First delivery could start in 2002, in time for the introduction of the Eurofighter. IRIS-T's development is based on the knowledge that the Russian Wimpel R-73 (AA-11 Archer) is significantly superior to the AIM-9. This has also alerted Israel which, as so often, reacts the fastest and, with the Python 4, Rafael already has an adequate counterpart available. Python 4 has a seeker head with a angle of view of approximately 60 degrees, but has no imaging capability and no thrust vector control. However, good aerodynamics are to ensure a turning performance of up to 70 g. The USA, unlike other countries, reacted only reluctantly to the new challenge - probably due to the dominating doctrine of air combat beyond visual range with AMRAAM. Meanwhile, some research programs are being done and the Pentagon will probably want to make a decision by the end of the year of who will develop the AIM-9X. Hughes and Raytheon are competing with various designs. Raytheon's concept features a swivable casing for the seeker head instead of the traditional dome head. This is to allow extreme angles of view for the detector which comprises an area with 512 by 512 cells, thus being able to distinguish heat structures. Other than that, Raytheon's AIM-9X design uses a missile body with a low diameter (like Sidewinder) and small control surfaces at the tail which are supported by jet rudders. The design was already used during the Boxoffice II trials. According to Raytheon, the AIM-9X has a missile envelope which is twice as big as the AIM-9M. To further improve the performance, Raytheon is also suggesting the use of a larger diameter missile which would allow the integration of a stronger solid fuel motor. There is not much detail known about the concept of Hughes. It looks like the company is offering a missile which is also based on the experiences of the Boxoffice program. The seeker is a modified version of the system which Hughes is contributing to the British Aerospace ASRAAM. Due to this fact, a modified ASRAAM is the second design that Hughes is suggesting. Changes would include the integration of a larger warhead and the use of jet rudders for the thrust vector control. ASRAAM was evaluated by the US forces to have a better comparison. From page 51 of FLUG REVUE 12/96 Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 12/96 Copyright 1996 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved. Last updated November 19, 1996