USA Equivalent Page
The Aim of this page is to give some idea of the equivalent US System for the Russian System
The contents of this page are from this site The Chock Full O' Missiles Page run by Chad Eastridge which is a good site well worth a visit.
The AIM-120 AMRAAM is currently the most important air-to-air missile in use by U.S. Armed Forces today. The AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air missile) was developed jointly by the US Air Force and Navy as a replacement for the obscelescent AIM-7 Sparrow III AAM. As well as increased speed and range over the Sparrow, the AMRAAM was designed to be installed on hardpoints previously capable of accepting only the lightweight AIM-9 Sidewinder.
The AMRAAM was designed to take advantage of modern-day warplanes, particularly their advanced pulse-doppler radar systems with beam sharpening, which allow for accurate target detection at long range. This ability opens the way for the AMRAAM to be launched at the upper end of the medium-range bracket, without the missile locking onto the target.
In a typical engagement, the pilot begins to track the target using the plane's pulse-doppler system. The plane's on-board computer instantly begins to calculate launch acceptability zones. The computer will let the pilot know when an acceptable launch scenario is achieved. When the pilot decides to launch the missile, the inertial reference data is downloaded from the plane's computer to the missile to provide inertial navigation information. Once the missile is in flight, it uses the pre-stored inertial navigation information to steer itself toward a point in space where the target is expected. When the missile decides it is within active-seeker range, the missile's own active radar system is activated. At this time, the pilot is free to break away. The active radar then guides the missile into the target for detonation. The delayed activation of the active-radar system minimizes the target's warning time before impact.
The AMRAAM was developed as part of an agreement signed between the U.S., the U.K., and Germany in August 1980. This agreement called for the U.S. to develop the new medium-range missile, while the U.K. and Germany would jointly develop the new short-range air-to-air missile. This missile is now operational as the AIM-132 ASRAAM. The AMRAAM first entered service with the U.S. in January 1989.
The AIM-120C is the most recent version, designed to be carried in the internal bay of the new F-22 Advanced Tactical Fighter. This version includes reduced-size control surfaces to allow stowage in the F-22 weapons bay.
The AMRAAM will continue to be the premiere American air-to-air missile well into the 21st century.
Specifications:
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