AMERICA HAS 6 NEW AIR-TO-AIR MISSILES HEADED FOR SERVICE
Alex Hollings | March 6, 2023
The United States may operate the most advanced fighters on the planet, but today, its stealth jets like the F-22 and F-35 fly into a fight carrying the same basic air-to-air missile loadout used in Desert Storm, more than two decades ago. But that’s all about to change as the U.S. currently has at least six advanced new air-to-air missiles cruising toward service, offering more speed, range, or capability than ever before.
Today, American fighters usually carry two different types of air-to-air weapons: the radar-guided AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM, and one of several iterations of the infrared-guided AIM-9 Sidewinder missile. These weapons have seen continued improvements over the years, but they’re no spring chickens. The AMRAAM has been in service since 1991, and the AIM-9 Sidewinder can trace its lineage all the way back to 1956.
Why the US hasn’t needed to replace its air-to-air missiles for decades
An F-35A Lightning II executed its first live-fire launch of a guided air-to-air missile (AIM-120 AMRAAM) over a military test range off the California coast on Oct. 30. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Of course, it would be a mistake to assume these missiles are still the same weapons that were first fielded decades ago.
The latest AMRAAM, the AIM-120D, reached initial operating capability in 2015 and represents a massive leap in capability over the original weapon. With 50% more range than its predecessor, a two-way datalink with the launching aircraft, a GPS-enhanced Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and high off-boresight launch capabilities, the most modern AMRAAM is still ranked among the most capable air-to-air missiles on the planet today.
https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/america-has-6-new-air-to-air-missiles-headed-for-service/
