R-37 (missile)
| Vympel R-37 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | air-to-air missile |
| Place of origin | Russia |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 600 kilograms (1,320 lb) |
| Length | 4.20 metres (13 ft 9 in) |
| Diameter | 38 centimetres (15 in) |
| Wingspan | 0.7 m (2 ft 4 in) |
| Warhead | HE, fragmenting |
| Warhead weight | 60 kg (135 lb) |
| Propellant | Solid rocket |
Operational range | 80–215 nm[1] (150–398 km) |
| Maximum speed | Mach 6 |
Guidance system | Inertial with mid-course update, semi-active and active radar homing |
The Vympel R-37 (NATO reporting name: AA-X-13/AA-13 Arrow)[1] is a Russian air-to-air missile with an extremely long range. It has also had the names K-37, Izdeliye 610 and R-VD (Raketa-Velikaya Dalnost, "Very Long Range Missile"), and the NATO codename 'Andi'.[2]
It was designed to shoot down AWACS and other C4ISTAR aircraft[1] whilst keeping the launch platform out of range of any fighters that might be protecting the target. Although it was first tested from a MiG-31M, the R-37 is not a replacement for the Vympel R-33 missiles carried by that aircraft;[1] rather, the R-37 is intended for the Sukhoi Su-35, Su-37, MiG 1.42 MFI and other future fighters.[1]
Design
The R-37 was developed from the Vympel R-33.[citation needed] For compatibility with aircraft that did not have the MiG-31's sophisticated radar, the semi-active seeker was replaced with a variant of the Agat 9B-1388 active seeker;[1] mid-body strakes enhance lift[1] and hence range, and folding tail controls allow semi-conformal carriage[1] on planes that are not as big as the MiG-31. According to Defence Today the range depends on the flight profile, from 80 nautical miles (150 km) for a direct shot[1] to 215 nautical miles (398 km) for a cruise glide profile.[1] According to Jane's there are two variants, the R-37 and the R-37M; the latter has a jettisonable rocket booster that increases the range to "300-400km" (160–220 nm).[2]
History
The missile was designed in the early 1980s and first flown in 1989.[2] Testing of the K-37 continued through the 1990s;[2] in 1994 a trial round scored a kill at a range of 162 nautical miles (300 km).[1] However, the programme appears to have been dropped around 1998 on grounds of cost.[2]
Work on the missile appears to have restarted in late 2006,[2] as part of the MiG-31BM programme[2] to update the Foxhound with a new radar and ground attack capability.
Similar weapons
- Novator KS-172 AAM-L (R-172,172S-1) - uses an active radar seeker and inertial midcourse guidance,[1] similar to the R-37 in many ways but a less mature product. Standard range is 160 nautical miles (300 km), a booster pack increases that to 215 nautical miles (398 km).[1] Development is currently being funded by India with a view to production in India under licence.[1]
- Kh-31 (AS-17 'Krypton') - the Chinese have licensed the anti-radar version (Kh-31P) of this Russian air-to-surface missile, and claim their YJ-91 is an "AWACS killer".[1] The Russians claim the anti-shipping version, the Kh-31A, can be adapted for use as an AWACS killer.[1]
- AIM-54 Phoenix - 100 nautical miles (190 km)-range missile carried by the now decommissioned US Navy's F-14 Tomcat.
Notes and references
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Missiles in the Asia Pacific" (PDF), Defence Today, Amberley, Queensland: Strike Publications: p67, May 2005
{{citation}}:|page=has extra text (help) - ^ a b c d e f g "R-37, R-37M (AA-X-13) (Russian Federation), Air-to-air missiles - Beyond visual range", Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, Jane’s Information Group, 2009-01-12