DrainBamage
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- Dec 31, 2016
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DoD is finally talking about the replacement for AIM-120.
Meet The AIM-260, The Air Force And Navy's Future Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile
This would be the first brand new US AA missile since AIM-120 was introduced almost 30 years ago. Still not much detail:
- Joint USAF & USN project
- Has been in development for 2 years
- Scheduled for flight testing in 2021, Initial operational testing 2022
- Significant increase in range compared to AIM-120
- Similar form factor AIM-120
- Will not use ramjet engine like Meteor
- Better networking
- First aircraft will be F-22 and F-18-E/F, followed by F-35.
- Possible dual mode seeker?
It's curious the longer legs than AMRAAM in same size. AIM-120D is already a 100 mile missile with much more range than AIM-120C, but that was mostly achieved through software with missile taking an efficient predictive ballistic path to target, they weren't squeezing any more range out of same hardware. Article did point out some newer generations have achieved much greater range through advances in technology enabling miniaturization of component, like with JASSM-ER and AARGM. JASSM-ER has same form factor as JASSM, has same payload, but more than twice the range.
Dual mode seeker is just speculation but would be interesting because that might be the end of AIM-9 Sidewinder right along with AIM-120. A missile that could rely on a combination of imaging infrared and active radar in one package would have the very difficult to beat with soft countermeasures and get the benefits of both. It would make sense as multi-mode seekers have become more common, latest smart bomb SDB-2 has a tri-mode and is supposed to be able to hit a zig-zagging high speed pickup truck through fog.
Meet The AIM-260, The Air Force And Navy's Future Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile
This would be the first brand new US AA missile since AIM-120 was introduced almost 30 years ago. Still not much detail:
- Joint USAF & USN project
- Has been in development for 2 years
- Scheduled for flight testing in 2021, Initial operational testing 2022
- Significant increase in range compared to AIM-120
- Similar form factor AIM-120
- Will not use ramjet engine like Meteor
- Better networking
- First aircraft will be F-22 and F-18-E/F, followed by F-35.
- Possible dual mode seeker?
It's curious the longer legs than AMRAAM in same size. AIM-120D is already a 100 mile missile with much more range than AIM-120C, but that was mostly achieved through software with missile taking an efficient predictive ballistic path to target, they weren't squeezing any more range out of same hardware. Article did point out some newer generations have achieved much greater range through advances in technology enabling miniaturization of component, like with JASSM-ER and AARGM. JASSM-ER has same form factor as JASSM, has same payload, but more than twice the range.
Dual mode seeker is just speculation but would be interesting because that might be the end of AIM-9 Sidewinder right along with AIM-120. A missile that could rely on a combination of imaging infrared and active radar in one package would have the very difficult to beat with soft countermeasures and get the benefits of both. It would make sense as multi-mode seekers have become more common, latest smart bomb SDB-2 has a tri-mode and is supposed to be able to hit a zig-zagging high speed pickup truck through fog.
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