The Son of AMRAAM: Update (AIM-120 to AIM-260)

The AMRAAM is going to be replaced and there are a few more news about the AIM-260.
Let's have a short chat about it!
Enjoy!

#AMRAAM #AirtoAir #Combat

[LRRPFco]

If you compare high altitude profiles of the AIM-120D and Meteor, there are areas where the D will match or exceed the Meteor's WEZ, since air breathing through such a small intake doesn't provide much airflow mass to the secondary propulsion system on the Meteor, while adding significant cost.

With new developments in rocket motor propellant, we've been able to dramatically increase the burn duration, which translates into better max V0, higher terminal phase V0, shorter ToF, more available gs to maneuver in powered terminal phase, and more options for warhead and guidance systems space.

If you look back at the jump in performance between the AIM-7F and AIM-7M after AIMVAL, a similar leap happened with AIM-120C to D.

Meteor is excellent in the low-to-mid altitude bands where the air is thicker. If a target aircraft somehow gets warning that a Meteor is inbound and dives into thicker air with hopes of extending out of WEZ, the air-breathing function expands the NEZ. But getting launch warning before the Meteor's active seeker triggers is not going to happen in RF spectrum normally.

There are very valid reasons why the US has not pursued an air-breather for the next generation BVRAAMs.

There is also another funded US missile called Peregrine that doubles the existing magazine count, while at least matching AIM-120C kinematics.

Even with max internal A2G weapons in the F-35 bays, that would mean 4 BVR AAMs.

In an A2A heavy load, you could have 6 AAMs and 1 JDAM or 4 SDBs, or 8 BVRAAMs in A2A-only in all Block 3 JSF variants.

With Block 4 JSF, you could carry 12 BVRAAMs in F-35A/C with the new bays, no external stores at all.

F-22A will be able to carry 12 Peregrine or a mix of Peregrine and AIM-260 in the belly bays, with AIM-9X and maybe Peregrine in the cheek bays for a 14 AAM count.

A Raptor 2-ship would bring 28 5th Gen advanced BVR missiles into the fight.

A 4-ship of F-35s with A2G/A2A mix will bring 16-24 5th Gen BVRAAMs to the fight, in addition to 8 JDAMs/GBUs, or 32 SDBs, or a mix thereof.

F-35s often operate in wolf packs of 8-16 ships. For a given launch of an 8-ship flight, you're looking at 128 BVRAAMs in the minimum AAM configuration in just the F-35, not accounting for Raptors.

Even assuming very low pk (which is the opposite of pk trends in 5th Gen), an enemy fighter force that can launch and keep 24 fighter-interceptors in the air would be 100% attrited at an extremely fast rate, to where they were no longer a threat within the first 24hr.

Within the same sorties, the JSF and F-22s would also deliver PGMs on the runways, shelters, control towers, POL bunkers, Ordnance bunkers, C4 nodes, IADS nodes, SAM launchers, mobile platforms, and other critical defense points, providing real-time BDA and follow-on TGTs for each other and the next waves.

555 F-35s were delivered as of early last month. With AIM-120 production, they hit 14, 000 missiles by early 2000s.

Streamlined production has made missile manufacturing faster today, so we'll see what happens with the 5th Gen missile suites.

[johnsilver]

There are 3 programs actually, AIM-260 JATM, LREW, and LRAAM. JATM is from Lockheed Martin and is a joint initiative between the airforce and navy. It is of the highest priority as It will replace the AIM-120s while being most likely in same form factor. It may serve as a dual purpose beyond visual range AAM and anti-radiation missile as the Airforce wanted one. It could also be fitted with IR seekers. On the other hand, LREW is from Raytheon and is an enlarged AAM to be carried by F-15EX and bombers most likely a mutistage booster missile. Meaning its a bigger missile for more longer ranges. Lastly, LRAAM is Boeing's concept and is not meant to replace AIM-120s but only supplement it. It uses a hit-to-kill warhead making it more compact and smaller which means more missiles can be carried. But this is just speculative, but JATM enters initial production (IOC) this year.

[tompalmer]

Every time we fire a high tech missile it costs us at least $500, 000. It costs one million dollars to fire an AIM-120, and three-million to fire a LRASM. Let's start building lasers as fast as we can.

[poseidon]

I was was wondering if they would make a two stage air to air missile.

[forzaisspeed]

BVRM's more range is better, but BVRM's has a bad hit rate at distance, due to RWS and Defences.

[ViceCoin]

Looks like an evolutionary upgrade, with no improvement in manuverability.

[wildturkey]

Your voice is way to base turn it down if you can.