Paralleling the development of new-generation fighter aircraft for the US Air Force and the US Navy are efforts to create the sophisticated weapons systems with which to arm them. The most critical of these is the advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM). Beginning in the early 1990s, the AMRAAM will likely be the main line of Western defense in air-to-air combat. The AMRAAM uses a midcourse inertial reference system and a sophisticated monopulse radar seeker for terminal guidance. The AMRAAM has a built-in radar and up to eight missiles can be fired almost simultaneously against multiple targets. Other advantages of AMRAAM are that it features all-aspect launch and tracking, it can be fired beyond visual range, and that its launch aircraft is free to maneuver following launch. The AMRAAM uses a traveling wave tube (TWT) monopulse seeker, and reportedly has an integrated radio frequency (RF) processor mounted on the seeker gimbal. A single microprocessor controls the missile. It combines the functions of navigation, guidance, data link, radar, fuze setting, missile sequencing and built-in test.
AMRAAM: better late than never (advanced medium-range air to air missile)
AMRAAM: besser spaeter als nie (neue Luft-Luft-Mittelstreckenraketen)
Defense Electronics ; 20 , 12 ; 42-47
1988
Article (Journal)
English