AIR-TO-AIR MISSILES
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18 strike-fighters armed with medium range
AMRAAM radar-guided missiles and short-range AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles
with a Helmet-Mounted Cueing Sight (HMCS) will revolutionize air warfare
in the next century. These weapons will change the manner in which we conduct
air-to-air warfare. Our pilots will get the first look with aircraft radar
or visually with an HMCS, fire the first shot with AMRAAM or a high off-boresight
capable AIM-9X, and benefit from increased lethality and aircraft survivability.
AIM-120 AMRAAM
The
AIM-120 AMRAAM missile is deployed on the F/A-18C/D, and will be deployed
on F/A-18E/F and JSF aircraft. Joint U.S. Air Force and Navy procurement
of AMRAAM continues, and deliveries of the reprogrammable AIM-120B have
begun. The AIM-120C pre-planned product improvement program is a key factor
in maintaining air superiority into the next century. This modernization
plan includes clipped wings for internal F-22 carriage, a propulsion enhancement
program, increased warhead lethality, and enhanced electronic counter-countermeasures
(ECCM) capabilities through hardware and software upgrades.
Ultimately, AMRAAM will be the Department of the Navy's sole medium
range missile. As part of our neckdown strategy, the radar-guided AIM 54C
Phoenix and AIM-7M Sparrow are out of production, and no further software
or hardware improvements are planned. Nevertheless, F-14 Tomcats armed
with the AIM-54C and AIM-7M will remain effective air superiority fighters
into the next century, and the AIM-54/AIM-7 inventory will support the
Tomcat throughout its remaining service life.
AIM-9 SIDEWINDER
The AIM-9M8/9 is the last of the planned upgrades to the existing, analog
based AIM-9M, and will incorporate enhanced infrared counter countermeasure
(IRCCM) features. The follow-on Sidewinder variant, AIM 9X, will include
major digital modifications. AIM-9X will feature a high off-boresight,
focal-plane array seeker mounted on a highly maneuverable airframe with
reprogrammable IRCCM capabilities.
System
Overview Safety Affordable
Avionics C4/ISR Aircraft
Carriers Carrier
Air Wings
F-14
Tomcat F/A-18
Hornet Joint
Strike Fighter Airborne
Reconnaissance Vision E-2C
Hawkeye S-3B
Viking
ES-3A
Shadow Common
Support Aircraft EA-6B
Prowler Helicopter
Master Plan
Marine
Corps Fixed-Wing Aircraft Marine
Corps Rotary-Wing Aircraft P-3C
Orion EP-3E
Aries II E-6A/B
Mercury
Air-to-Air
Missiles Air-to-Ground
Weapons Air-to-Subsurface
Weapons Naval
Reserve Aviation Logistics
Airlift
Training
Aircraft Aircrew
Training Aviation
Specialized Skills Training Logistics Expeditionary
Airfields
Air
Traffic Control Ranges
and Airfields