R-37 (missile)
| Vympel R-37 | |
|---|---|
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| Type | air-to-air missile |
| Place of origin | Russia |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 600 kilograms (1,320 lb) |
| Length | 4.20 metres (13 ft 9 in) |
| Diameter | 38 centimetres (15 in) |
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| Warhead | HE, fragmenting |
| Warhead weight | 60 kg (135 lb) |
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| Wingspan | 0.7 m (2 ft 4 in) |
| Propellant | Solid rocket |
| Operational range |
80–215 nm[1] (150–398 km) |
| 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-Vysokaya 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.
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 R-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.
Production
 |
This section does not cite any references or sources. (September 2010) |
The R-37 is now in production to equip upgraded Russian MiG-31BM Foxhound interceptors, and export MiG-31BM aircraft for Syria. Despite the early intent to integrate the weapon on the Flanker, this has yet to be reported.
Similar weapons
- AIM-54 Phoenix (retired) - 100 nautical miles (190 km)-range missile once carried by the now decommissioned US Navy's F-14 Tomcat.
- 9M317 surface-to-air missile of Buk missile system
- Novator KC-172 - another Awacs-killer of Russian origin.
Notes and references
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Missiles in the Asia Pacific", Defence Today (Amberley, Queensland: Strike Publications), May 2005: p67
- ^ a b c d e f g "R-37, R-37M (AA-X-13) (Russian Federation), Air-to-air missiles - Beyond visual range" ([dead link]), Jane's Air-Launched Weapons (Jane’s Information Group), 2009-01-12
External links
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