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Aviation History
1975
1975 - 0851.PDF
FLIGHT International, 8 May 1975 AIM-9L launches have taken place from a wide variety of aircraft, including A-7s, F-14s and Navy and Air Force F-4s. Operators World's most widely used air-to-air missile. Operated by US and overseas forces on a wide variety of types including A-4, F-4, F-5, F-8, F-86, F-100, F-104, F-14, F-15, F-16, AV-8, OV-10, Mirage, Draken, Viggen, etc. Hughes AIM-54A Phoenix Originally developed for the since- cancelled GD F-111B, Phoenix has now been adopted as standard long-range armament for the F-14. The weapon is designed for attack fighters at all altitudes, surface-launched cruise missiles and supersonic bombers, all in the presence of heavy ECM. The missile is controlled by an operator in the Tomcat's rear seat, using Hughes' AWG-9 fire-control system which can also direct firing of Sparrow, Sidewinder and the M61 cannon. AWG-9 uses a piulse-Doppler radar for target tracking and illumination, being able to track while scanning and ihaving a look-down ability to detect targets in ground clutter. An infra-red subsystem provides independent search and tracking. Up to 24 potential targets can be analysed simultaneously by AWG-9 and threats are displayed to the operator, who can launch up to six missiles to attack six independent targets. The developed AIM-54B is likely to enter service in 1977. It will have non-liquid conditioning and hydraulic systems, some micro-miniaturised electronics, sheet-metal wings and fins instead of the present honeycomb structure, and all-digital guidance (the present equipment is partially analogue). These improvements will reduce cost and improve reliability and flexibility. Phoenix procurement for the US Services will continue until Fiscal 79. Operators US Navy (F-14); ordered by Imperial Iranian Air Force (F-14). Naval Weapons Centre AIM-95 Agile This dogfight missile is unlikely to enter production, a cheaper, lighter weapon now being favoured. General Dynamics XAIM-97A Seek Bat Flight-testing has been carried out of a modified Standard ARM airframe fitted with a larger motor and an infra-red seeker. The missile was designed to intercept high-flying MiG-25s. Hughes Brazo A joint US Navy/USAF project for a missile Which will home on to the radar emissions from aircraft such as the MiG-25. Hughes is responsible for integrating a Naval Electronics Laboratory Centre broad-band passive radiation seeker with a Sparrow airframe. The initial series of trials comprised three firings: a look-down tail attack and two long-range head-on look-down attacks. AA-2 (K-13A) Atoll and AA-2-2 Advanced Atoll This Russian equivalent of Sidewinder has seen widespread use in the Middle Eastern and Indo-Pakistani conflicts and in South-East Asia. It has poor performance, even in the advanced version, and the seeker does not always lock on to the target although the launch aircraft may be in the optimum firing position. Operators Warsaw Pact, Afghanistan, Algeria, China, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, India (licence-built), Iraq, North Korea, Syria, North Vietnam. Types equipped MiG-21 Fishbed C—two AA-2s; MiG-21P>F Fishbed D—two AA-2s; MiG-21PFMA Fishbed F—two or four AA-2-2s; MiG-21MF Fishbed J—four AA-2-2s; MiG-21SMT Fish bed K—four AA-2-2s; MiG-23 Flogger—one reported fit is two AA-2-2s and two AA-6-2s; MiG-25 Foxbat A—one reported fit is two AA-2-2s and two AA-6-2s. AA-3 Alkali Types equipped MiG-17PF Fresco D—four AA-3s on rails ahead of main undercarriage wells; MiG-19PM Farmer D— four AA-3s under inner wings; Su-9 Fishpots—four under wings. AA-4 Ash Types equipped Tu-28P (being phased out of service)—two infra-red and two radar under wings; MiG-25 Foxbat A—two or four, mixture of infra-red and radar. AA-6 Anab and AA-6-2 Advanced Anab Types equipped Su-11 Fishpot C—two AA-6s or AA-6-2s; Su-15 Flagon—two AA-6-2s, one under each wing, with Skip Spin X-band radar effective at up to c.40km; Yak-28 (being phased out of service)—two AA-6s or AA-6-2s under outer wings, Skip Spin radar; MiG-23 Flogger—one reported fit is two AA-6-2s and two AA-2-2s; MiG-25 Foxbat—one reported fit is two AAS-2s and two AA-2-2s. 765 10—anti-tank Aerospatiale Entac Entac (Engin teleguide anti-char) was developed by the Direction Technique des Armements Terres- tres (DTAT) as a simple, Cheap, first-generation short-range weapon primarily for infantry use. It replaced SS.10 in the French Army, equipping mechani'sedj infantry, some para chute units and some alpine troops. It will itself be replaced by Milan (see below). The missile can be fifed from a f6(ir- round launcher on the ground, using a TR 10 transistorised fire-control unit, or can be operated from Jeeps, armoured vehicles and helicopters. Up to ten missiles can be handled by one operator, eight of them being deployed up to 100m away. Production is complete, 140,000 having been produced. Operators Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, India, Indo nesia, Iran, Morocco, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, USA. DTAT/Aerospatiale Harpon A second-generation develop ment of SS.ll (see below), Harpon uses TCA semi-automatic guidance, which is claimed to keep the missile within 1m of the operator's sightline. The weapon will be replaced in the vehicle-mounted role by Hot (see below). Operators France, Germany, Saudi Arabia (AMX30). Aerospatiale AS.ll/SS.ll SS.11B1, with a transistorised fire- control unit, is the current production version of this basic anti-tank weapon, of which more than 160,000 have been built. Licence production has taken place in the US (50,000 missiles), Germany and India. The missile equips some of the French Army's AMX13 tanks in mechanised regiments and armoured regiments of motorised brigades. It also arms Alouette Ills and Alouette II Astazous of the Aviation Legere de l'Armee de Terre. The weapon will be replaced by Hot (on AMX30s and Gazelles respectively). Operators French Army (AMX13, Alouette), Argentine Navy (20 missiles, Alouette III), Abu Dhabi (Alouette III), Belgium, Brazil (two missile boats, also SS.12M), Brunei (one missile boat, also SS.12M), Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany (Raketen Jagdpanzer), Greece, Holland (Neptune, Wasp, Atlantic), India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Norway, Peru, Saudi Arabia <AMX30), South Africa (Wasp), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, UK, US, Uganda, Venezuela. Aerospatiale AS.12/SS.12/SS.12M With more than twice the range of SS.ll and a warhead more than four times as powerful, SS.12 has been adapted for a wide range of mount ings—including fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft (AS.12) and fast patrol boats and coastal fortifications (SS.12M). Produc tion continues, with more than 1,800 having been built. Operators AS.12—French Navy (Alize, P-2, Atlantic), Abu Dhabi (Alouette III), Argentine Navy (30 missiles, Alouette III), Dutch Navy (Wasp, P-2, Atlantic), Germany, Iraq, Iran, Italian Navy (trials with SH-3D, projected for AB.212ASW), Spain, Turkey, Royal Navy (Wasp), Royal Air Force (Nimrod); SS.12—France, Iran; SS.12M—Brunei (one missile boat), Ivory Coast (one missile boat), Libya (three Susa-class missile boats), Malaysia (four PerJcasa-class missile boats), Norway, Tunisia (two missile boats, third on order). Euromissile (Aerospatiale/MBB) Milan The first production order for Milan (Missile leger anti-char)—for 10,000 missiles and 200 firing posts, split equally between the French and German armies—was placed in January 1974, following manu facture of some 3,000 pre-production rounds, and this batch has now been delivered. The second production lot, of 18,000 missiles and 1,000 firing posts, will be split unequally, the French Army taking 8,000 rounds and 600 firing posts and the German Army receiving 10,000 missiles and 400 firing posts. Total Franco-German needs are estimated at 100,000 missiles and 3,000 firing posts, with overall production expected to exceed 200,000 rounds. The missiles are assembled by Aerospatiale, with some electronic components being sup plied by MBB. The German company is also responsible for the tripod/launcher, glass-fibre launch tube and warhead. Milan was designed as a medium-range light anti-tank missile for operation by foot soldiers or infantry travelling in armoured personnel carriers, helicopters and other vehicles. The weapon is normally used at platoon or company level,
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