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Country: USA
Type: Medium AAM
Introduction: 1991 |
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The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM, is a modern beyond visual range air-to-air missile (AAM) capable of all-weather, day and night performance.
AMRAAM was developed as the result of an agreement, the Family of Weapons Memorandum of Agreement no longer in effect by 1990, among the United States and several other NATO nations to develop air-to-air missiles and to share production technology. Under this agreement the United States was to develop the next generation medium range missile (AMRAAM).
AMRAAM serves as a follow-on to the AIM-7 Sparrow missile series. The new missile is faster, smaller, and lighter, and has improved capabilities against low-altitude targets. It also incorporates a datalink to guide the missile to a point where its active radar turns on and makes terminal intercept of the target. An inertial reference unit and micro-computer system makes the missile less dependent upon the fire-control system of the aircraft.
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| General Information |
| Developed by |
USA |
| Deployed by |
Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, UAE, USA |
| Development Year |
1981 |
| Deployment Year |
1991(the Air Force), 1993(the Navy) |
| Platform |
F-14D, F-15, F-16, F/A-18, F-22, Sea Harrier, Tornado F/3 ADF, F-4 |
| Launcher |
rail-launcher (LAU-106, LAU-128, LAU-127, LAU-129) |
| Number manufactured |
7,785(through 1998) |
| Contractor |
Hughes Missile Systems |
| Dimensions and Performance |
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Length |
3.65m |
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Body Diameter |
17.8cm |
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Wing/Fin span |
44.7cm |
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Launch Weight |
161.5kg |
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Range |
48km |
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Speed |
Mach 4.0 |
| Components |
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Propulsion |
solid propellant |
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Engine |
Hercules/Aerojet WPU-6/B rocket motor |
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Warhead |
22kg HE hollow charge blast effect |
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Guidance |
inertial with command update, active radar |
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