F-35 one step closer to AIM-9X off-boresight capability

a reply to: Zaphod58


They should really google their acronyms before they make them official. SACM and bing wants to force feed you some bull# "Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission." I'm probably flagged for accidently going to their website. The Small Advanced Capability Missile.. Geez


It's definitely a step in the right direction to make air-launched missiles smaller, but how are they going to get the range needed out of something that's half the size, if not smaller, than what is commonplace? With a $400,000 budget?

www.defense-aerospace.com...

a reply to: Caughtlurking

It uses hit to kill technology, so it has a lighter warhead, which gives it a higher propellant ratio than other missiles, as well as more efficient propellant. That gives it a higher Delta V and better performance.

I do wish that the AIM9X were internally mounted, as It seems to be a little pointless to mount on the wings. Sort of kills the point of having stealth.

If you have 4 AIM120's you should never get close to WVR unless is a rules of engagement thing. Then have you buddy fire once you meet the requirements of the rules.

just my two pence

RAB

a reply to: RAB


The F-35 will be doing a lot of SEAD missions. I would be willing to bet there would be enemy fighters that would scramble, enemy helicopters armed with a2a weapons, there could be a whole host of reasons that the aim-9x would be very good to have on board. Just because you're the one sneaking doesn't mean someone might try to sneak up on you. Also, there is no reason to believe that the aim-9x would significantly degrade the F-35's stealth signature. There's no reason to believe that the aim-9x doesn't have RCS reducing features either.

You must think in Russian. You can't think in Russian and transpose. Do you think you can do that?

a reply to: Bedlam

Does it have rear firing decoys that can be fired down the intake of a chasing aircraft?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Bedlam

Does it have rear firing decoys that can be fired down the intake of a chasing aircraft?

You have to admit, that worked.

a reply to: Bedlam

That's another movie I love to watch but cringe every time.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Bedlam

That's another movie I love to watch but cringe every time.

Hey, it has thought-directed weapons, stealth, and an airplane with canards.

What more can you ask for?

a reply to: RAB

It will be mounted internally. The -9x already has proven lock-on after launch capability. The external testing is just the first stage.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: GBP/JPY

In the olden days, did fighters have 20mm guns for air-to-air dogfighting……

Guns were for dogfighting in a sky filled with bogeys. The fur balls in WWII, Korea…

then during Vietnam they dropped the gun, thinking in the world of whiz bang air to air missiles it would be obsolete.

Were they wrong. After missiles were expended, they were defenseless, turning tail and running for home. So they brought the gun back.

AF brought the gun back. Navy didn't, and started Top Gun school to teach air combat with missiles. Just as effective, and with better long-lasting effects.

And missiles today, and even 20 years ago, are much, much better than 50 years ago.

a reply to: Imperium Americana

The F-35 mounts the AIM-120 internally. They launch off of the doors. I don't see any citable sources for plans for an internal Aim-9. The F-22 has side launching internal Aim-9 but there was no room for that on the F-35.

a reply to: mbkennel

And the Pk at long range still sucks.

About all an internal gun allows you to do WVR is stay on the offensive. You might even get that one extra kill with an adversary such as Iraq in the first gulf war where at least two of the Iraqi pilots flew CFIT trying to evade Eagles.

The 20mm doesn't isn't as effective on armor as the bigger 25mm and 30mm cannons. And of course none are as lethal to armor as the 30x173mm on the A-10.

www.janes.com...

"The AIM-9X is planned to be carried externally on the F-35 in the 3F configuration," company spokesman Mark Johnson told IHS Jane's on 26 January.

aviationweek.com...

"On show for the first time at AFA is a model of Lockheed Martin’s Cuda, a so-called “Halfraam” weapon about half as long as an Amraam and compact enough to fit six missiles into each bay of the F-35 or F-22. Cuda draws on the hit-to-kill technology used on the PAC-3 missile, is designed to have a radar seeker and has both movable tails and forward attitude control motors for high agility."

Wonder if SCALPEL is going in it as well.