RUSSIAN AIR-TO-AIR MISSILES TO ARM FOREIGN FIGHTERS

Gennady Sokolovsky, Avangard Kegeles
 

The developers of air-superiority fighters have always tried to design an aircraft which would be the best in terms of flight performance. Currently, even a not-so-capable aircraft can play this role if it is armed with missiles able to perform all necessary maneuvers to destroy targets.

For the first time in Russian history, the Vympel State Machine-Building Design Bureau (incorporated by the Aircraft Armament Concern JSC) has installed a Russian missile system on a foreign-made fighter under a military technology cooperation scheme. The Mirage F1 fighter has been equipped with the Russian R-73E (AA-11) close combat air-to-air missile.

In terms of technical parameters and tactical performance, the R-73E surpasses all its foreign counterparts. The R-73E's unique features were achieved using a package of structural and configuration solutions and advanced technologies which made it possible to:

- develop an all-aspect high-rate IR homing head with a wide lock-on range able to receive targeting data from any aircraft sight system, including helmet-mounted sight, and ensure accurate homing to off-line-of-sight targets;

- design a combined gas/aerodynamic control system (unique for an air-to-air missile) with a powerful thrust vectoring capability which provides for high maneuverability characteristics irrespective of launch conditions and allows for missile launch with the aircraft in super maneuverability flight mode;

- create an adaptive rapid-reaction autopilot which optimizes the missile's stabilization and control parameters within the whole firing range;

- introduce a special interaction logic between explosive fuze and guidance system, which, in addition to structural and configuration features, practically guarantees absolute immunity of the warhead detonation system to jamming and makes it highly lethal.

Pylon-adapter designed to attach R-73E to aircraft

According to foreign sources, similar results were received by the Luftwaffe during the F-16/AIM-9M Vs MiG-29/AA-11 training sorties, "despite the fact that F-16s surpassed MiG-29s in terms of maneuverability".

In this connection, an opportunity to equip previous-generation fighters (which are still in extensive service with other air forces) with modern R-73E close combat AAMs has become particularly important.

High R-73E (and launcher) adaptability makes it possible to install this missile system on any type of aircraft, increasing its combat capability and compensating for maneuverability deficiency.

Vympel developed a universal integration model which allows the installation of the R-73E AAM on any aircraft type.

This model is based on three basic principles:

- the missile does not replace, but enhances the aircraft's weapon suite;

- series-produced R-73E missiles and their launchers can be used without any updates;

- minimum modernization of an aircraft's avionics suite ensures maximum missile capability.

This concept is implemented by developing a pylon-adapter which provides for the attachment of the missile and its launcher at selected aircraft points and, if necessary, by the introduction of requisite updates.

The pylon-adapter serves for:

- mechanical and electrical interfacing of the missile and its launcher with aircraft;

- conversion of targeting data transmitted from aircraft sight systems to the missile coordinate system in the form applicable for homing head seeker.

Within a short time, the Vympel-developed concept of R-73E adaptation was successfully applied to the Mirage fighters of our foreign customer.

Vympel designed and manufactured pylon adapters with built-in signal conversion boxes, conducted computer simulations and ground tests of the system and certified its operation. At the customer's site, two Mirages were used for the system's ground testing.

Finally, customer's pilots conducted acceptance flight tests which confirmed the system's operability in all tactical modes and displayed a significant increment in combat capabilities of the modernized Mirage fighters.

The customer highly appreciated the results of the modernization project.