Phoenix and F-14s

This long range air to air missile was designed to replace the Phoenix in the early 90s. It never went through and the program was cancelled in the early 90s. I believed the missile could be modified to work on todays aircraft.
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Advanced Air-to-Air Missile (AAAM)
Outer Air Battle Missile
During the 1980s the Navy invested in developing the Phoenix into a robust, long-range, high-energy weapon system, and in the late 1980s embarked on a program to develope an improved follow-on capability in the Advanced Air-to-Air Missile (AAAM). Advanced Common Intercept Missile Demonstration (ACIMD) tests demonstrated the technology and hardware for a highly advanced Sparrow-sized, integral-rocket-ramjet-propelled, multimode-guided air-to-air missile for the long-range outer-air battle. The Navy planned to maintain and support an adequate Phoenix missile capability until the AAAM is fielded in sufficient numbers. A missile retrofit program incorporating an already developed and demonstrated block upgrade to the AIM -54C was a cost-effective interim solution. As of 1990 it was estimated that it would require at least 10 years to introduce the follow-on Advanced Air-to-Air Missile.

With the end of the Cold War there was a general recognition that the outer air battle -- the battle against Soviet naval aviation bombers -- was significantly reduced in importance. While AAAM was seen as the best defense against the Soviet naval air arm, the future threat would consist of Third World fighter-bomber or diesel-electric submarine. This changing security environment doomed this Phoenix missile successor [as well as the associated F-14D Super Tomcat upgrades], and the Advanced Air-to-Air Missile program was cancelled in 1992.



[Edited on 28-7-2003 by jetsetter]

Here is a picture of the missile I mentioned above.

I have also heard about the AIM-54 Phoenix. Despite what they say I still think they might have the Phoenix or a Phoenix-type missile in the inventory. I've been tracing fleeting sources for years on the Development of a stealth Fighter-Interceptor that might carry this type of weapon.

Tim

whats the range of the fmraam, cant find it

Originally posted by $tranger
whats the range of the fmraam, cant find it

From what I have been able to further gather $tranger is that the Raytheon (Hughes) FMRAAM may be a dead program. The bid was won by BAe with their Meteor missile. Both having a range of 100 (+55) nm.

I further read on, that the AIM-155, being slated for the F-22's and F-35 JSF's, has virtually the same range as the AIM-54 Pheonix missile. And that some versions of AIM-120's (120C's) have been rumored to have almost the same range as the AIM-54's. The range on a AIM-54 Pheonix missile is in excess of 100 nm or 184 km.

regards
seekerof

Originally posted by Seekerof

Originally posted by $tranger
whats the range of the fmraam, cant find it

From what I have been able to further gather $tranger is that the Raytheon (Hughes) FMRAAM may be a dead program. The bid was won by BAe with their Meteor missile. Both having a range of 100 (+55) nm.

I further read on, that the AIM-155, being slated for the F-22's and F-35 JSF's, has virtually the same range as the AIM-54 Pheonix missile. And that some versions of AIM-120's (120C's) have been rumored to have almost the same range as the AIM-54's. The range on a AIM-54 Pheonix missile is in excess of 100 nm or 184 km.

regards
seekerof

hmm alright, the KS-172 AAM-L got a range of 400km

The F-22 has been optimized for the air superiority role. It does have a limited strike capability, but DOD just awarded the JSF contract and, between that aircraft and the F-15E, we have an ongoing force of all-weather attack aircraft for the forseeable future.

Originally posted by daddybob
The F-22 has been optimized for the air superiority role. It does have a limited strike capability, but DOD just awarded the JSF contract and, between that aircraft and the F-15E, we have an ongoing force of all-weather attack aircraft for the forseeable future.

Mate were talking about the FB-22 not the F-22.

The Phoenix missile was Developed for the interceptor mission an was first tested from a Navy F-111B prototype. After the F-111B was cancled, the missile was fitted to the F-14. The missile requires a special avonics software system to be intergrated into a plane. To the best of my knowledge the F-22\ F/A-22 doesn't have the systems for the Phoenix Missile. Now, I have heard of an F-19 stealth interceptor, if it's real it might carry the Phoenix or a Phoenix-type Missile.

Tim

When production ceased in the early 1990s, more than 5000 AIM-54 missiles of all versions had been built, about half of these being AIM-54Cs. Because the Phoenix is used only by the F-14 Tomcat, it will remain in service as long as this aircraft, and the F-14 will be phased out by 2010 approximately. All operational Phoenix missiles are now of the AIM-54C variant, and the remaining AIM-54As have been placed in storage. The AIM-54 was primarily designed for long-range fleet defense against incoming bomber streams, a threat which has dimished nowadays. Although it can theoretically also be used against low-flying high-speed anti-ship missiles, there are more effective weapons for this role. Currently, there are no plans to field any other missile with Phoenix-like performance characteristics when the AIM-54 is retired.

hmmm what will replace this interceptor then??

If I remember right.. the B52 was capable of carrying the Phoenix

Originally posted by $tranger
hmmm what will replace this interceptor then??

F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet as it will replace all older hornets, f-14 and a-6 types.. and will form with JSF the future carrier airwing..

[Edited on 1-8-2003 by Uninen]

Personally......the F-18E/F should have been equipped with the PW-F119 or GE-F120's engines. The F-18E/F is an awesome aircraft but would be served better with what I mentioned above.
The good thing is, she will be equipped with AIM-9X's and AIM-120's.

I would have loved to have seen the USN opt for the ST-21 program. The Super Tomact would have had super-cruise, low radar cross section, reduced IR signature, and thrust vectoring. It would have merged the F-14/A-6 into a stealthy, long ranged strike fighter with no serious compromises degrading its a2a performance.

www.topedge.com...

regards
seekerof

Actually the follow on to Phoenix probably will be the MALI (Miniature Air Launched Interceptor) which is based on on Nothrop Grumman's Miniature Air Launched Decoy drone missile. They've just completed some flight testing back in November of last year and doing some more research into lowering the costs but it has an effective range of over 460 km or can loiter for over 28 minutes I believe. They even had the missile do a figure 8 racetrack pattern for 20 minutes to check its manevuerability. The missile can be mounted on even F-4 Phantons for launching and is designed to take out planes and cruise missiles such as Moskit.

F-14s and the Phoniex have been used in air combat on LARGE SCALE.. but not by USN.. but IIRAF.. Iranian Islamic Air Force.. during 1980-1988 war with Iraq.. From that conlict the US has "experience" of the combination of F-14 and Phoniex being VERY EFFECTIVE..

Actually Iran still has those F-14s. Now they are guarding a oil refinery. Iran plans to upgraded their F-14s with new avionics and a new Phoenix replacement.

[Edited on 13-8-2003 by jetsetter]

Iranians modified the F-14 for carriage to MIM-23 I-HAWK sam/aam:



[Edited on 26-8-2003 by FULCRUM]

For those that don't know, the Phoenix was orginally designed for the YF-12A (the fighter version of the SR-71). When the AF decided that the YF-12A wouldn't make a good fighter, they gave all the Pheonix to the Navy since the missle was perfect for fleet defense. That was part of the reason the F-14 was developed the way it was, the fire control system was a perfect match for the Phoenix.