Russia unveils scary new air to air missile that "can't miss"

reply to post by Pants3204


Just about everything but what's here is classified. A lot of it won't be confirmed until testing starts in a year or two.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Such is life in the dark world of weapons development.

Do you have any sources other than the two that pop on Google? (RT and War is Boring)

reply to post by Pants3204


I have non-online sources that have told me about it. It's a beast. Not many articles other than those two though. Most of the rest quote them, or variants of them.

reply to post by Pants3204


A few more sources

The DIplomat

Daily Baskhar

The Federalist

Zaphod58
Russia has unveiled a new Air to Air missile based on the R-77 (AA-12 Adder), which is the Russian equivalent to the AIM-120 AMRAAM used by the West.

What makes this one scary is that the chances of a miss have just dropped to almost 0. The K-77M replaces the mechanically scanned array with a miniature AESA antenna, with "large number" of digital array cells, which allows the radar to be adjusted several thousand times a second.

A traditional antenna can be defeated by making a hard turn just before the missile gets to the target, so the target leaves the radar beam scanning area. This antenna would be able to keep lock on a target no matter how hard it maneuvers, and can theoretically keep lock on a target 40+ miles away.

Another scary thing about this is that the US has nothing even close to this. US missile development has dropped off to almost non-existent, while just upgrading the missiles we have. The largest part of the R&D budget goes to fixing the F-35, and the LRS-b program.
It's fine because we have MetalStorm. We are safe.

By combining two existing technologies, Russian engineers have devised what could be the world’s deadliest air-to-air missile. And the U.S. military doesn’t have anything like it … or adequate defenses.

Designers at the Detal bureau, part of the state-owned Tactical Missile Munitions Corporation, added an active electronically-scanned array radar—a so-called “AESA”—to the nose of a long-range R-77 missile to produce the K-77M model. Thanks to its new guidance sensors, the K-77M is way more accurate than other missiles.

How accurate? Flying 40 miles or more, the K-77M should be able “to maintain lock on even the most agile maneuvering target,” according to one scientist and defense specialist in the Pacific region whose country’s laws prohibit him from speaking on the record about weaponry. In light of the scientist’s expertise, War is Boring agreed not to publish his name.

medium.com...

reply to post by Zaphod58


....but can it find Waldo?

reply to post by Pants3204


...total power output?

When they go on export, I wonder if Russia would sell them to us?

I wouldn't be too worried about this new R-77 variant. It just has an upgraded radar. I'm not too sure how accurate the article is. It says the chances of a miss have just dropped to almost 0, that sounds like pure fantasy. The AESA radar system steers the radar electronically instead of moving it mechanically but it still has a fixed field of view which might be 45 degrees off centre and that's being generous. It is better but not that much. The range on the active radar missile is small and it is only used for terminal guidance after it has been guided to the target by the launch aircraft's radar. If the launch aircraft looses track of the target the missile can turn on it's radar and be nowhere near the target and miss completely. Air combat is very complicated with ECM and ECCM also.

What is more dangerous are ramjet powered active radar air to air missiles with very high speed and very long range. I think there are some of these around but they are highly classified. I think there is a ramjet version of the AMRAAM.
Trying to evade radar or IR guided missiles is extremely dangerous and risky, the best option is to turn and try to get outside the missile's range as fast as possible. Stealth is the best defense and that is why the US has invested so heavily on the F-22 and F-35.
More concerning are the new radar technologies which could render stealth technology less effective.

I highly doubt such a small aperture radar can track a fighter sized target at 40nm. Sound's like rubbish.

reply to post by JimTSpock


There's a lot more than "just" an upgraded radar to this missile. AESA is a huge leap in radar technology. There are a couple of ways to increase the field of view, including adding supplemental modules that would increase it.

A ramjet missile is going to have the same problem the hypercavitating torpedo has, in that it won't be able to turn to keep up with a target.

If there can be a missile that can't miss or be evaded and you're screwed then why can't you fire a missile that tries to intercept the other missile? I mean if a missile can't miss then fire a missile at a missile.

reply to post by jonnywhite


You have to see it coming. Between the LPI aspect of the AESA, and the RCS of the missile body itself, it would be very hard to be seen to fire something at it.

reply to post by Zaphod58


There are some very effective and lethal high speed long range anti-air missiles. SM-2 is one.

reply to post by JimTSpock


And almost all of them are SAM systems. You can pack a lot more into a SAM than you can into an Air to Air system since it's so much bigger.

reply to post by Zaphod58


That's true. The F-14 had the AIM-54 Phoenix which was probably the most deadly, fast and long range AAM. But the Tomcat is no longer in USN service.

reply to post by JimTSpock


The Phoenix is overrated against anything but a bomber fleet. You can actually see it coming on radar it's so big, and a hard maneuvering target is going to be able to get away from it.

reply to post by Zaphod58


The early version were but there were later upgrades which would not be fun to try to evade. You can see it on radar? Only if it's coming head on. The F-14 will be painting you anyway.

reply to post by JimTSpock


And you'll see the F-14 radar painting you, and the missile launch warning. Anyone flying away and not turning in to the threat deserves to get nailed by an incoming missile. When you turn you're going to see the missile coming on radar.

reply to post by Zaphod58


That's right that's how BVR combat is. RWR picks up bogey radar emissions. Or you'll see the bogey with your radar. Unless it's an AESA radar on an F-22 or similar.

But the F-14 also had an IR and TV tracker, maybe he waited for you to fly into the no escape zone and then shot. It's not as easy and simple in real life.

reply to post by JimTSpock


Which is why this missile is so dangerous. It's going to paired with the T-50, while the Su-30MKI, the Su-34 are being refitted with AESA. Along with having its own AESA set, that's LPI itself, that means there's going to be almost no signature to ever be seen by a threat receiver.

But the F-14 also had an IR and TV tracker, maybe he waited for you to fly into the no escape zone and then shot. It's not as easy and simple in real life.

Then why have the Phoenix at all if you're not going to use it at long range? And the Su-27 and others have IRST as well. So with AESA and IRST to go with this missile, it just gets worse.