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USAF long-range AMRAAM shot


Slater

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2 hours ago, Slater said:

Presumably Meteor has an even greater range capability?

 

https://www.53rdwing.af.mil/News/Article/2572350/f-15c-records-longest-known-missile-shot/

Is it only  me or am Ì missing numbers????

Maybe they mean world record for the F-15... ;) or the 53rd wing, or...

 

Love those marketing statements!

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50 minutes ago, hairystick said:

"Fighter Weapons Squadron to execute the longest known air-to-air missile shot to date..."

 

That's impressive... scoring a victory at an even greater range than a AIM54 Phoenix missile takes some doing...

 Known to whom? USAF vs. Navy?

The Aim-54 is old and out of service. ...

 

I would definitely like more info! Just stating that is not sufficient for the Guinness book :D

 

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I'd like to see the figures, and the name doesn't help - advanced MEDIUM range air-air missile - but as I understand from the original A variant range of ~ 25 - 30m range through C to the D with a range of~80m it is getting into AIM54 and the longest shot territory.

Edited by Agent K
Typo
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It seems very weird that they would crow about this and not give a figure for the missile to travel. "Hey, I own the biggest hat in the world!" "Just how big is it?"   "A lot bigger than your's, that's for sure!"

 

Chris.  

Edited by spruecutter96
Amending some information.
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Interesting that no numbers are given, although I do understand that need for keeping it under wraps. That said, this is available on Wiki; 
 

"The AIM-120C deliveries began in 1996. The C-variant has been steadily upgraded since it was introduced. The AIM-120C-6 contained an improved fuze (Target Detection Device) compared to its predecessor. The AIM-120C-7 development began in 1998 and included improvements in homing and greater range (actual amount of improvement unspecified). It was successfully tested in 2003 and is currently being produced for both domestic and foreign customers. It helped the U.S. Navy replace the F-14 Tomcats with F/A-18E/F Super Hornets – the loss of the F-14's long-range AIM-54 Phoenix missiles (already retired) is offset with a longer-range AMRAAM-D. The lighter weight of the advanced AMRAAM enables an F/A-18E/F pilot greater bring-back weight upon carrier landings.

 

The AIM-120D is an upgraded version of the AMRAAM with improvements in almost all areas, including 50% greater range (than the already-extended range AIM-120C-7) and better guidance over its entire flight envelope yielding an improved kill probability (Pk). Raytheon began testing the D model on August 5, 2008, the company reported that an AIM-120D launched from an F/A-18F Super Hornet passed within lethal distance of a QF-4 target drone at the White Sands Missile Range.[21] The range of the AIM-120D is classified, but is thought to extend to about 100 miles (160 km).[7]" 

 

Also from Wiki: 

Operational range

• AIM-120A/B: 55–75 km (30–40 nmi)[4][5]

• AIM-120C-5: >105 km (>57 nmi)[6]

• AIM-120D : >160 km (>86 nmi)[7

 

So information is there, although unconfirmed :)

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1 hour ago, Slater said:

Range is also dependent on aircraft speed and altitude at launch.

No way????????????? 😆

 

and weather, and wind direction and speed, and temperature, and pressure etc....................

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11 hours ago, Agent K said:

No way????????????? 😆

 

and weather, and wind direction and speed, and temperature, and pressure etc....................

And possibly paint scheme and serial number...

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5 hours ago, Slater said:

And possibly paint scheme and serial number...

Exactly! the longer the serial number, the more paint and the heavier the weapon....... 😅

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and then there is ballistic fly out range, and range where there still is some maneuvering capability left, and and and....

 

that is why I am a bit disappointed that they did not provide any info, just a bossy claim to be the best..... marketing speech only :(

 

what would be the expected flight time to lets say 80 miles? 2-3 Minutes? definitely not an instant....

 

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80 miles at Mach 3 (~2000mph) = about 144s. Good guess!

1 hour ago, exdraken said:

what would be the expected flight time to lets say 80 miles? 2-3 Minutes? definitely not an instant....

 

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1 hour ago, spruecutter96 said:

The cost of cauliflower in Latvia is also an important factor in the AMRAAM's range.... I am feeling very light-headed right now. 

 

Chris. 

hmm no, I think you are wrong in this case...only if the jets are on a Nato mission out of Lativa... not generally! :P

2 hours ago, Alan P said:

80 miles at Mach 3 (~2000mph) = about 144s. Good guess!

 

something like that was my assumtion, but then you know that the missile has a top speed and decelerates... now would need to know the average speed... hardly Mach3!

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Not sure if AIM-120D has a dual thrust motor or not. The grain is configured so that it gets an initial boost up to speed and then a slower-burning element sustains that speed (or close to it). 

Edited by Slater
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Just to add to my British friends angst that the beloved Meteor may not be the longest range A2A missile in the west, I present this picture that was recently leaked. 

174113536_10216934427306795_170615647608

It would suggest that the US is actively looking at very long range A2A missiles.  Given the massive weight of an SM6, I would guess that this is for a niche capability such as targeting AWACs, etc, in the same manner as the Chinese missile shown in the post above.   Hypersonic strike weapon, anti-ship missile, very long range SAM and now a potential A2A missile.   Is there anything the SM6 can't do?

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On 4/25/2021 at 10:16 AM, 11bravo said:

Just to add to my British friends angst that the beloved Meteor may not be the longest range A2A missile in the west, I present this picture that was recently leaked. 

174113536_10216934427306795_170615647608

It would suggest that the US is actively looking at very long range A2A missiles.  Given the massive weight of an SM6, I would guess that this is for a niche capability such as targeting AWACs, etc, in the same manner as the Chinese missile shown in the post above.   Hypersonic strike weapon, anti-ship missile, very long range SAM and now a potential A2A missile.   Is there anything the SM6 can't do?

Anyone do one in 1/72, Ive got a spare F-18 and was contemplating a VX bird ? 

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9 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Anyone do one in 1/72, Ive got a spare F-18 and was contemplating a VX bird ? 

Now THAT would be a cool (and very unique) Super Hornet.   No idea if anyone offers a 72nd SM6, I kind of doubt it.   I'm not a huge expert on these missiles but maybe try to get your hands on a Standard ARM missile and scratch build it into a 6?

 

 

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The following Phoenix range records were set in the 1970s.

In 1973 an F-14A downed a BQM-34E drone at a range of 126 miles (202km).

Reportedly, in 1979, this was then beaten by a shoot-down of another drone at a range of 132 miles (213km).

Those would appear to be the numbers to beat unless the Russians come up with some KS-172 or R-37M shot data. (As opposed to paper manufacturers claims.)

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/28/2021 at 11:14 PM, Gazontipede said:

The following Phoenix range records were set in the 1970s.

In 1973 an F-14A downed a BQM-34E drone at a range of 126 miles (202km).

Reportedly, in 1979, this was then beaten by a shoot-down of another drone at a range of 132 miles (213km).

Those would appear to be the numbers to beat unless the Russians come up with some KS-172 or R-37M shot data. (As opposed to paper manufacturers claims.)

Just keep in mind that those early Phoenix shots were carefully staged and "enhanced" to ensure the best possible results.   They were then used extensively for PR purposes to keep the F-14 safe from possible budget cuts / cancellation.

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