Airforces

View to a kill

In the first half of a two-part

feature, Douglas Barrie and

Piotr Butowski review the

short-range air-to-air missiles

currently in service around

the world.

PART ONE

imaging infrared

(IIR)-guided AAM – an

exclusive list that does not yet

include Russia – and it marks a significant

element of the recapitalisation of the

PLAAF’s AAM inventory with considerably

more capable weapons. Alongside the US

(AIM-9X) and China (PL-10), France (Mica IR),

With no medium-range AAM in the inventory, the

IRIS-T represents the primary armament for the

Austrian Air Force’s Eurofi ghter feet. Like most

modern weapons in its class, the IRIS-T’s target

can be designated by airborne radar or via the

pilot’s helmet sight. Eurofighter/Geoffrey Lee

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com