AIM-132 ASRAAM

AIM-132 ASRAAM. The AIM-132 Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) is a modern, infrared homing missile developed for the Royal Air Force and international partners. Designed as a successor to the AIM-9 Sidewinder, it emphasizes high speed, a lock-on after launch capability, and superior kinematic performance for within-visual-range combat. The weapon is now manufactured by the multinational consortium MBDA and has been integrated on several modern fighter aircraft.

Development and origins

The program originated from a 1980 NATO agreement where the United States would develop the AMRAAM for beyond-visual-range combat and the United Kingdom and West Germany would develop a new short-range missile. Following the reunification of Germany and its withdrawal, the UK Ministry of Defence continued development with British Aerospace (later part of MBDA). The design sought to overcome limitations of the AIM-9 Sidewinder, particularly its sensitivity to countermeasures and need for the launch aircraft to point at the target. Key development milestones included extensive testing at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at RAF Boscombe Down and the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency.

Design and specifications

The missile employs a streamlined, low-drag airframe with small cruciform wings and tail controls, enabling exceptional speed and range for its class. Its most distinctive feature is a large, high-resolution 128x128 element imaging infrared seeker from Raytheon, providing excellent resistance to flares and the ability to acquire targets at very wide off-boresight angles. This allows for lock-on after launch, where the seeker is cued by the aircraft's helmet-mounted display, such as the Striker helmet on the Eurofighter Typhoon. Propelled by a solid-propellant rocket motor, it achieves speeds in excess of Mach 3. The warhead is a blast-fragmentation type triggered by an active laser fuze.

Operational history

The missile entered service with the Royal Air Force in 1998, initially deployed on the Panavia Tornado and later the Eurofighter Typhoon. Its first operational use was during the War in Afghanistan, where it was carried by RAF Tornado GR4 aircraft on Operation Herrick. The ASRAAM has since been a standard armament for RAF and Royal Australian Air Force aircraft on numerous operations, including missions over Iraq and Syria as part of Operation Shader and Operation Okra. It has also seen extensive use in multinational exercises like Red Flag, demonstrating its capability in high-threat environments.

Variants

The primary variant is the ASRAAM F1 or Block 1, which entered initial service. An upgraded ASRAAM F2 or Block 2 variant introduced a new seeker with improved image processing and a two-way MIL-STD-1553 datalink, enhancing target discrimination and engagement flexibility. The latest evolution is the ASRAAM F3 or Block 3, sometimes called ASRAAM Mk.2, which incorporates a new soft-launch rocket motor for safer integration on light combat aircraft like the HAL Tejas and a redesigned seeker with enhanced counter-countermeasure performance. MBDA has also demonstrated an ASRAAM ground-launched variant for very short-range air defence.

Operators

* United Kingdom: In service with the Royal Air Force on the Eurofighter Typhoon. * Australia: Operated by the Royal Australian Air Force on the F/A-18 Hornet and F-35 Lightning II. The Australian Defence Force selected ASRAAM under Project AIR 5402. * India: Ordered for integration on the HAL Tejas and SEPECAT Jaguar of the Indian Air Force. * Qatar: Contracted for its fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. * Oman: Selected to arm its ordered Eurofighter Typhoon jets. * Saudi Arabia: In service with the Royal Saudi Air Force on the Panavia Tornado and Eurofighter Typhoon.

Category:Air-to-air missiles of the United Kingdom Category:Infrared homing missiles