Identifying Russia's new air-to-air missile

"The R-37M missile carries a 60kg warhead, about three times larger than the warhead typically mounted on air-to-air missiles. It is suitable for mounting a miniaturized nuclear warhead," Military Watch Magazine posted.

So what is the R-37M long-range air-to-air missile that receives special attention from US and Western intelligence?

The missile destroyed the target at a distance of more than 200km.

The R-37M (NATO reporting name: AA-13 "Axehead") is an upgraded version of the R-37 missile, developed since the 1980s by the Vympel corporation. The original goal was to create a very long range air-to-air missile (VLRAAM), capable of destroying airborne early warning and control aircraft (AWACS) and aerial refueling aircraft, key targets in modern warfare.

After many tests, the R-37M was officially put into service in 2014, mainly equipped for air superiority fighters such as the Mig-31BM and Su-35S. According to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense , this missile has passed rigorous tests, including hitting a target moving at an altitude of 25km at a speed of 4,500km/h.

The R-37M missile is currently one of the air-to-air missiles with the longest range in the world today. Photo: TASS

The strength of the R-37M missile is that when launched from a high altitude of over 20km, it has a range of up to 400km and a flight speed of Mach 6 (6 times the speed of sound). For highly maneuverable targets, the missile's range is reduced to more than 200km. The missile is equipped with an AGSN-37 active radar system combined with inertial guidance, updating the target's position from the carrier aircraft in the middle phase to attack targets at great distances.

Russian military expert Major General Mikhail Khodarenok commented: “The R-37M is not only a defensive weapon, but it forces the enemy to maintain a safe distance, disrupting NATO's long-range attack tactics. A squadron of Mig-31 aircraft carrying the R-37M can control an area of ​​300,000 km²”. In real combat, the R-37M has proven its effectiveness by shooting down a target flying at a record distance of 217 km.

Deputy Director of Russia's Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies Konstantin Makienko told Gazeta that the R-37M missile was initially intended to equip the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter and the MiG-31BM interceptor fighter, but now the 4++ generation Su-35S fighter has been added to this list.

According to expert Konstantin Makienko, the R-37M missile and the Mig-31BM aircraft are the perfect "pair" when the missile can use the powerful aviation radar system of the carrier aircraft to attack targets at extremely long ranges. In particular, equipped with a small nuclear warhead, an R-37M missile is capable of destroying an entire squadron of enemy fighter jets with just one missile hitting the target.

R-37M through the eyes of Western experts

As a powerful weapon in Russian air combat, the R-37M missile is also highly appreciated by Western military experts. Former US Air Force Commander, Dr. David Deptula commented: "The R-37M makes the opponent lose the advantage in long-range air-to-air. Even the F-22 Raptor has to be cautious when entering the 300km radius of the MiG-31."

Another strength of the R-37M missile is the AGSN-37 radar system using the Ka-band (27-40 GHz), which is more difficult to jam than the usual X-band frequency.

However, the R-37M missile is also said to have a weakness when it needs to depend on fighter jets with strong aviation radars to maximize its range. Expert Justin Bronk, Royal Institute for Strategic Studies, UK, assessed: "The R-37M needs a powerful radar like the Zaslon-M of the MiG-31 to detect long-range targets. If the mother aircraft is disabled, the missile is unlikely to be able to accurately attack targets at long range."

Expert Justin Bronk emphasized that each R-37M missile has an estimated cost of 2-3 million USD, 5 times more expensive than the AIM-120D. This limits the widespread use of this expensive missile. In addition, despite its high speed, the R-37M missile faces challenges when confronting the F-35 or J-20 due to its lack of infrared sensors.

The R-37M is the main equipment on the Mig-31BM heavy fighter of the Russian Air Force. Photo: RIAN

According to Jane's Defence Magazine, the R-37M currently leads in range, but the US AIM-260 JATM missile (expected to be equipped in 2025) can balance the situation thanks to multi-mode guidance technology.

Military magazine Topwar reported that Russia may be testing a version of the R-37MKH missile with a speed of Mach 8 and a range of 500km, integrating infrared sensors to deal with stealth targets. However, to be able to counter hypersonic weapons, the path to developing a new version of the R-37 missile will be very long.

TUAN SON (synthesis)

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Source: https://baodaknong.vn/nhan-dien-ten-lua-khong-doi-khong-moi-cua-nga-253520.html