The advantage is twofold, as this would provide Ukraine with modernized fighter aircraft while avoiding the issue of delivering foreign fighter aircraft to Ukraine. An intermediate solution to this problem would simply be to modernize Ukrainian aircraft. However, AMRAAM, as explained in the last paragraph, requires the use of components not owned by Ukrainian fighters. The Ukrainians have already received aircraft of Soviet origin in spare parts but still no recent aircraft and to NATO standards. Adding a modern medium-range missile would be pointless if the radar of the launching aircraft cannot compete with the enemy radars. The problem with the radar is that it is not as good as that of the Russian Su-30SM and Su-35. This problem arises even before the missile is fired, when the combat system transmits information from the aircraft's radar to the missile. However, the Soviet systems are not at all designed with a view to firing or even directing a missile manufactured in the United States. Or, although the AMRAAM can be fired as a tug-of-war, the latter can, thanks to a data link with the launching aircraft, change its trajectory before switching on its radar and become completely autonomous. In addition to that, the AGM-88 does not require big modifications because the missile works independently of the aircraft. The use of HARM missiles had not required major modifications for Ukrainian MiG-29s and Su-27s: carrying the missile on its standard LAU-118/A pylon, which itself is attached to a modified pylon that allows an LAU-118/A to be attached to the wing of an aircraft of Soviet origin. AMRAAM missiles are already in Ukraine but only for use from NASAMS anti-aircraft systems. There are, for example, modifications on MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter aircraft to carry AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles ( article on the subject) as well as on Buk mobile anti-aircraft systems, also of Soviet origin, to fire Rim-7 Sea Sparrow missiles ( more info in this article).Īnother modification seems to be under consideration by the US military and officials: according to the Politico, discussions are underway in Washington, D.C., on a possible delivery of AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles to the Ukrainian Air Force. They also include modifications on vehicles of Soviet origin in order to fire Western ammunition. the deliveries of equipment and their ammunition to Ukraine are very diverse. Integration: F-15C/D/E, F-16C/D, F-22A, F-35A.Infantry weapons, armored vehicles of all kinds, artillery howitzers, tanks. Guidance: Active radar terminal/inertial midcourse. Performance: Supersonic, range 20+ miles. Propulsion: Boost-sustain solid-propellant rocket motor. Dimensions: Span 1.7 ft, length 12 ft, diameter 7 in. Latest variant with GPS guidance, improved range, lethality, and jam-resistance. Production variant optimized for the F-22/F-35. Upgraded, reprogrammable variant of AIM-120A. In 2019, USAF announced it is developing the AIM-260 Joint Air Tactical Missile (JATM) with the Navy to replace AMRAAM with a longer-range, more capable weapon to counter high-end threats.Ĭontractors: Raytheon Northrop Grumman Nammo Group (propulsion). Cybersecurity testing was concluded in mid-2019.įY20 funds procure 414 AIM-120D missiles. The second phase of the AIM-120D System Improvement Program (SIP II) completed operational testing and will be fielded in 2020. Ongoing upgrades will further enhance weapon performance and electronic protection. AIM-120D offers improved range, GPS-assisted guidance, updated data links, and jam resistance, in addition to greater lethality. The AIM-120C incorporates smaller control surfaces for internal carriage on F-22 and F-35 and a high-angle off-boresight (HOBS) launch capability. The AIM-120B is an upgraded, reprogrammable variant of the original missile. It is a joint USAF-Navy follow-on to the AIM-7 Sparrow with launch-and-maneuver capability. AMRAAM is an active radar-guided, medium-range, supersonic air-to-air missile.

Aim 120 c