Denmark Agrees to Purchase Raytheon’s AIM 9X Sidewinder Air-to-Air Missile
TUCSON, Ariz., July 21 /PRNewswire/ — The government of Denmark and the U.S. Navy have formally executed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) paving the way for the manufacture and delivery of the AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile system to the Royal Danish Air Force.
The LOA was signed in June 2004 in Denmark. Denmark is the fourth country to purchase the latest version of the proven AIM-9 Sidewinder missile family. The Republic of South Korea, Poland and Switzerland have also agreed to purchase the missile to arm their frontline fighter aircraft.
“We are delighted that the Royal Danish Air Force will be armed with the world’s finest short range air-to-air missile, the AIM-9X,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Scott Stewart, the Naval Air Systems Command program manager for air-to- air missile systems. “Equipping our allied war fighters with this exceptional missile will ensure allied counterair supremacy and mission success while continuing to strengthen critical interoperability.”
The AIM-9X is a fifth generation short range missile that achieved initial operational capability with the U.S. Air Force in November 2003. The missile employs a staring focal plane array seeker head with an extremely high off- boresight acquisition capability that significantly increases target acquisition ranges against all forms of background clutter. The AIM-9X is unparalleled in its ability to defeat targets employing infra-red counter- measure techniques.
The combination of the seeker’s high off-boresight capability and rocket motor thrust vectoring via jet vane control produces an extremely agile missile with revolutionary dogfight ability. An 18-year production run is planned, producing more than 10,000 missiles for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and an additional 5,000 missiles for the international market.
Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN – News), with 2003 sales of $18.1 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 78,000 people worldwide.
By: Erez - 28th August 2004 at 01:31
And, by the way, the article about the Python-5 is translated from the IDF/AF Magazine, so no place for claiming it’s unreliable.
http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/missile_systems/air_missiles/python/Python5.html
By: Erez - 28th August 2004 at 01:28
Quating Israeli-weapons.com:
By definition, the Python 5 is considered to be a short range air-to-air missile, yet its range exceeds regular air-to-air missiles, and is more close to what is technically called BVR (beyond visual range) missiles. Those missiles can be shot upon targets which are not visually seen at the moment of launch, and are acquired by the missile itself during its flight path.
By: Arabella-Cox - 26th August 2004 at 23:20
IIRC, isn’t the Python4 and 5 identical in aerodynamics/kinematics except in the latter the seeker is changed to focal plane arrays? If that’s the case, explain how would the Python 5 be considered as almost BVR (comment made by Erez) since it’s airframe (Python 4 at least) is extermely draggy.
By: Arabella-Cox - 24th August 2004 at 04:40
I wouldn’t get to excited about any claims here. That would be like the RAAF stating that they have the best fighter pilots in the world. (and maybe they are!) What are they suppose to say? Maybe or we are least in the top two or three! Like many things we debate here. Much is very subjective to say the least. At least they are in a position to make the claim. (i.e. in the running) 😎
By: bring_it_on - 23rd August 2004 at 16:10
the JSF in terms of weapons integration is going to be quite flexible from the begining due to its open architecture..i am sure the IDF would want to get the derby and p4,5,6 integrated as soon as possible…considering that the LMA is offering f-16’s fully integrated with the p4 and derby straight out of the factory i wouldnt be surprised if something like that is worked out for the jsf inorder to get it to sell in countries which might be denied US weapons or may be reluctant to buy US weapons.
By: Erez - 23rd August 2004 at 14:21
That might got something to do with it, though the Israeli version of the F-35A will already include the ability to launch Israeli weapons right from the start of its service.
But all in all I think you are right about the connection with the F-35…
By: PAF Fan - 23rd August 2004 at 14:15
Erez
It may be linked to a future Danish JSF purchase, as teh AIM-9X will probably be integrated into the F-35 way before the Python, a Danish 9X purchase would give them the flexibility to integrate the F-35 into their air force more easily.
Imagine if they bought Python and then JSF, they would have to do all the software, trials and integration thyemselves for this missile on the JSF….
By: Erez - 23rd August 2004 at 14:11
Yeah I’m sure both are excellent missiles, but it’s not fair nor serious to claim the 9X is the best missile, without testing it against the P5 before.
I must say though that I find it a bit surprising that Denmark chose the 9X instead if the Python 4/5. We are in a good relationship with Denmark and they shouldn’t have a problem opearting Israeli equipment :rolleyes:
By: bring_it_on - 23rd August 2004 at 14:07
lets not get into which missile is better then the other debate all over..both the p5 and 9x are great missiles and both have some awsome technology to back them up..the argument is quite futile in my opinion..
By: Erez - 23rd August 2004 at 13:52
I guess so GDL… :rolleyes:
There is an agreement for co-production of the Python-4 with Lockheed, so I guess the US knows pretty well what makes the Python-4 what he is. But it’s not the same with the 5…
By: PAF Fan - 23rd August 2004 at 13:48
To be honest, I think that Israel and America are so close that the US would make sure that any significant technology that would make an Israeli AAM better then the AMX-9 would be incorporated into the AIM-9X and vice versa, one just has to look at coperation on the Arrow…….
By: GDL - 23rd August 2004 at 13:44
No, it’s like PAF Fan said. All IDF/AF planes for example are officialy USAF birds, until their first landing in Israel.
About the AIM-9X. I find the statements in the article on the AIM-9X as the best short range AA missile as a bit disconnected from reality.
American boasting……….. :p
By: Erez - 23rd August 2004 at 13:34
No, it’s like PAF Fan said. All IDF/AF planes for example are officialy USAF birds, until their first landing in Israel.
About the AIM-9X. I find the statements in the article on the AIM-9X as the best short range AA missile as a bit disconnected from reality.
By: GDL - 23rd August 2004 at 13:34
AIM-9X was a joint program, and I suspect they are talking to the USN officer in charge of the their side of the program, that’s all.
By: bring_it_on - 23rd August 2004 at 12:58
probably because the aim-9x was a navy program or something like that…because i remeber the first aircraft to lauch it was a hornet
By: PAF Fan - 23rd August 2004 at 12:58
FMS equipment has to be officially purchased by US Services before being passed on, that why tanks will be ordered by the US Army on behalf of the Saudi army before being passed on for example…..
By: PLA - 23rd August 2004 at 12:55
Why US navy? Isn’t the Pentagon, Ratheon or the US government first in line? The navy is just a customer like Denmark.
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August 23, 2004 at 10:35 am