CAMM, short-range infrared or radar?

Hello all

I have a question I was hoping could be answered. I’ve been reading about the UK’s Common Anti-Air Modular Missile programme that will replace Sea Wolf Block 2, ASRAAM and Rapier with a single, common missile system.

What I was wondering was about the decision to have radar-guidance for the RAF’s short-range air-to-air missile. At present all countries seem to have developed radar-guided missiles for medium/long-range air engagement, and infrared for short-range. Is there any reason why this should be the case? Is infrared better for the short-range engagement envelope?

I understand the original reason may have been that infrared seekers were simpler to develop and place in a small missile (at least to create a fire-and-forget capability which until the 1970s was not feasible for radar-guidance, AIM-54 excepted). But is there any reason why in the modern day and age you cannot simply have radar-guidance for all missile systems? I imagine you could place a very good AESA seeker on the CAMM.

So essentially my question is this; is there any logic in having both infrared and radar guided missiles for short/medium and long-range missiles respectively? Is there any reason why the decision to make CAMM(A) radar-guided is not a good idea? I vaguely recall the old Soviet tactic of firing both an infrared and radar guided missile together which significantly complicates jamming and defence.