Low Actual Performance of Air to Air missles.

http://www.canit.se/~griffon/aviation/text/missiles/aam.html

Air-to-air missile non-comparison table
Especially not range, for which the correct answer always is “it depends”.

To take one example, the Vympel R-77 has a stated range of 100 km against a head-on target at high altitude, but only 25 km in a stern chase. At low altitude it can fire at head-on targets at 20 km, from which we can guess range in a stern chase is 5 km. (See the above diagram.)
And this is presumably against targets that don’t try to evade.

Range varies similarily for AIM-7C.

Target and shooter both at M 0.9
altitude head on tail chase
50.000’/16km 14.000-37.000 feet/4.5-12km 8.200-25.000 feet/3-8km
30.000’/10km 9.500-34.000 feet/3-11km 4.200-20.000 feet/1.6-6km
sea level 9.500-19.000 feet/3-6.5km 2.000- 5.700 feet/0.6-1.9km
The improvements planned for, but at the time of writing (2000) cancelled, future versions of AMRAAM include the ability to engage 9G manouevring targets at 30 km, which will let it engage non-agile targets at more than 60 km, which gives a good idea of the range difference depending on type of target.

This is what the Swedish air force says are typical ranges for some missiles

Low altitude High altitude
Rb 24J Sidewinder about 1000 m slightly more than 3000 m (AIM-9P)
Rb 71 SkyFlash a couple of km well over 10 km
Rb 74 Sidewinder, AIM-9L
Can be fired at even shorter ranges and more extreme angles than
AIM-9J, as well as handle even more agile targets.
Not quite as impressive as some of the numbers usually given, but these are ranges usable in practice, most of the time.
Also, range and speed aren’t everything when it comes to missile performance. For example, the AIM-7E and -7E Sparrow missiles had a higher allowed G loading during launch than the concurrent AIM-9E Sidewinder, which may have been a factor why they were used otherwise surprisingly often.

The R-3S were limited to launch at less then 2G up to an altitude 15 km and 1.6G over that, the AIM-9B/D 2-2.5G. Presumably almost the same goes for the AIM-9E, but the AIM-9J introduced in 1972 allowed the launching aircraft to turn at up to 7G.

The AIM-9E and -9J Sidewinders both had a rocket motor impulse of 8,800 lb/s, burn time of 2.2 s, peak thrust of 4,200 lb, giving an acceleration of 28G. But there are interesting differences as well:

Seeker Seeker Servo Torque Guidance Lateral G
track cage torque feedback duration capability one plane
rate rate servo sea level/16 km

AIM-9B 10/4 G (?)
AIM-9E 12 10 750lb-in No 20 s 11/6 G
AIM-9J 16 16 1050lb-in Yes 40 s 22/13 G
deg/s deg/s/deg
Does this mean the AIM-9J was better at everything than the AIM-9E?
The above was intended to give it both a shorter minimum engagement range and larger max range at high altitude. For targets with large aspect angeles it really was much better, but the torque feedback servo caused overcontrolling for targets with small aspect angles, resulting in excessive manoeuvring = more drag and shorter range.
The AIM-9B had a rather small envelope at low altitude and fast targets: For a shot straight from behind, both aircraft flying at M0.8 at sea level the minimum range was 3000 foot, max range 4000 foot in straight and level flight. If the target was turning at 3G it was 3250 and 3750 foot, if it was turning at 5G there wasn’t any envelope at all.

A usenet article: Re: US AAMs 0-for-6 – about AAM hit statistics.

——————————————————————————–

Maker Guidance Speed,Mach Length/diam./span,cm
Designation Min/max,km Weight,kg

CHINA
CATIC PL, Pi Li = Thunderbolt
PL-2 IR /3 ? 76 299/13/53 licence built R-13
PL-3 IR /3 ? 82 299/13/53 larger PL-2
PL-4 SAR /8 ? 93 350/13/53 PL-2/3 variant
PL-5B IR /3 ? 85 289/13/85 AIM-9G lookalike
PL-5E IR .5/14 ? 85 289/13/85 Export variant with all aspect
seeker, +-25 deg before launch, +-40 after. 40G lateral capability.
PL-7 IR /3 ? 90 275/16/66 Magic lookalike
PL-8 IR /5 ? 120 300/16/86 Python 3 lookalike
PL-9 IR /5 ? 120 300/16/81 Larger PL-5, not in service
PL-10 SAR /15 3 300 400/29/117 Variant of HQ-61 SAM, AIM-7E copy, cancelled?
PL-11 SAR 0.5/35 4 220 370/20/100 Aspide Mk 1
LY-60(N) SAR 0.5/35 4 220 370/20/100 Based on Aspide

FRANCE
Matra
R.511 SAR /10 ? 180 310/26/100
R.530 IR/SAR /18 ? 195 328/26/110
Super 530D SAR /40 4.5 270 380/26/62
Super 530F SAR 0.5/25 4.5 245 350/26/88
R.550 Magic IR 0.3/3+ 2+ 89 272/16/66
Magic 2 IR 0.3/5+ 2+ 90 275/16/66

Matra-BAE Systems Dynamics
MICA AR/IR <5/>50 3+ 110 310/16/56
Has four “firing modes” (exactly what is meant?): Long and
medium range with INS, datalink and terminal homing; close
range and self defence.
Radar IOC 1997, IR IOC 1999.

GERMANY
X-4 CLOS 0.9 60 201/22/58

EURAAM is a German backup project to UK’s BVRAAM requirement,
in case a missile Germany doesn’t want is choosen. It’s sort of a follow
on to the A3M project. Has a Ka band active and X band passive
seeker (which could also be adopted on a possible German Meteor version(?)).

INDIA
Astra AR /25 148 380/25/??
under development, intended for LCA, configured
“like a long Matra 530”, narrower in front of the
wings, 15 kg warhead, supposed to be test flown in
1999, first flight (ground launched) in 2003.

ISRAEL
Rafael
Shafrir IOC 1963
Shafrir 2 IR /3 ? 93 260/16/64 IOC 1969
Python 3 IR 0.5/5 3.5 120 300/16/86 IOC 1978
Python 4 IR /18 ? 106 300/16/50 IOC 1993
Rafael: Python 4
LM: Python 4
More on Python 4
Turns 180 deg in 3 s, 80 kN thrust for 3 s, 0.7 kN for a further 80 s, dual canards, two narrow ailerons 45 deg offset behind the second set of canards, rear fins leading edge root extensions to mid fuselage for strengthening. Stabilised two colour 60 deg off boresight seeker.

Python 5 IR /20 4 106 300/16/50 IOC 2003
Same airframe, warhead, proximity fuze and motor as Python 4,
two colour focal plane array seeker, upgraded INS and autopilot/flight
control laws. “Full sphere capability”. Seeker may be a derivative of
the cancelled AIM-9R’s seeker.
Derby AR /? ? 118 380/16/50 In service since around 1991.
Also called Alto. Shares a lot with Python 4 and is pylon compatible with it. Radar seeker by IAI. Can be used for short- and medium range, look and shoot down. Lock on before or after launch modes.

ITALY
Alenia
Aspide Mk1 SAR 0.5/35 4 220 370/20/100
Looks like a Sparrow, but no common components.
Aspide Mk2 AR /50 4 230 365/21/100 Development on hold

JAPAN
AAM-1 Licence built AIM-9E Sidewinder
Mitsubishi
AAM-3 IR/AR /5 70 260/ /
Type 90, Sidewinder derivative with higher scan rate than AIM-9L

AAM-4 AR Development funded
AAM-5 New short range missile, flight tests of XAAM-5 on F-15J starts
in 2001, it’s a dogfight missile with longer lockon range (than AAM-3),
higher off boresight capability, better IRCCM and longer range.
Will have thrust vectoring. Expected in service date is 2004.

RUSSIA

Vihkr 9A220 AAM version of the AT-12 anti-armour
helicopter carried missile.

OKB-2, Grushin/Tomashevitch
RS-1U Also K-5 “AA-1 Alkali”
RS-2US BR 1.95/5.2 ? 84 250/20/195 Also K-51 “AA-1 Alkali”

Mikoyan-Gurevich
K-9 / K-155 Shown with MiG E-152A, never in service, “AA-4 Awl”

Sukhoi
PR-38 Intended for T-37 and P-37, cancelled

OKB-134, Torpov, Lyapin, Vympel
K-7L BR 2/5 ? 150 357/22/81 All K-7s were cancelled
K-7S Self-homing variant in favour of K-8
K-7SZ Tailless
K-75 SAR /4 ? 82 249/20/57
R-3S IR 1.2/7.6 2.5 75 283/13/53 Also K-13A “AA-2 Atoll”
Sidewinder AIM-9B copy
R-3R SAR 1/7 2.5 84 342/13/53 Also K-13R “AA-2 Atoll-C”
R-13M IR 0.6/15 2.5 90 288/13/59 “AA-2 Atoll-D”
K-14 Sidewinder AIM-9L copy, cancelled in favour of K-73/R-73
K-88 IR 1/13 ? 110 /20/ K-8 with K-13 seeker, cancelled

OKB-4, Bisnovat, Molniya
SNARS-250 SAR/IR /5 ? 285 420/ /108
K-8 SAR/IR 2/12 ? 275 /28/ Never entered service
R-8M Also K-8M “AA-3 Anab”
R-8M2 redesignated R-98
R-98RM SAR 1.9/18 2+ 292 427/28/130 “AA-3 Anab”
R-98TM IR 1.9/18 2+ 227 400/28/130 “AA-3 Anab”
R-4R SAR 4/20 ? 550 550/32/150 Also K-80 “AA-5 Ash”
R-4T IR “AA-5 Ash”
R-4TM /RM Also K-80M “AA-5 Ash”
R-40RD SAR /70 4.5 461 622/31/145 “AA-6 Acrid” “D” means improved
R-40TD IR /30 4.5 460 620/31/145 as they were compromised in -76
R-60 IR /5 2.5 44 209/12/39 “AA-8 Aphid”
R-60MK IR 0.5/12 2.5 45 214/12/39 Export version
R-23R SAR 1.8/33 2.5 223 446/20/100 “AA-7 Apex”
R-23T IR 1.8/33 2.5 217 416/20/100
R-24R,R-24T improved R-23 versions
R-24R SAR /50 ? 250 480/20/97 “AA-7 Apex”
R-27R SAR 0.5/50 2.5 253 408/23/77 “AA-10 Alamo A”
R-27T IR 0.5/18 2.5 245 380/23/77 “AA-10 Alamo B”
R-27RE SAR 0.5/130 ? 350 478/26/80 “AA-10 Alamo C”
R-27TE IR 0.5/70 ? 350 480/26/97 “AA-10 Alamo D”
R-27P anti-radar
R-27AE AR 0.5/80 ? 350 480/26/97 not in service
R-27ME SAR 0.5/170 ? 350 480/26/97 not in service?
The R-27 missiles have claimed target altitude capability of
between 24km (R-27T1) and 30km (R-27ET1)
R-33 SAR /120 ? 490 415/38/118 “AA-9 Amos”
R-37 AR /300 ? 600 400/30/100
“Improved” R-33, not in service. Fixed forward canards, four folding rear fins
R-77 AR 0.5/90 3 175 360/20/70 RVV-AE “AA-12 Adder”
The maker doesn’t like calling it “R-77”. Also known as AAM-AE.
In production since late 1997 (but interupted due to move to
other production facilities). (It’s been hinted that “R-77”
may refer to a different, SARH, missile, earlier than RVV-AE.)
As of 2003 does not have lofted trajectory capability,
that, and a new motor, is worked on (R-77M?).
R-77M AR 1/90 3 175 20/70
Longer, heavier, due to dual boost motor. Improved warhead.
Announced as a “mid-life update” in 1998.
AR Hybrid rocket/ramjet, not ordered, RVV-AE-PD

Molniya/Vympel
R-73 IR 0.4/15 3 105 290/18/51 “AA-11 Archer”
8 year shelf life, 40 hour life carried on pylon. Lacks a self destruct timer.
R-73E RDM1 IR 0.3/30 3+ 110 290/18/51 +-75 deg field of regard, limited
Can intercept 12G targets at 0.3-30 km to +-60 when cued by +-60 deg radar
or turn 180 deg Can be set to not track targets off more than +- 4 deg
from the HMS cueing, before launch
R-73M RDM2 IR /40 ? +-60 deg before launch +-90 after

Novator
Ks-172 AR /400 ? 750 740/51/ 1.4m booster, AAM-L, Not funded

Zvezda
K-55 IR 1.2/10 ? 91 Modified K-5
Kh-37 Anti-radar />100 ? 470/36/

SOUTH AFRICA
Denel
Kukri V-3B IR 0.3-4 2.5 73 294/13/53
Kentron
Darter V-3C IR 0.3-10 2 89 275/16/66 Uses “twist-and-turn”
control, with one set of fixed forward fins and offset 90 deg to them
tandem control surfaces like Magic, which it is otherwise similar too.
Turns up to 35G.
U-Darter IR 0.3-10? 2? 89? 275/16/66 Like Darter, but with
cruciform tandem control surfaces. Turns at 55G, off boresight
capability up to 56 deg. In service (1997)
A-Darter IIR
Reported to have a peak manoeuvrability of 100G.
The A-Darter uses both tail control and thrust vectoring. Full scale development has not begun (1997). Guided flight tests to start (1999).
V4 R-Darter AR Entered service
around 1995, has at least two launch modes with lock on before
or after launch. Probably shares some technology with Derby.
S-Darter/LRAAM ramjet powered, in development
T-Darter AR /50+ Air breathing, mid-course datalink.
Probably an SAHV-3 development.
Offered to Pakistan (1999).
SWEDEN
Saab 324 IR ? ? 70 282/13/56 Rb 24 Licence produced Sidewinder
IR ? ? 82 307/13/56 Rb 24J Licence produced Sidewinder
Saab built AIM-9P3 /P5 used on Austrian Drakens
Saab 327 SAR /16 ? 90 213/28/61 Rb 27 Hughes HM 55 Falcon licence
produced by Saab/Bofors, similar or equivalent to
AIM-26B, used on Drakens, and Swiss Mirage IIIs
Saab 328 IR /9 ? 54 198/16/51 Rb 28 Hughes HM 58 Falcon licence
produced by Saab/Bofors, more or less an AIM-4C with AIM-4D seeker,
used on Drakens, and Swiss Mirage IIIs
Saab 372 Cancelled 1970’s project, short range agile IIR
Saab 373 Cancelled 1970’s project. Very long range (100km+) active radar,
one variant similar to a tail controlled (no wings) SkyFlash

TAIWAN
Chung Shan Institute
Tien Chien I IR /5 ? 90 287/13/64 Sky Sword I, Sidewinder-like
Tien Chien II SAR? /35 ? 190 360/20/75 Sparrow-like, may be AR
Reported as having been improved to give a range of 90 km
Two VL SAM derivative versions during development (1999)

UNITED KINGDOM
de Havilland
Firestreak IR 1.2/8 3 136 319/22/75
Red Top IR 1.2/11 3+ 150 327/23/91 First (1964) all-aspect IR missile

Hawker Siddeley Dynamics
Taildog

British Aerospace
Sky Flash SAR 0.5/50 4 192 366/20/102
Motor and warhead (30kg continous rod) as AIM-7E, but seeker (mono pulse)
small enough to fit in AIM-7F anyway.
Can be launched with a warm up of only 1-2s.

BAe/Thomson-CSF
Active Sky Flash AR /50 4 208 366/20/102 Not funded, cancelled

BAe/Raytheon Defense Systems (Hughes)
AIM-132 IIR 0.3/10 2+ 87 290/17/45 ASRAAM +-90 deg field of regard
128×128 staring focal plane imaging array. Has lock after
launch and memory tracking ability. Laser gyros and solid state
accelerometers. Lateral acceleration 60+ G at sea level.
BAE Systems Australia, FAS, ASRAAM

Shorts Missile Systems
Air to Air Starstreak ? ? ? ? Three laser beam riding darts, time of flight to 4 km 5 s

INTERNATIONAL
Germany (46%), Italy (19%), Sweden (18%), Greece (13%), Canada and Norway.
The Dutch, Belgian and Danish air forces has also shown interest.
Service entry in 2002.
BGT/SAAB/AleniaMarconi are the main contractors
IRIS-T IIR
Thrust vectoring, under development, 90 deg off boresight seeker, 64×64 (scanning?) indium-antimonide 3-5 micron seeker. Sidewinder interoperable. Capable of 60G turns and 60deg AoA. Active radar fuze, 9kg warhead. The earlier configuration. Links: [1] [2] [3] [4]

Matra BAE System Dynamics/Saab-Bofors Dynamics/Alenia Marconi Systems/LFK/CASA/Thomson-CSF/Bayern Chemie/Boeing
Meteor AR />100 ? 160? 300/20/56?
Meteor
Solid fuel variable flow rocket ramjet for high terminal velocity at long range. Has superceded the A3M and S225X projects for the BVRAAM requirement. Configuration changed 1998 to include four mid fuselage wings, as of early 2000 only two mid fuselage wings. In 2003 it changed again to no wings, bank and turn at long range, skid turn for the terminal engagement. Guidance is ISN, two-way datalink and active Ku band radar seeker. Can receive targeting data after launch from the launching fighter, another fighter, AWACs or Erieye aircraft.
First test launch in 2005, from a Gripen. Eurofighter and Rafale to follow.

USA
Teledyne Ryan
MALI CC+terminal /460+? ? 160? 365?/ /
Miniature Air Launched cruise missile Interceptor.
Derivative of the MALD decoy, which has a 20 min endurance
and 460+ km range, MALI will have same engine and fuel amount (9kg).
Attack speed will be subsonic, but supersonic dash with swept wings possible.
Preliminary flight tests will be concluded by 2001, final development not
decided. (Other derivatives is one autonomous attack and one defence suppression.)

Hughes
AIM-4A SAR /9 ? 54 198/16/51 Falcon, ex-GAR-1, anti-bomber
AIM-4C IR /9 ? 54 198/16/51 Falcon, anti-bomber
AIM-4D IR /9 ? 54 198/16/51 Falcon, anti-fighter. Super Falcon seeker, high impulse motor
AIM-4E SAR /11 ? 68 218/16/61 Super Falcon
AIM-4F SAR /11 ? 68 218/17/61 Super Falcon proximity fuze (previous had contact only)
AIM-4G IR /11 ? 68 206/17/61 Super Falcon proximity fuze
AIM-4H dogfighting version, would if built have had a laser fuze and larger warhead than AIM-4D
AIM-26A SAR /16 ? 90 213/28/61 Falcon, nuclear
AIM-26B SAR /16 ? 90 213/28/61 Falcon, high-explosive
AIM-47A SAR/IR /160 6 363 320/33/84 ex-GAR-9, for YF-12
storable liquid fuel motor, 35 kg W-42 nuclear warhead
Raytheon Defense Systems (Hughes)
AIM-120A AR 0.5/50 4 157 365/18/53 AMRAAM non-reprogrammable (without hardware change)
USAF AMRAAM factsheet
USN AMRAAM factsheet
AMRAAM
AIM-120B as AIM-120A, with electronics upgrade including new processor and EEPROMs, reprogrammable in the field.
AIM-120C AR 0.5/50 4 157 365/18/45 Smaller span for internal carriage, reprogrammable ECCM. The USAF
All-Up-Round (AUR) container houses an internal cable which enables up to four missiles to be reprogrammed while
in the container. USN containers are not equipped with the cable and must be opened to reprogram the missile.
AIM-120C4 /C5 AR 0.5/50 4 157 365/18/45 Longer motor/shorter control section, new 10% smaller warhead
A “Passive adjunct seeker” was demonstrated in 1998, will home on
emitted radar signals and revert to active radar if necessary.
AIM-120 P3I P3 planned, larger motor like ERAAM
AIM-120 P3I P4 planned for production in 2010, gel fuel, possibly thrust vectoring (a la Dual Range AAM)

AIM-54C AR 4/200 4 463 430/38/92 Phoenix
ASRAAM P3I Like an AIM-132, but with thrust vectoring,
larger warhead, shorter range, AIM-9X contender, not chosen.
FMRAAM is a (possibly incremental)
AMRAAM follow on for UK’s BVRAAM requirement. ERAAM would be an AMRAAM with
larger dual pulse motor and smaller tail fins and upgraded guidance (2005),
FMRAAM would give it a rocket ramjet motor (2007).

XAIM-95 Agile
AIM-155 AAAM /270 4 300 ?/23/?
ACIMD

Raytheon
Box Office 2 IR ? ? ? ?/13/28
256×256 rotate-to-view imaging seeker, with 120 deg off boresight view, AIM-9X contender, not chosen. Achived 30 g for 2 s and 25 g for 2 s, max alpha 27 deg. Turned at 100 deg/s with thrust vectoring. Max alpha 60+ deg at 300 m/s, turn radius of 200 m, turned 180 deg in 2.5 s.

BoxOffice 3 Larger diameter AIM-9X contender, not chosen.

Raytheon Defense Systems (/General Dynamics/Hughes)
AIM-7A beam riding Sparrow 1 (1946, IOC 1956)
AIM-7B AR Sparrow 2 (1955- cancelled 1958, application would have been CF-105)
AIM-7C SAR Sparrow 3 (1955, IOC 1959)
Designed for short rail launch at up to transsonic speeds (M1.3).
Autopilot limits lateral G to 15.
Can track 3^2m target at 16000 yards, 10^2m target at 24000 yards.
Compares reflected radar signal with direct from illuminator to
obtain target closing range, ECCM includes a speed gate.
AIM-7D SAR
Designed for ejector launch at up to M2.2: Tougher electronics
and a bit smarter autopilot. Also said to be able to take on
targets with faster closing rate (all aspect, maybe C wasn’t).
Same (nearly?) as AIM-7C storable liquid fuel motor with impulse
of 15000lb/s for 1.9s.
AIM-7E SAR /25 ? 205 366/20/102 (IOC 1962)
Motor burn 2.8 s (solid fuel, also given as 22100lb/s for 2.9s)
30 kg continous rod warhead
Has three different control surface gains depending on launch altitude,
larger rudder movements higher up (which means best range against high
flying targets can be achieved by firing up at them).
AIM-7E2 Introduces a really short range (0.6km?), “dog-fight” capability,
probably only by allowing for faster arming of warhead.
AIM-7F SAR /40 ? 227 366/20/102 Sparrow
Introduces boost/sustain motor, seeker compatible
with pulse-doppler radars. Accelerates to M 2.5 in 2.7 s.
Titanium (=thinner) wings for better range and solid state
electronics for better reliability. The smaller electronic
package also enabled the warhead to be placed in front of the
wings, allowing for a larger motor. Pre-launch warmup <2s.
39 kg continous rod warhead. (1970, IOC 1975)
AIM-7M SAR 0.6/45 2.5 230 366/20/102 (1976, IOC 1980)
Inverse monopulse seeker, digital control,
39 kg directed blast/fragmentation warhead, built in
flight test during launch sequence
AIM-7P CC+SAR /45 2.5 230 366/20/102 (1987, IOC 1992)
AIM-7R CC+SAR+IR for terminal attack (1988, cancelled)
Small AIM-9 seeker in centre of nose cone.
USAF factsheet

US Naval Weapons Center/Ford/Hughes/Raytheon Defense Systems
AIM-9A Prototype in 1953
AIM-9B IR /3 ? 70 282/13/56 Sidewinder IOC 1956
+-25 deg field of regard, 11 deg/s tracking. Uncooled Pbs. Scanning at 70Hz, could not look
closer than 20 (later 5) degrees to the sun. 4.5 kg warhead. Passive IR fuze.
Lateral acceleration 10 G at sea level, 4 G (?) at 16 km.
AIM-9C SAR /18 ? 84 287/13/64 Remade into Sidearm anti-radar m.
AIM-9D IR /18 ? 88 287/13/64 40 deg look, 12 deg/s track, 125Hz scanning,
N2 cooled PbS. magnesium flouride dome. 10.2 kg warhead.
AIM-9E IR /4 ? 74 300/13/56 40 deg look, 16.5 deg/s tracking, 100Hz scanning
peltier cool PbS, 4.5 kg warhead IOC 1967
Lateral acceleration 11 G at sea level, 6 G at 16 km.
AIM-9E-2 Reduced smoke motor
AIM-9F AIM-9B-FGW.2 BGT upgrade, silicon dome, CO2 cooled seeker and not just tube electronics
AIM-9G IR /18 ? 88 287/13/64 As D + Expanded Acquisition Mode
AIM-9H IR /18 ? 86 287/13/64 As G w/solid state, 20 deg/s track,
off boresight lockon and launch, lead bias (hit front of target) IOC 1973
AIM-9J IR /8 2.5 78 307/13/56 As E w/part solid state. IOC 1977 (but used in 1972)
Lateral acceleration 22 G at sea level, 13 G at 16 km.
AIM-9JULI AIM-9J with seeker from L
AIM-9K More agile missile concept, USN work started in 1970, never fielded.
AIM-9L IR 0.5/18 2.5 87 287/13/64 +-67 deg look, All-asp. Ar c. InSb. 9.4 kg warhead,
laser fuze w/ 10 m detonation distance.
+-27 deg field of regard before launch. 32G lateral acceleration. IOC 1978
AIM-9M IR 0.5/18 2.5 88 287/13/64 As L w/reduced smoke+better ECCM IOC 1983
750 m turn radius, optimum alpha 10 deg. 35G lateral acceleration capability.
AIM-9M-7 Specific modification for Gulf war zone expected threats
(Before or after the war itself? One could be to counter modern fighters, the other the
unexpectedly quick Russian flares.)
AIM-9M-8 USN
AIM-9M-9 USAF
AIM-9N IR /8 2.5 78 307/13/56 As E w/part solid state
AIM-9P IR /8 2.5 82 307/13/56 As N +reliability improvements. Export model. (IOC 1978)
AIM-9P1: Active laser fuze.
AIM-9P2: Reduced smoke motor.
AIM-9P3: Stronger fuselage, better guidance, less sensitive explosive in the warhead.
AIM-9P4: All aspect target homing.
AIM-9P5: Improved ECCM
AIM-9Q As L w/ improved guidance section
AIM-9R optical, daylight only, three colour imaging seeker. Cancelled
AIM-9S IR 0.5/18 2.5 88 287/13/64 As M w/larger warhead (and deleted ECCM for export?)
AIM-9X IIR ? 2.5? 85 302/13/48 Evolved Sidewinder
Raytheon will build the Evolved Sidewinder. 128×128 staring focal plane array, 3-5 micron. It has thrust vectoring, will use existing Sidewinder motors. Fins and rudders are smaller.

The Sidewinder Story
Raytheon AIM-9 page
Good Sidewinder page
USN Sidewinder factsheet

Raytheon Defense Systems (General Dynamics)
FIM-92 IR 0.3/4 1.8 15 152/7/9 Stinger

McDonnell Douglas Astronautics
AIR-2A unguided /9 ? 372 274/43/61 Genie, nuclear warhead

AIM-7C