AAM: Project AIM-152 AAAM (USA)
AIM-152 AAAM Project
The US Navy already had a program to replace the Phoenix in the 1980s. Known as the Advanced Air-to-Air Missile - AAAM, the missile would be smaller than the Phoenix but with greater range and faster.
The requirements were a range of 270 km, speed of Mach 4 or higher, diameter of 229 mm and warhead between 13.6 and 22.7 kg. The missile should be lighter than 300 kg or lighter than the Phoenix which weighed between 446 to 465 kg.
The original specification was for the F-14 to carry six Phoenix missiles. Still the impact on the platform during landing was very strong for this load. The normal load became four Phoenixes, two Sparrows and two Sidewiders. The AAM would give the AWG-9 the ability to attack six targets simultaneously.
The AAAM would equip future versions of the F-14. As the AIM-54 could only be fired from the F-14, the US Navy intended to use the AAAM on the F/A-18, ATA and A-6F Intruder. Congress suggested that the AAAM be a joint program with the USAF, but the USAF had no requirement for a missile with this capability, but it could be used in the future on the F-15C/D and F-22.
The 3-year validation program was initiated in 1982 by the US Naval Weapons Center with simulators and tests. In 1987 Raytheon/Hughes and General Dynamics/Westinghouse were selected to develop the missile.
The Hughes/Raytheon AAAM proposal was based on its own model called Advanced Intercept Air-to-Air Missile (AIAAM) and revealed in 1982. The AIAAM had an aircraft configuration. The ramjet engine was from the Vought Supersonic Tactical Missile (STM) program. The missile was 3,658mm long. It would use a ramjet and solid hybrid engine. It would have mid-course inertial guidance and datalink with the AMRAAM and dual IR/radar terminal guidance. The AIAAM participated in the 1983 Advanced Common Intercept Missile Demonstration - ACIMD program.
Hughes/Raytheon AAAM.
The ACIMD project was canceled before flying.
The General Dynamics/Westinghouse proposal was a slightly smaller project with a multiple two-stage solid engine. The missile was based on the AMS (Advanced Missile System) project proposed by General Dynamics for decades. It would weigh 172kg with 140mm diameter and 3,658mm length. The mid-course guidance would be inertial and semi-active. The final guidance would be by active radar and back-up IR.
The aircraft would have a capsule on the wing with front and rear radar so as not to need to fly in the direction of the target to illuminate it. The capsule would weigh 340kg with a 406mm diameter x 3,607mm. The missile would be fired from a launcher tube to increase availability. The wings would then open the shot.
The missile would have “home-on-jam” capability. The IR sensor would be used if the radar failed. With this capability the missile could defeat all countermeasures. There was a proposal to use the missile on V/STOL aircraft based on small ships.
An F-14 firing the General Dynamics/Westinghouse AAAM. The radar capsule is on the right wing. The missile is being fired from a twin launcher in the left wing well.
General Dynamics/Westinghouse AAAM details. The design shows a version without wings. The designs suggest that the radar and IR sensors are lined up with the radar being discarded so the IR sensor can be used. The missile appears to also have thrust vectoring.
The AAAM was planned with the threat of the Soviet Tu-22M Backfire and Tu-160 Blackjack in mind. The missile should enter service in the mid-90s, replacing the AIM-54. The Raytheon/Hughes proposal won the US$11 million validation contract. Still, the end of the Cold War made the American military perceive the disappearance of the threat of Soviet mass attack and ended the need for the AAAM, which was canceled in 1992.
Before cancellation the missile was designated YAIM-152A for the prototype. The AIM-54 was to be replaced by long-range versions of the AIM-120 AMRAAM and the extended air battle capability was not lost.
The US Navy also studied the project of a dual-range missile called Dual Range Missil that would replace the AMRAAM and the AIM-9 similar to the French MICA concept. The DRM would have twice the range of the AMRAAM and twice the performance of the AIM-9X. Still, achieving long range and maneuverability two requirements proved to be impossible.
Details of the various stages of the General Dynamics/Westinghouse AAAM and the transport capsule.
General Dynamics’ AAAM was based on the AMS - Advanced Missile System that the company had been proposing for more than a decade. The AMS would have a booster in a row and would be fired from a retractable capsule in the fuselage with three missiles and radar in the wing.
In theory it could be added to the Super Tomcat 21 when it is added, I would love for it to be a tech tree aircraft since this would theoretically be the pinnacle of the United States, it could theoretically be equipped with 6 AIM-152 AAAM and 2 AIM -9X, but at the moment where the Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale and Jas-39E dominate the BVR along with the MiG-31, Su-35 and Su-57 equipped with R-37, then I see it feasible for them to add the Super Tomcat 21 with its AIM-152 AAAM to appease the lack of being able to attack more than 100km from the United States, which in theory could with the AIM-120D AMRAAM but this only has a range of 160km or around that number, which in practice They would be like guaranteed kills of 70-80km while the Meteor and R-37 would be allowed to attack targets at more than 100km. then there the Super Tomcat 21 with AIM-152 AAAM comes in to tip the balance a little.
Specifications:
Max Range: 260km ( it says in the papper )
Seeker: ARH+IR+IOG+DL
Maneuverability: unknow ( maybe around 30Gs)
Burn time: unknown ( maybe around the same to the Meteor)
Max Speed:Mach 5 ( if use Raytheon proposal of Rocket Ramjet.
Gimbal limit: unknow ( maybe around 60°)
IRCCM: Yes
ECCM: Yes
Source:
FDRA - Fuerza Aérea: AAM: Proyecto AIM-152 AAAM (USA)
Images: AIM-152 AAAM Phoenix replacement projects | Secret Projects Forum
