Raytheon’s Lot-10 AIM-9X Missile Orders
(click for AIM-9X zoom)
The AIM-9X is the USA’s newest short-range air-to-air missile, using an advanced array seeker that widens the missile’s “boresight” cone, and allows a TV-like “imaging infrared” picture that’s much harder to fool with decoys. The missile’s maneuvering fins are smaller than previous Sidewinders, lowering aerodynamic drag in flight, but the missile compensates with thrust vectoring in the tail for added maneuverability. The final piece of the puzzle is lock-on after launch capability (the key Block II improvement), which takes full advantage of the improved sighting cone, maneuverability, and low drag. By telling the missile to fly to a designated location and look for a target, kills have even been scored behind the firing aircraft.
That keeps up with modern 5th generation air-air missiles. What steps beyond, is the adaptations to give Sidewinders ground attack capabilities. Successful tests offer high-flying UAVs a dual threat that can protect them from aerial aggression, while offering a precision ranged ground attack weapon that can stand up to the bitter cold and conditions found at high altitudes.
In late June 2010, Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ received over $120 million in orders for Lot 10 (FY 2010) production of its AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile, and associated components. The AIM-9X has been bought by a number of countries around the world, but this order included only the US military and South Korea, plus minor orders for Australia and Singapore…
Contracts & Key Events
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Note that All-Up Rounds include both the live missile and its storage container. CATM (captive air training missiles) have no warhead or rocket motor: a dummy back end and live front end. NATMs are fully live missiles with a telemetry package in place of the warhead, and are used for test shots. “Propulsion Steering Sections” include the rocket motor, internal thrust vectoring vanes, and control actuation system for the tail fins. A Guidance Section is the missile seeker and all electronics, while an “Active Optical Target Detector” is the mechanism that tells the missile it is within lethal range of its target.
June 28/10: $128.6 million in contracts for Lot 10 production. The contracts were announces as 2 separate orders, even though they took place under the same contract number (N00019-09-C-0061), and were both managed by US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD. The first order was for the USAF and ROKAF. The second order covered the US Navy, RAAF, ROKAF and RSAF. Totals and percentages below are amalgamated.
For the USAF ($60.2 million, 46.82%):
65 Block I all-up-round tactical missiles
15 Block I NATM special air training missiles
21 Block II NATM special air training missiles
7 Block II CATM training missiles
5 Block I CATM guidance units
15 Block II CATM guidance units
7 Block II Active Optical Target Detectors
6 Block I propulsion steering sections
30 missile containers
Associated tooling and test equipment
For the US Navy ($35.7 million, 27.82%):
54 Block I all-up-round tactical missiles
4 Block I propulsion steering sections
15 Block II NATM special air training missiles
4 Block II CATM training missiles
7 Block II CATM guidance units
3 Block II Active Optical Target Detectors
Associated tooling and test equipment
(click to view full)
For Australia ($879,920, 0.68%). Australia’s primary air-air missile is MBDA’s competing AIM-132 ASRAAM, seen here, which reportedly uses the same base guidance array as initial AIM-9Xs:
8 Block I CATM guidance units
For Singapore ($879,920, 0.68%):
8 Block I CATM guidance units
For South Korea ($30.8 million, 24.99%). The country is looking at upgrades for its “KF-16s”, and has also purchased a number of new F-15K fighters that would be able to make immediate use of the new missiles.
64 Block I all-up-round tactical missiles
19 Block I CATM training missiles
2 Block I CATM guidance units
22 missile containers
Associated tooling and test equipment
Additional Readings
- Raytheon – AIM-9X Sidewinder
- MBDA – ASRAAM
