Why in news?
The United States awarded a contract to Raytheon to manufacture AIM‑120 Advanced Medium‑Range Air‑to‑Air Missiles (AMRAAM) for several countries, including Pakistan. The inclusion of Pakistan in the contract attracted media attention due to regional security implications.
Background
The AMRAAM was developed jointly by the U.S. Air Force and Raytheon in the 1980s to replace older air‑to‑air missiles. It has since become a standard weapon for many NATO and allied air forces. Pakistan operates F‑16 fighter jets capable of firing the AMRAAM.
Key features
- Beyond‑visual‑range capability: The missile can engage targets up to about 160 kilometres away, allowing pilots to strike without seeing the target.
- Fire‑and‑forget: It uses inertial navigation to fly towards the target and switches to an active radar seeker in the terminal phase, freeing the launch aircraft to manoeuvre.
- High speed: The missile can reach speeds around Mach 4 (four times the speed of sound).
- Versatility: It is compatible with various platforms such as the F‑15, F‑16, F‑18, F‑35, Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab Gripen.
- Variants: Newer versions like AIM‑120C‑8 and AIM‑120D‑3 offer improved range and jam‑resistance.
- Multi‑target capability: Advanced guidance allows simultaneous engagement of several targets.
India’s perspective
India does not operate the AMRAAM. Instead it has developed the ASTRA missile – an indigenous beyond‑visual‑range air‑to‑air weapon with a range of about 80–110 kilometres and speed over Mach 4. ASTRA is integrated with aircraft like the Su‑30 MKI and Tejas. The AMRAAM contract underscores the importance of indigenising advanced weapons to maintain strategic autonomy.