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R-73E / AA-11B Backfire



ORIGIN: (Real World)
Russian Federation

GAMES FEATURED IN:
Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies
Ace Combat 05: The Unsung War
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War
Ace Combat 06: Fires of Liberation

COMPATIBLE AIRCRAFT:
MiG-1.44 "Flatpack", MiG-21-93 Fishbed , Su-33 Flanker, Su-37 'Terminator', Su-47 Berkut, S-32, S-47 Berkut

OVERVIEW:
Currently the R-73 is the best Russian short range air-to-air missile. Apart from exceptional manoeuvrability, this missile is also directly connected to the pilot's helmet, which allows engagement of targets lateral to the aircraft, which cannot be engaged by missiles with a traditional system of targeting and guidance. The R-73A, an earlier variant of this missile, has a 30 km range, while the most recent R-73M can hit targets at a distance of 40 km. The R-73 short-range, close-combat standardized missile was developed in the Vympel Machine Building Design Bureau, and became operational in 1984. The R-73 is included in the weapon complex of MiG-23MLD, MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters and their modifications and also of Mi-24, Mi-28 and Ka-50 helicopters. It also can be employed in flying craft which do not have sophisticated aiming systems.

The missile is used for engaging modern and future fighters, attack aircraft, bombers, helicopters, drones and cruise missiles, including those executing a maneuver with a g-force up to 12. It permits the platform to intercept a target from any direction, under any weather conditions, day or night, in the presence of natural interference and deliberate jamming. It realizes the "fire and forget" principle.

Russia's Vympel weapons designers have developed a one-of-a-kind air-to-air missile, which NATO has dubbed as AA-11, for use on foreign fighter planes. Technically and militarily the new missile, intended for quick-action dogfights, leave its foreign analogues far behind. Vympel experts have also made it possible for the new missile to be easily installed on all available types of aircraft. The AA-11 can also be used on older planes which will now be able to effectively handle the US' highly maneuverable F-15 and F-16 jets. The AA-11 missile is based on all-new components, use new high-energy solid fuel and an advanced guidance and control system which has made it possible to minimize their size. Their exceptionally high accuracy is ensured by the missile's main secret, the so-called transverse control engine, which rules out misses during the final approach trajectory. The transverse control engine is still without parallel in the world.


SOURCES:
Global Security - Russian Missile Index

*Original Article by TornadoADV*