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AAM-4

The Mitsubishi AAM-4 is a medium range air-to-air missile, it was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to succeed the aging American-made AIM-7 Sparrow. It entered service with the Japanese Air Self Defence Force in the year 1999 under the designation Type 99.

The active radar guided air-to-air missile has ECCM (Electronic Counter Countermeasure) capability, which allows it to lock on a target, even if this uses ECM, this capability results of the use of advanced semi conductor technology, which made it possible to mount a single signal processor on a small place in the missile.

Development[]

The program for a new medium range missile for the Japanese Air Self Defence Force started in the year 1985, while Japan searched for a replacement for the aging AIM-7 Sparrow missile. Japan had two options, the first was developing their own low-cost, active-radar guided, medium range air-to-air missile and the second was to purchase the American AIM-120 AMRAAM; Japan decided to do both. In the year 1993 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries awarded a 15 million USD contract to develop such a missile. While the Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI) managed the program, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries designed and developed the missile. Development finally started in the year 1993 and 50 missiles were ordered by then.

Specifications[]

Type Mitsubishi AAM-4
Length 3,667 mm
Diameter 203 mm
Wing span 800 mm
Weight 222 kg
Guidance system Active radar guided
Range 100 km
Speed Mach 4-5
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