The Royal Air Force (RAF) operates a sophisticated arsenal of air-to-air missiles, designed to engage and neutralize aerial threats in various combat scenarios. These weapons include short-range, infrared-guided missiles for dogfighting, as well as beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles for long-range engagements. The key systems in service or planned for RAF fighter aircraft, particularly the Eurofighter Typhoon, include the ASRAAM, AIM-9 Sidewinder, AMRAAM, and Meteor BVRAAM.
Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM)
The ASRAAM is the RAF’s primary short-range air-to-air missile, providing fire-and-forget capability with an advanced infrared (IR) seeker. Designed for high agility and rapid target acquisition, ASRAAM is effective in close-combat engagements, even against adversaries using advanced infrared countermeasures or seeking cover in cloud layers.
Originally developed to replace the AIM-9L Sidewinder, ASRAAM is carried by the Eurofighter Typhoon and was previously integrated on the Tornado F3 and Harrier GR7/9. The missile offers a high-speed, extended-range capability, allowing pilots to engage targets beyond the visual range of traditional short-range IR missiles.
ASRAAM Specifications
- Length: 2.9 m
- Diameter: 0.17 m
- Weight: 88 kg
- Speed: Mach 3.5+
- Range: Over 10 miles
- Guidance: Imaging IR with a 128 × 128 element focal plane array
AIM-9L Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is one of the most widely used air-to-air missiles in the world. The AIM-9L variant has been a staple of RAF air combat capabilities, mounted on Typhoon, Tornado, Hawk, and even Nimrod MR2 aircraft.
This infrared-guided missile homes in on the heat emissions from enemy aircraft engines, making it an effective weapon for close-range dogfighting. Unlike radar-guided weapons, the Sidewinder does not rely on an aircraft’s radar for target acquisition, allowing for independent engagement of enemy aircraft.
Though now largely supplanted by ASRAAM, the AIM-9L remains in limited service, providing a proven, reliable short-range air-to-air capability.
AIM-9L Sidewinder Specifications
- Length: 2.85 m
- Diameter: 0.13 m
- Span: 0.63 m
- Weight: 85.3 kg
- Warhead Weight: 9.5 kg
- Propulsion: Solid fuel rocket
- Speed: Mach 2.5
- Range: 10–18 km
- Guidance: Infrared homing, solid-state seeker
Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM)
The AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) is a fire-and-forget, radar-guided missile designed for engagements at beyond visual range (BVR). It provides greater immunity to electronic countermeasures (ECM) and is equipped with an active radar terminal seeker for target acquisition in the final phase of flight.
Originally introduced on the Tornado F3, AMRAAM has since become a key armament for the Typhoon. The RAF initially procured the AIM-120B variant, later upgrading to the more advanced AIM-120C-5, which features an enhanced warhead, improved guidance system, and greater resistance to ECM.
AMRAAM Specifications
- Length: 3.66 m
- Diameter: 0.18 m
- Span: 0.48 m
- Weight: 161.4 kg
- Speed: Mach 4
- Range: Approx. 30 miles (48 km)
- Guidance: Active radar terminal/inertial midcourse guidance
The AIM-120C-5 variant, introduced into RAF service in 2007, further improves countermeasure resistance, range, and lethality, making it a crucial component of the RAF’s air superiority strategy until the full introduction of Meteor BVRAAM.
Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM)
The Meteor is the RAF’s next-generation beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), developed to equip Typhoon and provide unrivaled air superiority against advanced aerial threats. This missile is a multi-national European collaboration, involving the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy (for Typhoon), Sweden (for Gripen), and France (for Rafale).
Meteor incorporates a ramjet propulsion system, providing sustained high speed throughout flight, rather than relying on a single-boost rocket motor like AMRAAM. This enables greater range, improved target engagement in high-maneuverability scenarios, and enhanced terminal-phase energy.
The missile was declared operational with the RAF’s frontline Typhoon squadrons in 2015, significantly enhancing their BVR engagement capability.
Meteor Specifications
- Length: Approx. 3.65 m
- Diameter: 0.18 m
- Weight: Approx. 190 kg
- Speed: Mach 4+
- Range: Over 100 km (classified exact range)
- Guidance: Active radar terminal, inertial midcourse, and two-way data link
- Propulsion: Ramjet, providing sustained thrust throughout flight
Meteor significantly outperforms AMRAAM in terms of range, speed, and no-escape zone, making it the premier BVR missile for RAF Typhoons.
