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R-77RVV-AE
(NATO designation: AA-12 Adder)
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| Function | Medium-range, air-to-air tactical missile
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| Contractor | Vympel
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| Unit cost |
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| Deployment | 1994 (R-77)
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| General Characteristics
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| Engine | Solid fuel rocket motor (R-77), Air-breathing Ramjet (R-77M1)
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| Launch mass | 175 kg (R-77), 226 kg (R-77M1)
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| Length | 3.6 m (R-77)
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| Diameter | 200 mm
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| Wing span | 350 mm
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| Speed | over Mach 4 (R-77)
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| Range | 90 km (R-77), 175 km (R-77M1)
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| Flying altitude | 5-25 km (16,500-82,000 ft)
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| Warhead | 30 kg HE, fragmenting
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| Guidance | Inertial with mid-course update and terminal active radar homing
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| Fuzes | laser proximity fuze
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| Launch platform | Aircrafts
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The Russian R-77RVV-AE Missile (NATO designation: AA-12 Adder) is a medium range, air-to-air, radar-guided missile system. It is comparable to (and superior to in some aspects) the United States AIM-120 AMRAAM system (In fact, the two systems are so similar that the R-77 is at times referred to as the AMRAAMski). R-77 development began in 1982 and went into service in 1994. The missile features four mid-body fins and four unique rear control surfaces. The basic version of this missile has a maximum range of 90 km (55.92 mi). Upon launch, the missile is inertia-guided with updates from the launch platform aircraft. As the missile comes within 20 km (12.42 mi) of its target, the missile is guided by a nose-mounted terminal active radar. A product-improvement of the R-77 Adder is in the works, codenamed the R-77M1, and will feature a ramjet propulsion device. This heavier missile system will have a much greater range, and will surely be the primary beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air weapon in upcoming fifth generation Russian frontline fighters.
The R-77's main superiority compared to the AIM-120 AMRAAM (or at least, the published data available on the main production versions, the AIM-120B and AIM-120C), is in range and maneuverability. The longer range is because the R-77 is a larger 200 mm vs 178 mm (8 vs 7 in), heavier 175 vs 150 kg (386 vs 335 lb) missile than the AMRAAM and contains more powerful propellant. The maneuverability is due to the innovative "potato masher" fins at the rear. These provide lower drag at supersonic speeds than large fins, but are able to cause the missile to turn much faster at 12 G (118 m/s²), which is significantly more than most crewed aircraft at 9 G (88 m/s²), however this does not guarantee a crewed aircraft can not outmaneuver it due to the fact that it won't always be a tail-chase engagement). It is debatable, however, whether the guidance and homing performance of the R-77 missile is as good as that of the AIM-120 AMRAAM. There are plans for longer range versions of the AIM-120 AMRAAM which would be more competative with the R-77 in this area, both by increasing the amount of propellant and by adding a Ramjet engine to the missile much like the R-77M1 mentioned above. See the AMRAAM article for more information. It is not known whether the R-77M1 will be completed considering the situation in Russia as of early 2005.
See also: List of missiles
External links
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