AAM-3

Mitsubishi AAM -3 (Type -90)

The technology developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries AAM -3 is a short-range air - to-air missile, which is used by the Japanese forces under the name since 1990 Type -90. It replaces the American AIM-9 Sidewinder in the armament of the Japanese Air Force.

History and Technology

Mid-1980s it became clear that the Sidewinder AIM -9L was getting on in years and since the AAM -2 program was set the air self-defense forces had only obsolete short stretch air - to-air missiles. One therefore began in 1985 with the development based on the AIM -9L at the Technical Research and Development Institute, Ministry of Defense ( TRDI ), a much improved version. It has built a two- color infrared seeker head, which can better deal with decoys, and a much heavier splinter warhead (15 kg). The canards on the AAM -3 were formed so that they are able to generate a shock wave at the nose cone. This ensures that the air flow more stable flow around the airframe of the rocket.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was selected by the AAM -3 to build from 1990. The Air Self-Defense Forces ordered about 400 copies of those taken at the McDonnell F- 4EJ, McDonnell Douglas F- 15J and from the FS -X program Mitsubishi F -2.

References

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