How will the US use its new 200+ mile air to air missile?
Summary
TLDRThe US Navy has introduced the AIM-174, its longest-range air-to-air missile, based on the SM-6. Weighing 1,900 lbs and potentially capable of reaching 280 miles, it surpasses the Phoenix and AMRAAM in range. The missile's size and network-guided capabilities make it a game-changer for engaging high-value targets like AWACS planes from a safer distance, without entering enemy airspace.
Takeaways
- đ The US Navy has recently put its newest air-to-air missile, the AIM-174, into service, which is based on the SM-6 missile and is designed for long-range engagements.
- đ The AIM-174 has been spotted under Super Hornet fighter jets, indicating its air-launched variant is under development and has an air-to-air role.
- đ The missile is exceptionally large and heavy for an air-to-air weapon, weighing 1,900 lb without the booster, which adds another 1,500 lb.
- đ„ The removal of the booster from the SM-6 for the AIM-174 is strategic, as the fighter jet itself acts as a booster, providing speed and altitude for the missile.
- đŻ The AIM-174 is expected to have an unprecedented range, potentially doubling or more that of the retired Phoenix missile and exceeding 200 miles.
- â The missile's extended range is a significant advantage for the US, allowing engagement with targets from a safer distance and enhancing strategic capabilities.
- đ The AIM-174's range and capabilities could potentially neutralize certain high-value targets such as AWACS planes, drones, and other large aircraft from a considerable distance.
- đ The missile's development is rapid due to its basis on the existing SM-6, which has expedited the testing and deployment process.
- đź While the exact range of the AIM-174 is not publicly confirmed, it is speculated to be between 210 to 280 miles, based on comparisons with the SM-6 missile.
- đĄ The missile's potential uses include not only air-to-air engagements but also anti-ship and possibly land target engagements due to its versatile seeker technology.
- đš The AIM-174's entry into service highlights the ongoing development and advancement in missile technology, emphasizing the importance of long-range capabilities in modern warfare.
Q & A
What is the significance of the US Navy's newest air-to-air missile being based on the SM-6?
-The new missile, potentially the AIM-174, is significant because it is the biggest and longest-ranged US air-to-air missile ever, leveraging the SM-6's proven capabilities and adaptability for a new air-launched role.
How does the size and weight of the new missile compare to previous models?
-The new missile weighs 1,900 lb, making it over five times heavier than the AMRAAM and nearly double the weight of the F-14's Phoenix air-to-air missile. It's close in weight to large air-to-ground weapons, indicating its substantial size and power.
Why might the new missile not include the booster used in the SM-6?
-Including the booster would increase the missile's weight significantly, potentially weighing down the aircraft and requiring a redesign to withstand the horizontal carriage and additional stresses during maneuvers.
What role does the fighter jet play in the missile's launch?
-The fighter jet acts as a booster for the missile, getting it to a high altitude and high subsonic speed, similar to the role of the booster in the SM-6, but more efficiently due to the jet's capabilities.
What is the estimated range of the new missile compared to the retired Phoenix missile?
-While specific range figures are not given, the new missile is expected to have a significantly greater range than the Phoenix, which had a recorded test shot of 125 miles. The new missile could potentially have a range of 210 to 280 miles, depending on various factors.
How does the new missile's range compare to other long-range missiles globally?
-The new missile's potential range far exceeds that of the Russian R-37 and the Chinese PL-17, which are estimated to reach up to 190 miles and over 250 miles, respectively. It also surpasses the European Meteor and the US's own AIM-260, which are expected to top out at around 125 miles.
What advantages does the missile's high altitude launch provide?
-A high altitude launch provides the missile with a significant advantage in terms of range due to the increased potential for gliding and the ability to utilize the Earth's curvature to maintain a longer line-of-sight to the target.
How might the missile's networked guidance system impact its effectiveness?
-The networked guidance system allows the missile to be guided by third-party targeting, which can enhance its effectiveness by allowing other aircraft to designate targets, especially when the launching aircraft does not have a direct line-of-sight to the target.
What are some potential targets for the new missile in a combat scenario?
-Potential targets include AWACS-like planes, strategic reconnaissance aircraft, high-altitude drones, electronic emission gathering planes, dedicated anti-submarine planes, and even large bombers or cruise missiles.
How does the missile's development timeline compare to typical missile development?
-The development of the new missile has been relatively quick, with the SM-6's existing framework allowing for rapid adaptation to an air-launched variant. Traditional missile development can take a decade or more.
What are some of the challenges associated with the missile's size and weight for aircraft?
-The missile's large size and weight present challenges for internal carriage on stealth aircraft like the F-22 and F-35. It may also limit the number of missiles that can be carried by non-stealth aircraft, affecting their overall combat loadout.
Outlines
đ Introduction to the US Navy's New Air-to-Air Missile
The US Navy has recently put its newest air-to-air missile, the AIM-174, into service, marking it as the longest-ranged missile of its kind in the US arsenal. Based on the SM-6 missile, the AIM-174 is designed for launch from Super Hornet fighter jets and is speculated to have an air-to-air role. The missile is notably large and heavy, weighing 1,900 lb without the booster, which adds another 1,500 lb. The video aims to explore the missile's potential, comparing it with the retired Phoenix missile and China's PL-15, and discusses how the AIM-174 could change the dynamics of air combat, particularly in terms of range and payload capabilities.
đ Analysis of the AIM-174's Range and Comparison with Other Missiles
The AIM-174 is predicted to have an unprecedented range, potentially doubling that of the previous long-range missiles like the Phoenix and AMRAAM. Drawing from the performance of the SM-6 missile, which has been tested to hit targets over 250 nautical miles away, the AIM-174 could have a similar range against aircraft, possibly extending to 210-280 nautical miles. The video discusses the implications of this range advantage, comparing it with other long-range missiles such as Russia's R-37 and China's PL-17, and how the AIM-174's range could provide the US with a significant tactical edge in air combat scenarios.
đĄïž Strategic Implications and Tactical Usage of the AIM-174
The introduction of the AIM-174 missile has significant strategic implications for the US military. It could allow US aircraft to engage high-value targets such as AWACS planes from a safer distance, reducing the risk of entering enemy airspace or coming within range of enemy defenses. The missile's long range could also enable hit-and-run tactics, where US planes could launch the AIM-174 and retreat before enemy forces can react. Furthermore, the missile's networked guidance capabilities could allow it to be directed by other aircraft, enhancing its effectiveness in complex battle scenarios.
đ Exploring the AIM-174's Versatility and Future Potential
The AIM-174, while sharing much of its design with the SM-6, has unique characteristics that make it versatile for various roles. It could potentially be used against a wide array of targets, including strategic reconnaissance aircraft, drones, and even ships. The missile's radar seeker is capable of engaging high-contrast targets at sea, and its networked guidance allows for third-party targeting, increasing its effectiveness. The video also speculates on the future development of the AIM-174, suggesting that it might receive modifications similar to those of the SM-3, enhancing its capabilities further.
đ” Conclusion and Additional Insights on Missile Performance
The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of the AIM-174's range and how it could redefine air combat tactics. It also touches on the missile's potential use against low-flying anti-ship missiles and its ability to be networked for guided attacks. The video provides additional insights into the missile's performance, including the impact of launch altitude and speed on its range, and suggests that the AIM-174 is already in operational service, albeit with some variations in labeling indicating different stages of testing and training.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄAir-to-Air Missile
đĄSM-6
đĄSuper Hornet
đĄAIM-54 Phoenix
đĄAMRAAM
đĄMach Number
đĄInterceptor Missile
đĄHypersonic Glider
đĄNetworked Guidance
đĄAnti-Ship Missile
đĄRadar Seeker
Highlights
The US Navy has put its newest air-to-air missile, the A174, in service, which is the biggest and longest-ranged US air-to-air missile ever.
The A174 is based on the SM6, the US Navy's premier surface-to-air missile.
Images have confirmed the missile's air-to-air role, with its designation AIM indicating it is an air-to-air missile.
The missile is possibly the biggest air-to-air missile in history, weighing 1,900 lb, over five times heavier than the AMRAAM.
The A174 missile is launched without the booster, unlike the SM6, and uses a special harness to interface with the aircraft.
The role of the booster on SM6 is to get the missile to speed and altitude before the main body rocket motor takes over.
The A174 missile's range is speculated to be significantly greater than the Phoenix missile and AMRAAM, potentially reaching 210 to 280 miles.
The A174's long range could allow US aircraft to engage targets from a safer distance, reducing the risk of interception.
The missile's high altitude launch could provide a significant advantage in terms of range, possibly adding tens of percent to its reach.
The A174 could be used against a variety of targets, including strategic reconnaissance, high-altitude drones, electronic emission gathering planes, and anti-submarine planes.
The missile's potential anti-ship capabilities could extend its utility in naval engagements.
The A174 is likely to be networked-guided by third-party targeting, allowing for more strategic use in combat scenarios.
The missile's development was rapid, leveraging existing SM6 technology, which could suggest future variants might have even greater capabilities.
The A174's operational service has been confirmed by a US Navy spokesperson, indicating its readiness for deployment.
The missile's potential use in intercepting hypersonic gliders could be a significant advantage in modern warfare.
The A174's versatility and multi-role capabilities make it a valuable asset for the US Navy, despite its limited production volume and inventory.
Transcripts
mere weeks ago the US Navy put its
newest air-to-air missile in service
it's the biggest and longest ranged US
air2air missile ever and it's based on
the sm6 the US Navy's Premier Sam
missile for a few years now the new
missile has occasionally been spotted
under Super Hornet fighter jets pointing
to an air launched variant being in
development finally in early July a
flurry of images came removing doubt the
missile scen on super Hornets indeed has
an air-to-air role its designation a 174
aim means the missile is an air-to-air
one this video will cover the potential
of the new missile it will compare it
with the now retired Phoenix missile
amam and China's big air-to-air missile
but even more importantly the video will
explore how the missile might be used
and why it is such a big deal for the US
near future Firepower
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as visible from the images the missile
is really just a regular sm6 without the
booster a special harness to serve as an
interface between the missile and the
aircraft pylon seems to have been added
though we're still talking about a huge
weapon possibly the biggest air-to-air
missile in history it weighs 1,900 lb
it's over five times heavier than amam
it's almost doubl the weight of the f14s
Phoenix air to a missile
actually it's close in weight to big air
to ground weapons now the booster weighs
another 1,500 lb some might ask why not
keep the booster it would make the
missile even longer ranged there are of
course issues with set approach such a
package would weigh as much as a
tomahawk cruise missile with its own
booster it would weigh down the whole
plane but crucially it would require
missile redesign The Joint between the
booster and the missile simply isn't
designed to withstand horizontal
Carriage let alone some additional
stresses during Maneuvers the role of
the booster on sm6 is to get the missile
to some speed and altitude before the
main body rocket motor takes over
essentially that's exactly what the
fighter jet is there for it acts as the
booster for the missile as it gets it to
a high altitude and a high subsonic
speed it's also possible launches might
be done at near ma 1.5 though that's
conjecture that might require fuel tanks
to be dropped maybe a single tank could
be retained with a pair of 174s at Ma
1.2 or so truth of the matter is
missile's mk72 booster however large
fails in comparison to a fighter jet as
a booster observing sm6 missile launch
videos one can see that the booster
motor dies out after six or so seconds
using known weight and alleged thrust
values as well as known sm3 flight
envelope graph as sm3 is of similar
weight and uses the same booster one can
deduce that the main body of the sm6
after it drops the booster is around
7,000 ft in altitude and that it might
be doing around ma 2 speed wise at sad
moment so sure the missile is roughly
two times faster when using a booster
but it's also over four times lower at
the moment the booster detaches an
altitude is much more important than
speed when it comes to missile Glide
range if you're curious is why that is
stick to the end of the video for the
more technical stuff anyway why is a174
important to the US primarily it's
outranges every other air-to-air missile
the US has or had it's possibly the
longest reaching air-to-air missile
anyone ever made back in 1973 the a54
Phoenix performed the then longest
recorded test shot it was fired against
a supersonic fireb drone from 125 mil
away keep in mind the actual distance
traveled for the missile before impact
was little over 80 Mi the US retired the
Phoenix missile and relied on am Rams
which started off as a medium-range
missile but by the D model got some
serious range so much so that a few
years ago the D model bettered that 1973
Phoenix range result likely by a tiny
margin ammd thanks to its two-way data
link and GPS can rely on even more
optimized trajectory to reach incoming
targets that were 125 M away at the
moment of launch so how does a174
compared to that the rim 174 missile
meaning sm6 was tested and launched with
its booster doing a ballistic trajectory
to cover 250 statute miles and hit a
static sea level Target that's some 400
km away that figure is of course not
directly comparable a it is distance to
Target at the moment of impact meaning
missile travel distance comparable to 80
mil traveled for Phoenix and amam tests
furthermore the test Target for the
Phoenix was going at M 1.5 at 50,000 ft
up the sm6 test Target was static at sea
level that altitude difference likely
accounts for dozens of Miles alone Sam
ranges always take into account the
possibility the target will change
course which will mean the interceptor
missile has to spend energy to change
course as well which lowers range so
what sort of a range could sm6 do
against jet aircraft that figure isn't
freely given but there are some
indications out there for a brief time
20 years ago there existed an sm2 block
4 missile which used the same airframe
same booster and same Rocket Motors it
was basically a precursor to the sm6
only with different avionics and
guidance block 4's range was claimed to
be some 150 Mi as that that missile had
no land Attack Mode that surely
pertained to range against aircraft of
course its possible actual range was
different from the stated range but the
late model sm2 without the booster yet
using the same airframe and rocket motor
are credited with a range of some 105
miles so that mk72 booster which gets
the missile to ma 2 or so and which gets
it to some 7,000 ft up is supposed to
add over 40 Mi of additional reach which
sort of checks out again it's plausible
that the addition of GPS to the sm6 and
a different trajectory added some
additional range so even against
aircraft the sm6 might go farther
perhaps even approaching 200 mil now the
a174 is a bit different from the sm6 it
is launched at lower velocity than the
booster would launch it but at over four
times the altitude that altitude
Advantage should yield tens of percent
of added range perhaps even add 50% more
range while the velocity disadvantage
might at the same time lower it by only
10 or so per. so while there are no
range figures out there it's plausible
that if against aircraft sm6 had 150 to
200 M reach the a174 when fired from a
high flying plane should have a 210 to
280 mile reach give or take that's
effectively double the range or more
compared to either Phoenix or amra
missile so it's a huge change to the
lethal reach of us missiles let's
compare it with some other long range
missiles the r37 missile is the longest
reaching Russian missile its export
variant is advertised with 125 mile
reach there are claims the domestic
variant can extend that to 190 Mi but
who knows there was one more Russian
missile that started development in the
1990s the ks 172 and it may have even
come close to a174 weight and on range
on paper but it never got out of
development limbo and it is not in use
the Chinese so-called PL 17 missile is
in use since the last year or so its
range wasn't disclosed but due to its
size and likely ballistic trajectory it
could plausibly reach over 250 Mi that's
only conjecture but Royal United
Services Institute in one of its pieces
on Chinese missiles did also mention 400
km as the missiles possible range amram
and meteor missiles should top out at
125 Mi give or take though they fly
different trajectories and aren't
optimized for the same kind of targets
at 125 M away there is the US a260
missile in development unlike the a174
it's so secret that nothing is known
about it except that it will likely
retain the weight and dimensions of the
amam for commonality reasons it's
definitely going to outrange the amam
and will likely improve its outer reach
performance but whether that's 150 or
190 M missile that's unknown at this
point a more detailed comparison is hard
to do as detailed information simply
isn't freely available but there are
some bits of information out there for
example the sm6 uses an mam derived
radar Seeker that would suggest the same
Seeker technology as MMD sm6 was devided
in the 2000s and entered service a
decade ago sort of like MMD but given
that the 174 is wider the radar Seeker
has also been enlarged offering better
performance the fact that 174 is largely
the same as the sm6 made it possible to
adapt it onto aircraft and test it in
mere years development of advanced
missiles can otherwise take a decade sm6
like missile was first observed in a
super hornet in 2021 before several more
images appeared in 2024 its plausible
development preceding flight test did
not start much earlier but sm6 rests on
some old requirements it's basically the
sm2 missile with more modern avionics it
retains the midbody straight
configuration as those provide lift to
the missile it's not configured to go
very high up in near ballistic
trajectories that's understandable as
the sm2 was made to cover all sorts of
threats from high five flying planes to
low flying anti-ship missiles the 174
design since it stems from the sm2 and
sm6 is not quite optimal for long range
engagements that doesn't take away from
its likely performance and range but it
does mean that if the missile of same
dimensions and weight was developed from
scratch it might feature even greater
speeds and yield an even longer range
that may be achieved with future
variants though just as the sm3 in its
later variant got a whole new missile
body the sm6 may get similar
modifications and then eventually the
air launched aim 174 will get them as
well but for now for the rest of the
decade we are unlikely to hear about
such
developments if range ends up being say
250 Mi the new missile will be very
useful to the US taking China as an
example right now if the US wants to
take out an aox like plane near China it
has two options both involve approaching
to plane to some 7 to20 Mi away to have
some chance of blowing it away amam
reaching 120 M away would take close to
10 minutes of flight time as the
majority of its crws would be an Ever
slowing Glide after the rocket motor
burnt out after the first 8 seconds or
so if the target is somehow alert and
non-cooperative and an awx plane with
very sensitive radio signal emitter
locators might be then such a Target
might move by another 50 or so miles in
the meantime hence the need to actually
get closer perhaps even as close to 70
miles to launch the missile that's the
worst case scenario of course but it's
possible so option one would have a
stealthy jet make that shot even at 70
Mi away such shots might still hide the
attacking jet from an aox but the issue
is there might be a few more such aox
planes around looking from various
angles as China has many in service and
there there are likely to be several
Chinese Fighters around most sporting
some large and potent Aisa radar arrays
some of those might be stealthy j2s
anyway it would be a layered environment
and knowing that awox planes are going
to be at least 100 Mil behind the
Frontline fighter cover it's very
unlikely even stealthy us jets would get
to regularly make that shot without a
fight if one adds various shipborne
Radars and groundbased Radars which use
larger arrays working in free quencies
that deal even better with stealthy Jets
it's almost impossible for the US to
make such a shot with today's amam
without getting into a fight first and
that's for stealthy Jets non- stealthy
jets would literally have to fight
through outer layers of Chinese defenses
first before they would even get the
chance to threaten an awox like plane
but a missile reaching 250 mil changes
that sure it's so big that neither the
F22 nor F35 can carry it internally
right now actually it seems that only
the US Navy is testing the missile on
its super Hornets which while they have
the radar crosssection optimized are far
from stealthy but Air Force Fighters
could also be candidates for future use
of the missile if all goes well the F-15
especially as it might comfortably carry
four while retaining lots of fuel and a
decent speed at 250 M range if the
target is not alerted and cooperative
and 200 mile range if the target is
non-cooperative means those us planes
can still launch while being 100 or50 Mi
away from most Chinese fighter jets
doing escort and security sweep in a hit
and run kind of attack where the US
planes flee using afterburners after the
launch the remaining distance to Chinese
fighter jets is unlikely to result in a
successful Pursuit for China except
perhaps if China is using their pl17
missiles also long range to do such
Pursuits but said missiles are huge and
not likely to be carried in numbers
those missiles wouldn't be a regular
threat cared in large numbers for every
escort mission of course there are
dozens of other large planes that might
be worth attacking with A1 74s strategic
Recon high altitude drones electronic
emission Gathering planes dedicated
anti-submarine planes even Chinese H6
bombers might be targets as well being
attacked as they go or even as as they
return from their cruise missile or
anti-ship missile attack runs 174s might
even be used to intercept low flying
Cruiser anti- ship missiles from far
away in s roll its aerodynamic
configuration stemming from the sm6
would actually be a benefit not a
hindrance crucially sm6 was designed to
be networked Guided by third-party
targeting a174 would often be used in
such a way where other aircraft for
example a forward stealthy jet would
design targets so a Super Hornet
positioned at the rear could shoot the
missile at it otherwise the great range
of the missile could not be utilized to
the fullest furthermore 174 is still
lethal against agile fighter jets going
against Chinese Jets the 174 might be
launched first from afar to thin out and
break apart Chinese air formations and
to make the job of stealthy Jets going
into a medium- range fight a bit more
easier though such a wide scope of
targets might not be easy to cover as
the missile shares the production volume
with the sm6 missile whose production
volume and inventory is not very high as
it is the sm6 is really a multi-roll
missile that makes it versatile but it
also means it's spread out thin for
various users and uses in recent years
even the US Army got some as they use it
from truck launchers to pursue land and
ship targets when used from egis ships
it also has limited anti-ballistic
missile capabilities even against
medium-sized slower ballistic missiles
even more importantly according to Navy
officials themselves it's the best
missile the Navy has for intercepting
Hypersonic gliders to be fair the same
official said that capability is
marginal which means all other missiles
are even worse so similar other missions
could be very well within a174
capabilities just like its shipped
launch sibling the 174 might be able to
hit static land targets its Warhead is
decentish so against certain unarmored
targets it could still do damage but
perhaps more crucially against China the
174 might also be an anti- ship missile
like the sm6 its radar Seeker might see
high contrast targets such as ships at
Sea and could lock and engage moving
ships again a small Warhead might not
kill a ship but it may very well
neutralize important parts of it like
sensors and antennas also if such ground
targets are engaged then the reach would
be even longer if a ship launched sm6
can reach 250 Mi against such a Target
then a plane launched a174 should be
able to reach well over 300 mil and hit
a land or Naval Target the m174 just
reached operational service a US Navy
spokesperson claimed so in early July
the labels on the missiles observed so
far are varied there is the an aim label
that means the missile isn't an
instrumented test version holding
measurement equipment inside it
basically the missile may not quite have
finished its entire testing process but
the urgency is clearly such that it's
good enough to be put into service there
were images of datm label on some
missiles inside a hanger of an aircraft
carrier that label shows it's a ground
handling training version for the ground
Crews to get acquainted with the missile
the fact we're getting images of the
missiles taken by regular aircraft
carrier crew suggests the missile is
slowly proliferating into service thus a
true Phoenix missile successor has
arrived 50 years
later anyway before we go about those
altitude versus velocity figures there's
an amam simulation document out there
based on quite precise amam measurements
and based on known engine weight burn
time likely rocket motor fuel
composition and so on that document
gives out pretty detailed flight
trajector iies and it shows the
following at Ma 1.8 launch amam C5 will
reach 38 km when doing a lowlevel launch
from just 500 m in altitude at the same
speed a 5 km altitude launch Which is
higher than the sm6 booster separation
the missile will go 28% farther at 10 km
up it will go 85% farther mind you the
a174 launch would likely happen at an
even greater altitude probably at 12 km
or more same conditions were explored
with the launch plane going Mach 1.5 the
increases weren't noticeably bigger 15%
more for the 5 km altitude launch and
18% more for the 10 km altitude over
there ma 1.8 figures all that shows
launch altitude matters much more than
launch speed when it comes to Missile
Range
and remember bov may talk about war but
only real peace can bring us all
together
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