R-77M-PD

[Gość: Berkut]

An improved version of the Vympel R-77 active-radar BVR missile (company
designation RVV-AE, NATO codename AA-12 'Adder') is under long-term
development by Vympel as an (export dedicated?) private venture, even though
the present R-77 design has still not been adopted by the Russian Air Force.
The new version is designated RVV-AE-PD (PD, Povyshenoy Dalnosti = improved
range) and the unofficial designation R-77M-PD has also been used. This new
missile will have a solid propellant ramjet motor with a maximum range of 160
km (86 miles). Vympel sources state that ground tests to prove the basic
ramjet concept were completed in 1989. Since then the company has been
investigating the adoption of different fuels and revised gas generators to
improve the basic design. However, a lack of national funding has hampered
progress. Some of the technology adopted for the R-77M-PD programme was
transferred from a secretive collaboration between Vympel and Matra (now MBDA
Missile Systems) to develop advanced ramjet missiles. According to Vympel,
this joint project ended in 1994.
In 1999 an R-77M-PD model was displayed, with four air inlets for the ramjet
motor, a length of 3.7 m, a body diameter of 225 mm and a launch weight of
225 kg. The air inlets also act as small rectangular wings, providing
aerodynamic lift, and have a span of 0.39 m. This ramjet powered version has
the RVV-AE's control system with its four distinctive rectangular moving
control fins at the rear with a span of 0.82 m. It also uses the same 22 kg
HE warhead, active laser fuze and power supply system. The RVV-AE-PD has an
active (terminal phase) radar seeker and a dual-mode seeker is a likely
growth option. Vympel is known to have worked on a IR-seeker head for use on
the R-77. The solid propellant generates gaseous fuel and oxygen, which is
mixed with air prior to combustion. A variable thrust can be produced by
controlling the flow of the gas to the combustion chamber, giving a thrust
variation of 7:1. The missile has a maximum speed of 1,333 m/s, and takes
around 60 seconds to fly out to 100 km. Some sources suggested that renewed
testing of the ramjet motor began in 1995 and that full flight tests of the
missile started in 1998. There is no confirmation from Vympel that such a
level of progress has been achieved.
Vympel is understood to have revised the configuration of any future ramjet-
powered R-77 to use two main intakes instead of four. In this way, the
evolution of its design echoes that of the MBDA Meteor. Vympel says that it
is still looking at ways of enhancing the production-standard R-77 missile,
by adding a ramjet motor to the existing R-77 forward section. This missile
would retain the 9B-1348 active radar seeker of the R-77. However, Vympel is
also known to be interested in fitting any future extended range AAM with a
passive RF seeker, such as the 9B-1032 that equips the R-27P and R-27EP (AA-
10 'Alamo'). India was the prospective customer most often associated with
the RVV-AE-PD. However, India's renewed support for the Novator KS-172
programme would seem to indicate that this is now the preferred option for a
future long-range AAM.