Vietnam's Su-30 equipped with stealth aircraft missiles

In a recent report on QPVN Channel about the training and combat readiness activities of the 370th Air Division, the RVV-AE air-to-air missile appeared for the first time.

In addition to the RVV-AE, the report also introduces images of the R-27 air-to-air missile, the Kh-29 air-to-ground missile, and the Kh-31 supersonic anti-ship missile. This is the weapon system of the Su-30MK2 multi-role fighters of the 935th Regiment, 370th Division.

Russian Su-35 fighter carrying RVV-AE missile.

According to information released by Russia, RVV-AE (NATO designation and Russia calls it R-77 - a type of missile also sold by Russia to China to equip on Su-35S fighters) is an extremely modern active radar-guided medium-range air-to-air missile developed by Vympel Company.

Currently, RVV-AE is one of the world's top air-to-air missiles. According to the manufacturer's introduction, the tactical specifications of RVV-AE far exceed older generation missiles R-24, R-27, foreign missiles such as AIM-7F Sparrow, Skyflash, Matra super 530F, according to some characteristics, it is even superior to the American AMRAAM AIM-120A missile.

RVV-AE medium-range guided missile equipped with multiple guidance systems. The missile is used for targets: super-maneuverable aircraft, cruise missiles, "surface-to-air" and "air-to-air" missiles, tactical bombers, helicopters.

The missile can destroy targets from any direction at any angle, day and night, in adverse weather conditions in an environment of high thermal radiation and electromagnetic interference, according to the "fire and forget" principle, using multi-channel guidance. RVV-AE can destroy aircraft targets with speeds up to 3,600 km/h at altitudes from 20 m to 25 km.

RVV-AE R-77 guidance has a combined mode: inertial guidance by radio signal from the aircraft and switching self-guidance mode by missile guidance radar with computer, in which the target interception distance is determined by the 9B1348E self-guidance head.

In case of failure to lock the target of the homing head, the computer automatically switches to the aircraft's inertial guidance mode, re-establishes the target interception trajectory or directs the missile to another target. In heavy interference situations, the missile homing head performs passive homing mode from the source of electromagnetic interference pulses and locks the target by the interference signal and attacks the source of electromagnetic interference pulses - the enemy aircraft.

If the air combat takes place at short distances – close combat, the missile will be turned on the self-guided mode and will not use the inertial guidance mode. In the conditions of dense interference combat environment, the radar sight cannot provide information about the range and speed of approach to the target, the missile is guided along a special trajectory. Then the missile self-guides using the electromagnetic radiation source from the enemy aircraft. The missile is equipped with a laser detonator.

The missile warhead is a barbed explosive fragmentation warhead characterized by small concave explosive effect components. The barbed explosive fragments are arranged in a way that when they explode, they will create a cloud of steel fragments that will tear the target apart. The concave explosive components that make up the warhead are intended to destroy targets that require high precision in the missile defense mode of fighter aircraft. For example, intercepting enemy anti-aircraft missiles.

The RVV-AE air-to-air missile is equipped with a 22.5kg fragmentation warhead with a proximity laser fuse. Currently, the RVV-AE is the standard weapon for Russia's Su-35 and Su-57 fighters.

Thus, being equipped with RVV-AE, the power of Vietnam's Su-30MK2 fighter is raised to a new level in the mission of gaining air superiority and protecting airspace against external air threats.