If the US has the AIM-154, Russia has the R-33/37 air-to-air missile with equivalent power, even longer range.
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| The R-33 (NATO designation AA-9 Amos) is the most modern long-range air-to-air missile of the Russian Air Force today. If the AIM-54 is associated with the name of the F-14 Tomcat fighter, the R-33 is an indispensable weapon on the famous MiG-31 Foxhound supersonic interceptor fighter. Photo source: militaryrussia.ru. |
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| The Soviet Union's purpose for developing the R-33 was essentially the same as the AIM-54, both air-to-air missiles were developed during the same period in the early 1970s. The R-33's target was the US Air Force's B-52 Stratofortress long-range strategic bomber and SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft. Photo source: russianarms.ru |
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| The development history of the R-33 is closely linked to its deployment vehicle, the MiG-31 or the MiG-25 modernization program (E-155MP) in the late 1960s. In other words, the R-33 is the successor to the R-40 long-range air-to-air missile that was originally equipped on the MiG-25, and the MiG-31 itself can still deploy the R-40. Photo source: militaryrussia.ru. |
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| The R-33 development project was completed by the Soviet Union in 1970 and was ready for testing from specialized aircraft. However, at that time the MiG-31 had not yet been born and in order to deploy the R-33, the designers had to convert MiG-25s and MiG-21s into test launch vehicles. Photo source: militaryrussia.ru. |
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| In addition, to test the Zaslon phased array radar system, which will be equipped on the MiG-31, it will also be a pair with the R-33. The Soviet Union also modified a Tu-104 jet to carry Zaslon to test the synchronization between Zaslon and R-33 before equipping them on the MiG-31. Photo source: keypublishing.com |
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| Basically, the operating principle of the R-33 missile is similar to the AIM-54, which is a combination of a semi-active radar guidance system that allows for automatic data collection and updating of target data while flying and inertial navigation to guide the missile to the correct target. Meanwhile, the Zaslon phased array radar on the MiG-31 allows it to deploy 1-4 R-33 missiles to simultaneously attack separate targets. Photo source: nevskii-bastion.ru |
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| During the testing of the R-33 on the MiG-25P-10 variant, this air-to-air missile model continued to be perfected by Soviet designers, especially the use of a new weapon mount system for the R-33. And the first flying target shot down by the R-33 when launched from a MiG-31 was the MiG-17, this test was carried out in early 1977. Photo source: nevskii-bastion.ru |
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| The R-33 weighs 490kg with a wheelbase of 4.1m, it is equipped with a high explosive warhead weighing up to 47.5kg. With the above size, a MiG-31 can only carry a maximum of 4 R-33s and all are placed under the fuselage. Photo source: nevskii-bastion.ru |
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| The R-33 is equipped with a semi-active radar guidance system RGS-33 and an infrared guidance system TGS-33. During the development of the R-33, the Soviet Union also intended to equip this missile model with an active radar system, but this design was later abandoned. In addition, the R-33 is also integrated with a missile control device, the MFBU-410. Photo source: militaryrussia.ru |
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| Close-up of R-33 missiles under the fuselage of a MiG-31. Photo source: nevskii-bastion.ru |
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| The range of the R-33 air-to-air missile can be up to 340km with improved variants developed by Russia, while its effective range is already at 160km. The flight speed of the R-33 variants is all at Mach 4.5, which is 4.5 times the speed of sound, and it can completely destroy targets when they are flying at Mach 3.5. Photo source: goodwp.com |
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| Not satisfied with the power of the R-33, Russia also launched its improved variant, the Vympel R-37, with combat features far superior to its predecessor. And instead of destroying long-range bombers, the R-37 is designed to destroy enemy electronic warfare or airborne command aircraft. Photo source: military-today |
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| To be compatible with fighters not equipped with phased array radar systems like the MiG-31, the R-37 is also equipped with an advanced active guidance radar system, the Agat 9B-1388, to maintain its long-range attack capability estimated at 150-390km. However, there is currently no aircraft model in the world that can deploy the R-37 other than the MiG-31, and it has not yet found a suitable customer. Photo source: nevskii-bastion.ru |
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| The R-37's basic weight is up to 600kg and it is as long as the R-33. In addition to the extremely high explosive warhead, the R-37 is also equipped with a fragmentation warhead weighing about 60kg. Its flight speed can reach Mach 6, the fastest of all air-to-air missiles in the world today. Photo source: nevskii-bastion.ru |
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| Russia's current goal is nothing more than to deploy the R-37 or its variants on its main fighter jets such as the Su-35S or in the future the Sukhoi T-50 to reduce dependence on the MiG-31 when this fighter jet is nearing the end of its life cycle. Photo source: militaryrussia.ru |
According to Kienthuc
