In
Nov 2016, a J-16 strike fighter test-fired a gigantic
hypersonic missile, successfully destroying the target drone at a very
long range.
Looking at takeoff photos, we estimate the missile is about 28 percent of the length of the J-16, which measures 22 meters (about 72 feet). The puts the missile at about 19 feet, and roughly 13 inches in diameter. The missile appears to have four tailfins. Reports are that the size would put into the category of a very long range air to air missile (VLRAAM) with ranges exceeding 300 km (roughly 186 miles), likely max out between 250 and 310 miles. (As a point of comparison, the smaller 13.8-foot, 15-inch-diameter Russian R-37 missile has a 249-mile range).
This is a big deal: this missile would easily outrange any American (or other NATO) air-to-air missile. Additionally, the VLRAAM's powerful rocket engine will push it to Mach 6 speeds, which will increase the no escape zone (NEZ), that is the area where a target cannot outrun the missile, against even supersonic targets like stealth fighters.
Looking at takeoff photos, we estimate the missile is about 28 percent of the length of the J-16, which measures 22 meters (about 72 feet). The puts the missile at about 19 feet, and roughly 13 inches in diameter. The missile appears to have four tailfins. Reports are that the size would put into the category of a very long range air to air missile (VLRAAM) with ranges exceeding 300 km (roughly 186 miles), likely max out between 250 and 310 miles. (As a point of comparison, the smaller 13.8-foot, 15-inch-diameter Russian R-37 missile has a 249-mile range).
This is a big deal: this missile would easily outrange any American (or other NATO) air-to-air missile. Additionally, the VLRAAM's powerful rocket engine will push it to Mach 6 speeds, which will increase the no escape zone (NEZ), that is the area where a target cannot outrun the missile, against even supersonic targets like stealth fighters.
lt.cjdby.net
VLRAAM
The VLRAAM is one of the world's largest air to air missiles. Its
other advanced features include an AESA radar, a
infrared/electro-optical seeker (under the yellow-orange cover on the
forward section above the nosecone), and satellite navigation midcourse
correction. Popular Science
Interestingly,
the ability to glide may be a key feature as well. A 2016 research
paper by Zhang Hongyuan, Zheng Yuejing, and Shi Xiaorong of Beijing
Institute of Control and Electronics Technology linked to the VLRAAM
development suggests that the midcourse portion of the VLRAAM's flight
will occur at altitudes above 30 km (about 18.6 miles). Flying at such
low pressure, low drag high altitudes would allow the VLRAAM to extend
its range (similar to hypersonic gliders). The high altitude also makes
it difficult for enemy aircraft and air defenses to shoot it down
midflight. Finally, high altitude flight means that the VLRAAM would
have a high angle of attack against lower flying targets, which reduces
the response time for enemy evasive action.
A U.S. F-35 fires an AIM-120. U.S. Navy photo
In any event, the weapon is much more substantial than is the U.S. military’s own longest-range air-to-air missile, the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile. The AMRAAM is just 12 feet long and seven inches in diameter. The latest version of the American missile, the AIM-120D, reportedly boasts a maximum range in excess of 90 miles.
VLRAAM Reportedly relies on a powerful rocket motor than can propel the munition at “hypersonic” speeds of up to Mach 6 — half-again faster than the AIM-120D’s own top speed.
The AIM-120D makes do with an older-style, and less effective, mechanically-steered radar.
While making huge strides when it comes to targeting, the U.S. military is falling behind in the advancement of air-launched munitions.
The Pentagon has not yet begun developing a new long-range air-to-air missile to eventually replace the AIM-120D.
The Chinese military is apparently working on a solution to the
identification problem, and has proposed building a targeting network
around the high-flying Divine Eagle sensor drone. A Divine Eagle could
pass targeting data to a VLRAAM-armed fighter — and potentially even to
the missile itself, provided any operational version of the munition
incorporates a datalink.
The new,
larger missile's added value is not just in range. Another key feature:
its large active electronically scanned (AESA) radar, which is used in
the terminal phase of flight to lock onto the target. The AESA radar's
large size—about 300-400% larger than that of most long range air-to-air
missiles—and digital adaptability makes it highly effective against
distant and stealthy targets, and resilient against electronic
countermeasures like jamming and spoofing.
The VLRAAM's backup sensor is a infrared/electro-optical seeker that can identify and hone in on high-value targets like aerial tankers and airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) radar aircraft. The VLRAAM also uses lateral thrusters built into the rear for improving its terminal phase maneuverability when engaging agile targets like fighters.
The VLRAAM's backup sensor is a infrared/electro-optical seeker that can identify and hone in on high-value targets like aerial tankers and airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) radar aircraft. The VLRAAM also uses lateral thrusters built into the rear for improving its terminal phase maneuverability when engaging agile targets like fighters.
J8 at cjdby.net via Hongjian
Glide
This 2015 study in a Chinese scientific journal discusses the
flight path and performance of a VLRAAM, which flies 15 km upward of its
launching fighter to a 30 km altitude, and is guided by a combination
of long range radars (like Chinese AEWC planes) and satellite
navigation, before divebombing at hypersonic speeds onto enemy aircraft,
including stealth fighters, stealth bombers and AEWC aircraft.
A U.S. F-35 fires an AIM-120. U.S. Navy photo
In any event, the weapon is much more substantial than is the U.S. military’s own longest-range air-to-air missile, the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile. The AMRAAM is just 12 feet long and seven inches in diameter. The latest version of the American missile, the AIM-120D, reportedly boasts a maximum range in excess of 90 miles.
VLRAAM Reportedly relies on a powerful rocket motor than can propel the munition at “hypersonic” speeds of up to Mach 6 — half-again faster than the AIM-120D’s own top speed.
The AIM-120D makes do with an older-style, and less effective, mechanically-steered radar.
While making huge strides when it comes to targeting, the U.S. military is falling behind in the advancement of air-launched munitions.
The Pentagon has not yet begun developing a new long-range air-to-air missile to eventually replace the AIM-120D.
Of course, a
very-long-range missile is useless in the absence of good targeting.
Unless you’re willing to destroy every airplane within reach — whether
they’re enemy warplanes, civilian passenger jets or even friendly
forces — you need to identify opposing planes before attacking them.
The
identification problem prevented the U.S. Navy from successfully
deploying its own AIM-54 Phoenix long-range air-to-air missile in
combat. The Navy retired the munition in 2004 in favor of cheaper and
more practical AMRAAMs.
Hongjian and henri K
Divine Eagle at War
The Divine Eagle is shown here in both offensive operations
(providing targeting for smart bombs to strike enemy SAM,
communications, bunkers and ballistic ICBMs) as well as defensive
operations (detecting American stealth aircraft before they enter China
airspace). This HALE drone, with radars optimized to detect stealth
aircraft, would be part of a wider Chinese air defense network that
would guide VLRAAMs against enemy stealth aircraft.
Another
researched VLRAAM function is datalinking; the papers called for the
VLRAAM to be embedded within a highly integrated combat networks. It is
envisioned as just part of a larger wave of networked solutions
aggregated through multiple Chinese systems. For example, a J-20 stealth
fighter wouldn't mount the missile (the VLRAAM is too large to fit in
the J-20's weapons bay), but could use its low observable features to
fly relatively close in order to detect enemy assets like AEW&C
aircraft (which are vital to gather battlespace data for manned and
unmanned assets, but subsonic in speed and less able to evade missiles).
Then before breaking off contact, the J-20 would signal a J-16 400 km
(249 miles) away (outside the range of most air to air missiles)
providing it the data needed to launch the VLRAAM at the target. This
would offer China a longer range version of present U.S. tactics that
involve using the fifth generation F-22 as a sensor for 4th generation
fighters as the "shooters."
Chinese Internet via WeChat
The Future is Here
In operation, the VLRAAM will provide J-20 stealth fighters with
long range "aerial artillery" to even the odds against numerically
superior air forces, while giving new life to J-11 and J-16 fighters. It
can also give J-15 carrier fighters a long range interception
capability. Popular Science
X-51A WaveRider. dailymail.
RS-28 Sarmat missile
The test flight comes just weeks after Vladimir Putin has launched a supersonic missile that could reach the UK in 13 minutes, according to Russian missile experts.
THE US AIRFORCE WANTS HYPERSONICS MISSILES IN JUST FOUR YEARS
X-51A WaveRider. dailymail.
Experimental
unmanned aircraft developed for the U.S. Air Force have already gone
hypersonic during tests off the Southern California coast, flying at
more than five times the speed of sound.
Experimental
unmanned aircraft developed for the U.S. Air Force have already gone
hypersonic during tests off the Southern California coast, flying at
more than five times the speed of sound.
The
Air Force said last year that the X-51A WaveRider flew for more than
three minutes under power from its exotic scramjet engine and hit a
speed of Mach 5.1.
The
Advanced Hypersonic Weapon is part of a program to create a missile
that will destroy targets anywhere on Earth within hours - travelling at
speeds in excess of 3,500 miles-an-hour or Mach 5.
It
is being created alongside other demonstration projects being developed
by DARPA, including the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept and the
Tactical Boost Glide, both of which have test flights scheduled for
2018 or 2019.
RS-28 Sarmat missile
The test flight comes just weeks after Vladimir Putin has launched a supersonic missile that could reach the UK in 13 minutes, according to Russian missile experts.
