16-12-2010, 08:46 PM
The AIM-9 (Air I ntercept Missile - 9) Sidewinder is an air-to-air short range
supersonic heat-seeking missile developed by the U.S. Navy. This weapon has been deployed since the 1950s and is presently used in its various advanced versions. The U.S. naval interceptor aircraft needed a heat seeking missile and the program to develop the AIM-9 was thus initiated. a desert rattlesnake 'Sidewinder' lent its name to the missile due to its ability to detect other animals from their heat emissions. The AIM-9B was one of the first ones in the league and it was readily adopted by the US army. The limitations of this versions included the range limit of 2.6 NM, the top speed of just 1.7 mach and uncooled seeker. Then Navy Sidewinders designated as AIM-9D, G and H were built to overcome these disadvantages.
The proposal to build a missile that would seek out the heat from an enemy aircraft's engine system was put forward by Naval physicist named Bill McLean. the pilot could "fire and forget". As compared to the radar systems, a small heat-sensing photovoltaic cell was all that was needed on the sensing side. This guaranteed a a much lower cost and also a much lower size.
An AIM 9M is 2.9 m long weighing 85kg and with 13cm diameter. It costs a whooping $84,000. It could attain a top speed of 2.9 mach(2.9 times the speed of sound. )
For more details see:
http://e-hafPublicFTP/BIBLIO8HKH/_321/OG-AIM-9.pdf
http://science.howstuffworkssidewinder.htm
supersonic heat-seeking missile developed by the U.S. Navy. This weapon has been deployed since the 1950s and is presently used in its various advanced versions. The U.S. naval interceptor aircraft needed a heat seeking missile and the program to develop the AIM-9 was thus initiated. a desert rattlesnake 'Sidewinder' lent its name to the missile due to its ability to detect other animals from their heat emissions. The AIM-9B was one of the first ones in the league and it was readily adopted by the US army. The limitations of this versions included the range limit of 2.6 NM, the top speed of just 1.7 mach and uncooled seeker. Then Navy Sidewinders designated as AIM-9D, G and H were built to overcome these disadvantages.
The proposal to build a missile that would seek out the heat from an enemy aircraft's engine system was put forward by Naval physicist named Bill McLean. the pilot could "fire and forget". As compared to the radar systems, a small heat-sensing photovoltaic cell was all that was needed on the sensing side. This guaranteed a a much lower cost and also a much lower size.
An AIM 9M is 2.9 m long weighing 85kg and with 13cm diameter. It costs a whooping $84,000. It could attain a top speed of 2.9 mach(2.9 times the speed of sound. )
For more details see:
http://e-hafPublicFTP/BIBLIO8HKH/_321/OG-AIM-9.pdf
http://science.howstuffworkssidewinder.htm
