The U.S. State Division has made a dedication approving a potential Overseas Navy Sale to the Taipei Financial and Cultural Consultant Workplace (the nation’s de facto embassy within the USA) in america of AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Missiles and associated gear for an estimated value of $85.6 million. The Taipei Financial and Cultural Consultant Workplace in america (TECRO) has requested to purchase 100 (100) AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical missiles and 4 (4) AIM-9X Block II tactical Steering Items. Additionally included are containers; spare and restore elements; assist and take a look at gear; publications and technical documentation; personnel coaching and coaching gear and different associated parts of logistics assist.
The AIM-9 Sidewinder (the place “AIM” stands for “Air Intercept Missile”) is a short-range air-to-air missile which entered service with the US Navy in 1956 and subsequently was adopted by the US Air Drive in 1964. Since then the Sidewinder has proved to be a permanent worldwide success, and its newest variants stay normal gear in most Western-aligned air forces. The Sidewinder is probably the most extensively used air-to-air missile within the West, with greater than 110,000 missiles produced for the U.S. and 27 different nations, of which maybe one p.c have been utilized in fight. The AIM-9 is likely one of the oldest, lowest value, and most profitable air-to-air missiles, with an estimated 270 plane kills in its historical past of use.
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The AIM-9X Block II missile features a lock-on-after-launch functionality and a one-way ahead quarter information hyperlink functionality in comparison with the Block I variant. The information hyperlink allows it to interact upon targets even past the visible vary. Full Price Manufacturing (FRP) for the Block II missile started in August 2015. The missile was exceeding efficiency necessities in all areas, together with lock-on after launch (LOAL). One space the place the Block II wants enchancment is helmetless excessive off-boresight (HHOBS) efficiency. It’s functioning effectively on the missile, however efficiency is under that of the Block I AIM-9X. The HHOBS deficiency doesn’t influence some other Block II capabilities, and is deliberate to be improved upon by a software program clean-up construct.
The principal contractor might be Raytheon Missiles and Protection, Tucson, AZ. Taiwan is already an operator of the AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile. The missiles will doubtless equip Republic of China Air Drive (Taiwan Air Drive) major fighter, the Lockheed Martin F-16. Taiwan additionally operates Northrop F-5s, AIDC F-CK-1s, and Dassault Mirage 2000s in air fight roles. Taiwan’s presently operates the F-16 Viper plane, additionally acquired from america, which might be doubtless outfitted with the AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder air-to-air missile to tackle the mammoth enemy throughout the Taiwan Strait. Underneath the Phoenix Rising program, Taiwan is upgrading its fleet of 144 Lockheed Martin F-16 A/B Block 20 Preventing Falcon fight plane to the F-16V configuration.
