AIM‑9x sidewinder boosts Ukraine's air defence arsenal
Reports have emerged of a crate containing AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles somewhere in Ukraine. This confirms the delivery of the latest AIM-9X variant. We present the performance of this missile.
The photo below shows a transport crate containing a pair of short-range air-to-air AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles used in Ukraine, not only by F-16 aircraft but also by the NASAMS missile defence system launchers.
It is worth noting that this is the first confirmed delivery of the latest AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles to Ukraine. Unlike previous versions, this variant features small canards at the front of the missile and short stabilisers at the rear. Below is an image showing what older versions of the AIM-9 Sidewinder look like.
AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles — the most widely used missiles in NATO aviation
AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles have been the standard short-range weapon for most NATO aircraft since the 1950s. However, the AIM-9X variant, produced only since 2003, was an advancement over the older AIM-9L/M missiles. It retains only the rocket engine and a warhead weighing about 10 kilograms.
The rest of the missile underwent a dramatic change, starting with a redesigned body of greater strength and improved aerodynamics, and ending with a new guidance head. This was a fourth-generation design, operating in infrared and capable of seeing the thermal image of the target; hence the term IIR (imaging infrared).
Unlike older solutions, it can lock onto the heated airframe of an aircraft, not just the hot spot of an engine. It is also resistant to decoys in the form of flares. Essentially, the only effective form of protection against this missile is to manoeuvre away from it (almost miraculous) successfully or to blind the guidance head with a laser beam, which very few self-defence systems can do.
The range depends on the version. Block I can have a range of over 16 kilometres, and Block II, produced since 2015, is estimated to have a range of about 31 kilometres. It is also worth noting that the Block II version has an added communication link, allowing actions such as target confirmation after launching the missile or switching to another target during flight.
The above range values apply to launches from aircraft at high altitudes. In the case of ground launches, the range will be significantly lower (below 19 kilometres) because denser air causes more drag and faster depletion of the missile's energy. These are currently the best missiles of this type that Ukraine has.
