AAM-4B / AAM-5B
Type: missile
Domain: air
Country of Origin: Japan
Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
First Deployed: 2008
Overview
Japan's indigenous air-to-air missile family providing the JASDF with beyond-visual-range and short-range combat capability independent of foreign supply. The AAM-4B is a medium/long-range BVR missile with an active AESA radar seeker (the first AAM globally to use AESA) providing superior target discrimination and ECCM capability, range comparable to AIM-120 AMRAAM at approximately 100 km, and mid-course inertial/datalink guidance. The AAM-5B is an advanced short-range infrared-guided missile with a focal plane array seeker providing high off-boresight engagement capability comparable to the AIM-9X, thrust vector control for extreme manoeuvrability, and lock-on-after-launch capability via helmet-mounted display cueing. Both missiles are integrated with the F-2 and F-15J/DJ fighters. The AAM-4B is unique in that its AESA seeker provides resistance to electronic jamming that conventional mechanically-scanned AAM seekers cannot match.
Technical Specifications
| type | BVR (AAM-4B) and WVR (AAM-5B) Air-to-Air Missiles |
|---|---|
| aam_4b_seeker | Active radar seeker; ~100 km range; AESA-guided |
| aam_5b_seeker | Imaging IR seeker; ~35 km range; thrust-vectoring |
Operators
- Japan (JASDF)
Related air Weapon Systems
- Harpy - Anti-Radiation Loitering Munition (Israel)
- F-15IDN - fighter (United States)
- KC-46 Pegasus - Aerial Refueling Tanker (United States)
- Mi-28NE Night Hunter - Attack Helicopter (Russia)
- F-15EX Eagle II - 4.5 Generation Heavy Fighter (United States)
- F-15I Raam - Strike Fighter (Israel)
- MiG-21bis Fishbed - Lightweight Fighter (Russia)
- Mi-24/35 Hind - Attack / Transport Helicopter (Russia)
- CH-92/CH-95 UCAV - uav (China)
- JDAM (GBU-38/31/32) - missile (United States)