AAM-2 | |
---|---|
![]()
AAM-2 Prototype
| |
Type | Short-range, infrared homing air-to-air missile |
Place of origin | Japan |
Service history | |
Used by | Japan |
Production history | |
Manufacturer | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
Specifications | |
Guidance | infrared homing |
Launch | Aircraft: |
This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this articlebyadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "AAM-2" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The Mitsubishi AAM-2 was a Japanese prototype for a limited all aspect infrared homing air-to-air missile developed based on the American AIM-4D Falcon missile. It never reached production.
In 1968, Japan selected a modified version of the F-4E as the next main future fighter of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force with the possibility to employ the AIM-4D being an important factor of the decision. The development of the XAAM-2 was started in 1970 as an air-to-air missile for the newly acquired F-4EJ. It was developed by the Technical Research and Development Institute and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, aiming to exceed the performance of the original AIM-4D. The guidance system used infrared homing like the AIM-4D, but improved to a limited all-aspect infrared homing with the ability to attack from the front and side of the enemy aircraft with the reliability of electronic devices also improved. The missile employed a higher performance rocket motor expanding its range. In addition, the warhead power was increased compared to the AIM-4D, and it was equipped with a proximity fuze, solving major issues of the AIM-4D, such as the small warhead and the lack of a proximity fuze. Therefore, although the AAM-2 is very similar in appearance to the model AIM-4, it employed a different motor, warhead and guidance system. While being successfully tested, the AAM-2 never entered production due to higher cost compared to the American-made AIM-4D, with a high surplus stock after the Vietnam War. Japan rather imported the AIM-4D to equip its F-4EJ aircraft. The development of XAAM-2 was discontinued in 1975.
Japan Self-Defense Forces missiles
| |
---|---|
Air-to-air missiles |
|
Air-to-surface missile |
|
Anti-tank missile |
|
Surface-to-air missile |
|
Surface-to-surface missile |
|
Anti-submarine missile |
|
![]() | This article relating to missiles is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |