AAM-4

Not to be confused with AAM-N-4 Oriole.

AAM-4
TypeBeyond-visual-range air-to-air missile/surface-to-air missile
Place of originJapan
Service history
In serviceSeptember 1999 (1999-09)–present
Used bySee Operators
Production history
Manufacturer
Unit costUS$450,000
VariantsAAM-4, XRIM-4, AAM-4B, AAM-4TDR, JNAAM
Specifications
Mass489 lb (222 kg)
Length12 ft (3,667 mm)
Diameter8 in (203 mm)
Wingspan30 in (770 mm)
WarheadHigh explosive Directional blast-fragmentation
Warhead weight69 lb (31.3 kg)
Detonation
mechanism
4-Quadrant Radar Proximity fuse, impact fuse
Blast yield16.2kg TNT Equivalent
EngineTwo-stage Solid-fuel rocket motor
Operational
range
AAM-4 46 nmi (85 km):

AAM-4B 57 nmi (105 km): AAM-4TDR 92 nmi (170 km):

JNAAM 110 nmi (200 km):
Maximum speed Mach 4.5 (5,063 ft/s; 1,544 m/s)
Guidance
system
Mid-Course:Inertial guidance, datalink, SARH Terminal: active radar homing, Inertial guidance, datalink
Steering
system
Fuzzy Guidance Logic

XAAM-4: 20G Maximum Overload

AAM-4/4B: 25G maximum Overload
Launch
platform
F-15J, F-2
ReferencesJapanese Ministry of Defense,[1] MHI[2]

The Mitsubishi AAM-4 (Type 99 air-to-air missile, 99式空対空誘導弾 (99 Shiki Kūtaikū Yūdōdan)) is a medium-range active radar homing air-to-air missile. It is a modern beyond-visual-range missile developed in Japan and intended to replace the semi-active radar homing AIM-7 Sparrow missile in service. It has been operational since 1999. The main contractor is Mitsubishi Electric. The AAM-4 had a development cost of 36.2 billion yen.[3] The 2010 AAM-4B was the world's first air-to-air missile with an AESA radar seeker.

The AAM-4's fins are too large to fit in the internal weapons bay of the F-35 Lightning II. This, along with other factors, led to a program with MBDA UK to adapt the AAM-4B's AESA seeker technology to MBDA's Meteor missile airframe to produce the JNAAM. However this project has since been canceled. The AAM-4 is instead expected to be succeeded by a new domestic medium range air to air missile, which is slated for use on GCAP.

In addition to its air-to-air capabilities, the missile also has the capabilities to intercept cruise missiles and other ASMs. However it can only engage them from the front aspect, lacking sufficient energy to hit them from side or rear aspects.[1]

Development

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Technical research into a future medium-range AAM started in Japan in 1985, however it wasn't until 1994 that the design for the AAM-4 itself started, with early live testing of the XAAM-4 being done as early as late 1996 from a modified F-4EJ Kai. It initially saw service on the Mitsubishi F-15J,[4] on post J-MSIP models, or else models which had undergone IRAN. It was not on the Mitsubishi F-2 initially due to it lacking a place for the J/ARG-1 radio transceiver,[5] however it was later added when the radar was upgraded to the J/APG-2, which included the necessary components.[6] Its fins are too large to be fitted to the F-35 Lightning II without changes to the mounting pylons, and additionally requires the J/ARG-1 radio transceiver to function, which can not be mounted on the F-35.[7]

The AAM-4 uses a fuzzy guidance logic control system, as opposed to PID or binary logic. With over 70 values being taken into account to calculate its control logic. This allows for superior energy retention over other guidance logics. Additionally it greatly improves ECCM, by allowing for soft comparisons of datalink, inertial, active, and semi-active targeting information, cross referencing error rates from detected interference and target velocity information to estimate the most accurate information to guide itself.[2] It uses a directional blast fragmentation warhead, with roughly 16.2 kg TNT equivalent of explosive surrounded by 600 fragmentation segments, each with up to 7.7mm of steel penetration. It is detonated with a variable detonation system, using either a 4-quadrant radar proximity fuse, or an impact fuse, to direct the blast in the direction of the detected target. The proximity fuse additionally uses frequency modulation to resist electronic countermeasures. This fuse has a 4-6s arming period after being fired.[1]

The datalink for the missile is provided by the J/ARG-1 radio transceiver, an X-Ku band radio transceiver which uses frequency modulation to reduce its detectability by hostiles, as well as to resist interference from electronic countermeasures. The missile can be fired without this transceiver, however when doing so greatly decreases its effectiveness.[4]

The seeker of the AAM-4 is, like its proximity fuse and datalink system, operated using frequency modulation to minimize its ability to be detected by hostile Radar warning receivers.[8] Unlike the AIM-120 AMRAAM, which uses a Traveling-wave tube transmitter, the AAM-4 uses a small, high-output, and inexpensive gallium arsenide semiconductor FET improving lock-on performance, ECCM and anti-clutter performance. The seeker has a detection range of 15 km against a target 2.5m^2 in size.[2]

The improved AAM-4B was the world's first air-to-air missile with an AESA radar seeker.[7] The AAM-4B entered production in 2010 for service on the F-15J and F-2.[9] It has a range of 1.2x that of the regular AAM-4, thanks to improved guidance logic, as well as a 1.4x increase in autonomous detection range (up to 21 kilometers). Using GaN semi-conductors, it operates in the Ka band, and is capable of SAR imaging. The Type 12 surface-to-ship missile and ASM-3 use the same seeker, using its imaging capabilities to allow for the detection of stealth ships, being successfully capable of spotting a Mogami-class frigate.

On 17 July 2014, Japan announced a collaboration with the United Kingdom[9] to study the development of a new Joint New Air-to-Air Missile (JNAAM). MBDA UK is prime contractor on the Meteor missile which entered service on the Saab JAS 39 Gripen in 2016 and on the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale in 2018,[10] and can fit in the internal weapons bay of the F-35.[11] It has a unique variable-flow ramjet motor that according to MBDA gives the Meteor the largest no-escape zone of any air-to-air missile.[12] The JNAAM will "[combine] the UK's missile-related technologies and Japanese seeker technologies",[13] possibly with some adjustments to help the missile fit better in the F-35 weapons bay.

Variants

[edit]
AAM-4B prototype
  • AAM-4 – Original version with 85 km (53 mi) range that entered service in 1999.
  • AAM-4B – Improved version introduced in 2010 with a Ka band millimetric frequency AESA seeker[4] and 105 km (65 mi) range.[14] The seeker also utilized to the Type 12 surface-to-ship missile. As well as on the ASM-3.
  • XRIM-4 – Naval surface-launched variant, project was previously canceled but effectively resurrected in 2016.[15]
  • AAM-4TDR – Throttleable Ducted Rocket (TDR) Test model, based on the XRIM-4, had Thrust vectoring and BTT (Bank to turn) capabilities. Range estimated to be around 1.6-2x that of the AAM-4.[16]

Operators

[edit]
 Japan

Japan Air Self-Defense Force

Specifications

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c 99式空対空誘導弾（B）CPS-U13200-4, Japan Ministry of Defense, 13 August 2016
  2. ^ a b c AAM-4 Fuzzy Guidance Logic, 9-236400, Japanese Patent Office, 9 September 1997
  3. ^ "参考資料ー自衛隊の現状と課題ー" (PDF). 内閣官房. 13 July 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Defense Agency Technical Research & Development Institute 50 Years of History, II 技術研究開発 8.第3研究所(II Technology Research and Development 8. Third laboratory) TRDI50_10.pdf file page.278-279 – Japan National Diet Library, 2002
  5. ^ "平成２１年度 政策評価書（事後の事業評価）" (PDF). Mod.go.jp. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  6. ^ "Japan's defense and budget. FY2017" (PDF). Mod.go.jp. December 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b Mizokami, Kyle (28 January 2016). "Revealed: Japan's New Fighter Prototype". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  8. ^ "AAM-4 (Type 99 Air to Air Missile)". Geocities.co.jp. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  9. ^ a b Perrett, Bradley (17 July 2014). "Japan, Britain To Collaborate on Meteor Guidance". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  10. ^ Hoyle, Craig (16 June 2015). "PARIS: MBDA on target for Meteor introduction". Flight Global. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  11. ^ "Japan, UK Announce Increased Defense And Security Cooperation". Defense News. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  12. ^ "Meteor". MBDA Systems. 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  13. ^ "Japan reveals details of joint missile project with UK". Janes Information Services. Retrieved 14 May 2016. citing a Japanese MoD spokesman
  14. ^ Japan Upgrading 60 F-2s With AAM-4, J/APG-2
  15. ^ JMSDF Resurrecting XRIM-4 Naval Surface-Launched Variant of AAM-4 – Navyrecognition.com, 5 September 2016
  16. ^ "Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication" (PDF). Somou.go.jp. 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  17. ^ FAS AAM4
  18. ^ Global Security AAM4
  19. ^ Japan Builds A Better AMRAAM
  20. ^ Japan Upgrades Air-to-Air
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