Air Force Sinks Boat with Sidewinder

Raytheon, a defense contractor that builds a variety of missiles and other systems for the military, announced that its AIM-9X Sidewinder–a heat-seeking, air-to-air missile–was successfully employed–in an air-to-ground test.

The use of air-to-air missiles in an air-to-ground role has an interesting history.  Pilots who flew in Vietnam recount the use of AIM-9s against North Vietnamese searchlights (with questionable success).  (See stories on “Ryan’s Raiders.”)  Because air-to-air missiles are designed to destroy aircraft, their guidance systems and warheads are not optimized for ground targets–meaning they may be fired at targets on the ground, but that doesn’t mean they will hit them or destroy them.

These tests by Raytheon (three have been conducted thus far) would appear to be the first in which the missile was designed and intended to be used against a ground (or maritime) target.

Pilots say “Fox 2” on the radio to announce the launch of a heat-seeking missile like the AIM-9.  Wonder if some witty pilot will come up with a new term for an air-to-ground launch.

Fox Hole?

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One comment

  • Dealer
    15 December 2009 8:55 pm

    Sounds like a good plan to get a missile that can’t do anything well. Anyone who thinks that one aircraft, missile, bomb or aviator can do all missions well is confusing the term “well.” Case in point is the air-to-air capability of F-15C vs the F-15E. Although the F-15E is a newer airframe, the multirole mission has degraded their air superiority capabilities. The AIM-9 (Air Intercept Missile) is not and should never be an AGM-anything (Air to Ground Missile).

    Get your focus on your particular mission and don’t let it go.