F16 BLOCK 52+
The Advanced Block 50/52 (or 50+/52+) are equipped with the APG-68(V)9 radar which has a 30% greater air-to-air detection range, and a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mode for high-resolution mapping and target detection and recognition.
In August 2004, Northrop Grumman received a contract to begin upgrading the APG-68 radars of the Block 40/42/50/52 aircraft to the (V)10 standard, which will provide the F-16 with all-weather autonomous detection and targeting for the use of Global Positioning System (GPS)-aided precision weapons.
It also adds SAR mapping and terrain-following (TF) modes, as well as interleaving of all modes.
IRIS-T MISSILE
IRIS-T (Infra Red Imaging System Tail/Thrust Vector-Controlled) is a German-led program to develop a short-range air-to-air missile to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder. Any aircraft capable of carrying and firing Sidewinder is capable of launching IRIS-T.
History
In the 1980s, NATO countries signed a Memorandum of Agreement that the United States would develop a medium-range air-to-air missile to replace the AIM-7 Sparrow, while Britain and Germany would develop a short-range air-to-air missile to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder.
The US design developed as the AIM-120 AMRAAM, while the UK-German design started as the AIM-132 ASRAAM.
ASRAAM started life in 1970 as a highly maneuverable design known as "Taildog", but development ended in 1974 with no production orders.
This work was dusted off for the UK/German effort, with the Germans providing a new seeker, and the British providing most of the remaining components.
In the intervening time, the need for high maneuverability was downgraded in favor of greater range.
As the AIM-120 worked at long ranges up to 20 miles, the very short-range Sidewinders and original Taildog left a wide performance gap that needed to be filled.
The original design was re-worked to produce a much less maneuverable design, removing the thrust vectoring, and thereby greatly improving speed and range.
After German reunification in 1990, Germany found itself with large stockpiles of the Russian Vympel R-73 missiles (NATO reporting name: AA-11 Archer) carried by the MiG-29 Fulcrum and concluded that the AA-11's capabilities had been noticeably under-estimated.
In particular, it was found to be both far more manoeuvrable, and far more capable in terms of seeker acquisition and tracking than the latest AIM-9 Sidewinder.
These conclusions led Germany to question certain aspects of the design of ASRAAM related to the airframe which was a British responsibility.
Of particular concern was the lack of thrust vectoring to aid manoeuvrability in close in air combat. When these concerns were raised, Germany and Britain could not come to an agreement about the design of ASRAAM, so in 1990 Germany withdrew from the ASRAAM project while Britain resolved to find another seeker and develop ASRAAM according to the original requirements.
In late 1990, the US partnership expressed similar concerns and embarked on an upgrade to the existing Sidewinder design to provide increased manoeuvrability and IRCCM (infrared counter counter measures) performance, i.e. measures to counter infrared countermeasures (IRCM).
This program was designated AIM-9X.
Development partners
In 1995, Germany announced the IRIS-T development program, in collaboration with Greece, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Canada. Canada later dropped out.
Workshare arrangements for IRIS-T development are:
* Germany 46%
* Italy 19%
* Sweden 18%
* Greece 13%
* 4% split between Canada and Norway.
In 2003 Spain joined as a partner for procurement.
The Luftwaffe took first delivery of the missile on the 5th of December 2005.
-Type: Air-to-air missile
-Place of origin: Germany
-Service history In service: Dec 2005
Production history
-Manufacturer Diehl BGT Defence
-Unit cost 400,000 €
Specifications
-Weight 87.4 kg
-Length 2936 mm
-Diameter 127 mm
-Warhead HE/Fragmentation
-Detonation mechanism: Impact and active radar proximity fuze
-Engine Solid-fuel rocket
-Wingspan 447 mm
-Operational range: ~25 km
-Flight altitude: Sea level to 20,000 m
-Speed: Mach 3
-Guidance system: Infrared
SPANISH LANGUAGE
El IRIS-T (Sistema de Visualización por Infrarrojos y Control de Vector de Propulsión de Cola) es un moderno misil aire-aire de corto alcance que ha sido elegido por las fuerzas aéreas de Alemania e Italia como sustituto al AIM-9L Sidewinder. IRIS-T cuenta con una gran agilidad gracias a su sistema de control de vector de propulsión, con capacidad de maniobrar en ángulos de +/- 90 grados, la posibilidad de bloquear el misil tras su lanzamiento y capacidad para procesar imágenes con resistencia a las contramedidas de defensa. El IRIS-T ha sido desarrollado por un consorcio internacional encabezado por Bodenseewerk Gerätetechnik (BGT).
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