OVERVIEW: The AIM-120A AMRAAM is a beyond-visual-range, fire-and-forget, active radar-guided air-to-air missile.

DETAILS: The AIM-120A was the first operational AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile), designed to replace the AIM-7 Sparrow with a fire-and-forget missile featuring active radar homing and mid-course datalink updates. It used a 23 kg blast-fragmentation warhead and could engage multiple targets simultaneously at up to 50 km range, depending on launch conditions. Highly maneuverable and equipped with ECCM, it offered improved survivability in contested environments and set a new standard for autonomous air-to-air combat.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Guidance: Inertial + mid-course datalink + active radar homing (WGU-16/B)
Warhead: 23 kg WDU-33/B blast-fragmentation with proximity fuse
Propulsion: WPU-6/B solid-fuel rocket motor
Length: 3.66 m
Diameter: 178 mm
Wingspan: 0.53 m
Weight: ~158 kg
Platforms: F-15, F-16, F/A-18, F-4, F-14 (limited), Eurofighter (test), Mirage 2000

Range: ~27 nm (50 km) (aprox, depending on launch altitude and speed)
Speed: Mach 4
Maneuverability:

NOTES:
IOC: 1991 (USAF)
Operators: United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Turkey, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Australia, Thailand, Chile, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, and others
Conflict Use: Used during Operation Southern Watch (Iraq), Operation Deny Flight (Bosnia), and later variants evolved from AIM-120A saw widespread use in Kosovo, Iraq (2003), and Syria.

SOURCES:
Raytheon AMRAAM Datasheet (Archived); Official United States Air Force Website; Federation of American Scientists; SIPRI Arms Transfers Database; Jane's Air-Launched Weapons (subscription); Army Recognition Group Magazine; deagel.com; en.missilery
