R-33 (missile)
R-33 AA-9 Amos | |
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The R-33 (
It uses a combination of
The R-33 AAM remains in service with the CIS and Russian forces (See MiG-31 operators).
Development
The history of the R-33 missile is tightly bound to the story of its launcher, the MiG-31. The development of the modernized
The R-33/MiG-31 missile/interceptor combination is similar to the earlier
Two prototypes were built in 1968, featuring nose-mounted manoeuvring fins and intended for carriage on underwing pylons, similar to the Bisnovat R-40 on board the MiG-25.
The draft project was completed in 1970 and progressed to testing using testbed aircraft. One of these was a converted early-production MiG-25 (aircraft P-10), and was used in 1972 for autonomous test launches from the upgraded APU-40 pylon. A
The K-33 was evaluated with the RGS-33
The missile design was significantly altered later in 1972. The seeker and warhead were enlarged, the span of the control fins was reduced from 1100 mm to 900 mm. Further, the mounting system was revised to include new under-fuselage slipper pylons, akin to the
A small run of one dummy (for launch system testing), 5 'programmed' (guidance and propulsion only, no warhead) and 8 fully functional trial missiles were built to the new design before the end of 1972. Of those 14, three were launched from the MiG-25P-10 testbed in 1973. Different warhead types (high explosive fragmentation and continuous-rod warhead) were evaluated, and tests of the radar and seeker systems were conducted on the LL-2. 1974 saw 11 more test launches from the MiG-25P-10, and the production of another 40 trial missiles. The first AKU-33 launchers and B-410 warheads were built. "Zaslon" tests continued at Akhtubinsk using the LL-2.
The first flight of the future MiG-31 (aircraft No.831) took place on 16 September 1975, with 12 more flights by the end of the year. The MiG-25P-10 testbed launched 20 more test missiles before being sent for its launchers to be upgraded, and the first telemetric missile launches from the LL-2 were carried out that year.
Development continued in 1976, including launches at PRM-2 parachute targets in April. Factory tests were completed in 1977 with 32 launches from the MiG-31 prototype, the first launch being against a
State trials started in March 1979 using MiG-31 No.83210. They were successfully completed in 1980. A government decision on 6 May 1981 recommended R-33 into service.
Variants
R-33 | R-33S | R-33E | |
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Maximum launch range, km | 120 | 160 | 160 |
Maximum flight speed, Mach | 4.5 | — | 4.5 |
Length, mm | 4250 | — | 4150 |
Maximum diameter of the missile body, mm | 380 | — | 380 |
Wingspan, mm | 900 | — | 900 |
Rudders span, mm | 1180 | — | 1180 |
Launch mass, kg | 491 | — | 490 |
Warhead mass, kg | 55 | — | 47 |
Maximum overload of targets hit | 8g | — | — |
Maximum speed of the target, km / h | 3700 | — | — |
- R-33
- Standard type.
- R-33S
- Improved version.
- R-33E
- Export version.
- R-37
- Further development of the R-33.
References
- ^ "AA-9 AMOS".
- ^ "УР Р-33". Archived from the original on 27 October 2014.
- ^ "МиГ-31БМ получат новую ракету".
- ^ "Управляемая ракета большой дальности Р-33 (К-33) | Ракетная техника". rbase.new-factoria.ru. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
- ^ "R-33E". Deagel. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ "Управляемая ракета большой дальности Р-33 (К-33) | Ракетная техника". rbase.new-factoria.ru. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
Sources
- Gordon, Yefim (2004). Soviet/Russian Aircraft Weapons Since World War Two. Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-188-1.
External links
- GlobalSecurity.org page
- Federation of American Scientists page Archived 28 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine