R-37M Missile

R-37M Missile Latest News

Russia has reportedly offered the R-37M missile, one of the world’s best air-to-air missiles, to India.

About R-37M Missile

• The R-37M missile, known by its NATO reporting name AA-13 Axehead, is a long-range air-to-air missile developed by Russia.
• It is designed to eliminate enemy fighter jets and drones beyond visual range (BVR).
• It evolved from the earlier R-33 missile and is designed to engage high-value targets such as AWACS, tanker aircraft, and other support platforms, thereby keeping the launching aircraft out of the range of enemy fighters. 
• Features:
  • It has a weight of approximately 510 kilograms and a length of over 4 meters, with a warhead weighing 60 kilograms.
  • The guidance system of the R-37M is a combination of inertial navigation with mid-course updates, an active radar homing head, and semi-active radar guidance for the terminal phase.
  • It features a jettisonable rocket booster that allows it to achieve a range of 300 to 400 kilometers, making it one of the longest-reaching air-to-air missiles in service globally.
  • Its speed can reach hypersonic levels, up to Mach 6, which is crucial for intercepting fast-moving targets. 

R-37M Missile FAQs

Q1. What is the R-37M missile?

Ans. R-37M is a long-range air-to-air missile developed by Russia.

Q2. What is the range of the R-37M missile?

Ans. The R-37M missile has a range of 300 to 400 kilometers.

Q3. What is hypersonic speed?

Ans. Hypersonic speed refers to speeds that are five times the speed of sound (Mach 5) or higher.

Source: IND