Air-to-air Missile Going Air-to-ground

[unhappycamper]

Air-to-air Missile Going Air-to-ground
January 04, 2010
Arizona Daily Star

For more than 50 years, the Sidewinder air-to-air missile has helped America and its allies rule the skies as a potent dogfighting weapon.

Now, Tucson, Arizona-based Raytheon Missile Systems is adapting the latest Sidewinder to help master the battleground.

Raytheon recently announced that it had completed testing of a modified AIM-9X Sidewinder that can hit moving surface targets, in a demonstration program for the U.S. Air Force.

The company also has been working with the U.S. Marine Corps to develop a land-launched version of the Sidewinder as an anti- aircraft system, while with the Navy it is developing a submarine- launched version to allow subs to defend against air threats in coastal waters.

Raytheon says it has been developing the AIM-9X's surface-attack capability with the Air Force since 2007.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/air-to-air-missile-going-air-to-ground.html?col=1186032325324

[thunder rising]

1. I was in a Vulcan/Chapparel

I was in a Vulcan/Chaparral outfit ... sidewinders on the ground are not a good idea.

There is no telling WHAT they are going after.

At a demo there were two that caused people to start leaping off the grandstands. I guess it wasn't a good time to light that cigarette.