In what can be described as a remarkable display of technological prowess in military aviation, Russia has claimed developing a cutting-edge short-range air-to-air missile designed for the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet.
According to a report from Ria Novosti, a state-owned media outlet, the disclosure about the development of the short-range missile was made by representatives of the Moscow-based GosMKB Vympel company, which designs air-to-air missiles, in an article published in the magazine “Arsenal of the Fatherland.”
The article asserts that Russia has achieved a significant lead of five to ten years over the United States in developing fifth-generation air-to-air missiles, which have already reached the industrial production stage.
The authors highlight that, unlike the United States, Russia promptly conducted the development and testing of these missiles, leading to their adoption at an accelerated pace. Experts have noted that the adoption process is already underway.
The developers have stated that the RVV-MD2 can be housed in the internal bays compartments of the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter.
The Sukhoi Su-57 Felon is a state-of-the-art fifth-generation, stealth, multi-role fighter jet crafted by United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), a subsidiary of the state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec.
It is designed to engage and neutralize various targets on land, in the air, and at sea. In 2020, Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed that the Felon had officially joined its fleet, marking the delivery of the first production aircraft to an aviation regiment stationed in the Southern Military District.
According to a 2020 analysis by the Royal United Services Institute, a defense think tank based in the UK, the Su-57 Felon jets were described as not yet fully matured into a credible frontline weapons system.
Yet, the think tank acknowledged the Russian stealth aircraft with great “potential.”
That being said, the new missile’s potential integration is anticipated further to enhance the combat capabilities of this fifth-generation fighter jet, making it an even more formidable and lethal force in aerial warfare.
Advantages Of The New Missile
The new RVV-MD2 missile is a successor to the short-range “air-to-air” missile RVV-MD. According to Rosoboronexport, the sole state intermediary agency for Russia’s defense exports and imports, the RVV-MD air-to-air guided missile is specifically engineered to eliminate various air targets such as fighters, attack aircraft, bombers, helicopters, and military transport aircraft.
The RVV-MD can operate effectively from any direction, day or night, amid challenging electronic countermeasures (ECM) environments.
With the RVV-MD2 carrying forward these advanced features and enhancements, it promises to elevate the combat capabilities of the Su-57 fighter jet even further.
The new missile possesses several advantages that Russian media claims will render highly effective and lethal in air warfare.
Victor Murakhovsky, the editor-in-chief of the magazine “Arsenal of the Fatherland” and a military expert, explained to RIA Novosti that the RVV-MD2 is the first short-range missile to incorporate an inertial control system.
This system is designed to control and stabilize the missile during autonomous flight. The inertial system operates on the principle of the ammunition autonomously determining its coordinates in space without relying on external landmarks or signals.
It calculates its position based on its previous known position, allowing it to navigate and maneuver accurately during its flight trajectory.
Furthermore, according to Murakhovsky, the RVV-MD2 has a radio correction line that enables the aircraft to refine the target’s coordinates. This enhancement significantly increases the probability of successfully engaging and hitting enemy aircraft during combat.
The editor-in-chief of the magazine also highlighted another advantage of the new missile over its previous version – a multi-element dual-band infrared homing head with improved noise immunity.
This advanced homing head enables the RVV-MD2 to effectively engage targets from all angles, including the rear hemisphere.
In other words, the missile can be launched forward, maneuver in mid-air, and successfully hit enemy aircraft trailing behind the Su-57, further boosting its combat capabilities.
However, exact details about the plans for the missile’s integration into the Su-57 fleet and its overall production scale have yet to be made public.
As the development and testing of the missile continue, more information may be released regarding its deployment and production plans.
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