Because of their offensive and defensive capabilities, the missiles mounted on fighter jets are their most important weapons. The United States military started using missiles right after World War II, when the Hughes AIM-4 Falcon entered service in 1956. A competing missile system, the AIM-9 Sidewinder, was also released in the 1950s, but unlike the discontinued Falcon, it’s still being used today. The Sidewinder was an ingenious integration of rudimentary technologies of its time, and its simple composition has allowed it to endure nearly 70 years since its launch.
From its initial use by North American F-86 Sabers ruled the skies against MiG-17s during the 1958 Taiwan Strait crisis to the ongoing Ukrainian conflict, where it as installed on armed drones, the proficiency of the Sidewinder is undisputed. In addition, due to its uncomplicated design and low cost, it’s one of the most prolific missiles ever made, having been in continuous production since its introduction.
Classified as a short-range, air-to-air missile, the Sidewinder serves in a collaborative function with other missile systems like the larger and longer-ranged AMRAAM, allowing for a more effective and adaptable weapons system on aircraft. Measuring 9.9 feet long and five inches in diameter, the Sidewinder is powered by a solid-propellant rocket motor, capable of propelling the 188-pound missile to Mach 2.5 for 22 miles. It destructive capacity comes from its 20-pound annular-blast fragmentation warhead, and it’s currently being utilized by 27 U.S. allies.
A proven missile system
Work on the Sidewinder began when William B. McLean, a scientist for the U.S. Navy, began research for a possible missile application that reads infrared fuses. Further testing of the concept showed its potential use, and the missile was given the name Sidewinder, since it exhibited similar hunting methods to its reptilian namesake. By 1953, the U.S. Navy began funding the project and officially launched it in 1956. Its superior performance compared to the AIM-4 Falcon resulted in the U.S. Air Force adopting the Sidewinder in 1964.
Similar to another long-serving weapon system, the Tomahawk missile, the AIM-9 Sidewinder has been used in different platforms. Starting with the second-generation fighter jets, the F-8 Crusader, down to the teen-series of fighters, like the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet, the Sidewinder missile has been a standard armament of some of the best fighter jets in the world. From its first iteration, the AIM-9A, the Sidewinder has been developed into several variants throughout the decades, with its 2011 version, the state-of-the-art AIM-9X Block II.
With an estimated 100,000 units made, and an ongoing contract with Boeing to support its functions and upgrades for the next 30 years, the Sidewinder will remain relevant for the foreseeable future. The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon a production agreement that will see mass production of the Block II variant of the AIM-9X. While new weapon technologies, including directed energy and escort fighting drones are being developed for fighter aircraft, missiles like the Sidewinder continue to be a vital weapon for air forces across the world.
