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R-37M Missile

R-37M Missile:

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

  • 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.
  • 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.