Missile R-73 (AA-11 Archer)
Summary
| NATO Designation | AA-11 Archer |
| Category | Air-to-Air Missiles |
| Sub-type | Infrared-guided air-to-air missile |
| Origin country | 🇷🇺 Russia 🇨🇳 Ex-USSR |
| Manufacturer | Vympel |
| Status | In service |
| Year of service | 1984 |
Technical specifications
| Warhead | High Explosive |
| Warhead weight | 7 kg (16 lb) |
| Diameter | 170 mm (6.7 in) |
| Span | 510 mm (20.1 in) |
| Length | 2,900 mm (114.2 in) |
| Weight | 105 kg (231 lb) |
| Range | 30 km (19 mi) |
| Max. speed | 3,087 km/h (Mach 3.1) |
R-73 scale diagram
Operators
Description
The R-73, also known as the AA-11 Archer in NATO parlance, is a short-range air-to-air missile developed by Russia. It's primarily used for close combat and dogfighting scenarios. The missile was introduced in the 1980s and is one of the primary weapons in the arsenal of Russian and various other Soviet-origin aircraft, including the MiG-29, Su-27, and their subsequent variants.
The R-73 employs infrared homing for guidance, which means it targets the heat signatures generally emitted by an aircraft's engines. This gives it "fire-and-forget" capability, allowing the pilot to engage other targets or undertake evasive actions once the missile is launched.
A notable feature of the R-73 is its high agility, attributed to its thrust-vectoring capabilities. This allows the missile to engage targets at various altitudes and directions, even those at high off-boresight angles, which gives it an edge in close combat scenarios.
In terms of propulsion, it uses a solid-fuel rocket motor, enabling it to reach speeds up to Mach 2.5. The R-73 has seen various upgrades over the years, with modern versions featuring improved infrared seekers and longer ranges.