Missile AIM-4 Falcon

Development of the guided air-to-air missile began in 1946 as a bomber defense weapon designed to be fired from a rear-facing tube. After testing began in 1949, the project transitioned to a fighter-launched anti-bomber weapon. The tube-launch concept was abandoned because seekers could not acquire targets prior to launch, leading to wing and weapons-bay mounting. This allowed the use of larger delta wings and the integration of interchangeable seekers. The missile entered service with the United States Air Force in 1956.

The missile was produced in both semi-active radar homing and infrared-homing variants. Tactically, aircraft often fired these variants in mixed salvos to increase hit probability. Early models used a small high-explosive warhead and lacked a proximity fuze, relying instead on impact fuzing built into the leading edges of the wings. The Super Falcon variants introduced a larger warhead, improved guidance, and a more powerful rocket engine. An experimental variant featuring a laser proximity fuze was developed but cancelled before entering service. A larger derivative carrying a nuclear warhead was developed as the AIM-26 Falcon, and a long-range version was developed as the AIM-47 Falcon.

The missile was operated by the United States, Canada, Greece, and Turkey. It was also exported to Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden, where it was license-built as the Rb 28 to equip Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen fighters. It armed several U.S. interceptors, including the F-89 Scorpion, F-101B Voodoo, F-102 Delta Dagger, and F-106 Delta Dart.

During the Vietnam War, the USAF deployed the AIM-4D variant on F-4D Phantom II fighters starting in May 1967. The system proved ineffective against maneuvering targets during Operation Rolling Thunder. The infrared seeker required several seconds to cool and quickly exhausted its limited liquid nitrogen supply, rendering the seeker inactive. Combined with the lack of a proximity fuze, the missile achieved only five kills out of 54 launches. Consequently, crews bypassed official channels to rewire F-4D aircraft to carry the AIM-9 Sidewinder. The USAF subsequently replaced the Falcon on the F-4D. However, Super Falcon variants remained in service with U.S. interceptor units until the retirement of the F-106 in 1988, as these aircraft could not easily accommodate alternative weapons.