AAM-5 (Japanese missile)

AAM-5
AAM-5
	AAM-5 and AAM-5B
Type	air-to-air
Place of origin	Japan
Service history
In service	2004 - present
Used by	Japan Air Self-Defense Force
Production history
Manufacturer	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Unit cost	55-60 million yen
Specifications
Mass	95 kg (209 lb)
Length	3.105 m (10.19 ft)
Diameter	130 mm (5.1 in)
Warhead	blast-frag
Detonation; mechanism	laser proximity fuze and impact
Wingspan	440 mm (17 in)
Propellant	solid fuel rocket
Operational; range	35 km (22 mi)
Maximum speed	Mach 3
Guidance; system	(Infrared homing (IIR) INS+COLOS) (B version (IRCCM) INS+COLOS)

The Mitsubishi AAM-5 (Type 04 air-to-air missile, 04式空対空誘導弾) is a short-range air-to-air missile developed and produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. Development of the missile as a replacement for the AAM-3 (Type 90) missile commenced in 1991 and it has been operational since 2004.

Characteristics

Unlike the Type 90 guided missile, the AAM-5 does not have canard control surfaces, using thrust vectoring for high agility. The missile body has narrow strakes extending over most of its length.

The NEC manufactured seeker has also been improved. Addition of a triaxial gimbal to the infrared seeker has increased the field of view and an infrared focal plane array multi-element seeker allows infrared imaging. In particular, the addition of an INS means mid-course updates and LOAL (Lock-on after launch) is possible. Terminal homing is via infrared imaging (IIR). In terms of generation, it is placed in the same generation as missiles such as the AIM-9X and IRIS-T.