AIM-54A Phoenix

The AIM-54 Phoenix is a radar-guided, long-range air-to-air missile, carried in clusters of up to six missiles — formerly on the U.S. Navy's and currently on the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force's, F-14 Tomcat interceptors/multi-role fighters: which is the only aircraft capable of carrying it.

The AIM-54 was originally developed in the early 1960s for the canceled F-111B naval variant, and based on the Eagle project for the canceled F6D Missileer. Both were based on the idea of long-range, slow-cruise, non-maneuvering missile carriers to counter long-range bombers carrying low-flying cruise missiles. It had no use for close-range air superiority.

The Phoenix was designed to defend the Carrier Battle Group against a variety of threats including cruise missiles, and its range and loiter capability provided defense in depth. During the height of the Cold War, the threat included regimental-size raids of Tu-16 Badger and Tu-22M Backfire bombers equipped with high-speed cruise missiles and considerable Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) of various types. The upgraded Phoenix, the AIM-54C, was developed to better counter projected threats from tactical aircraft and cruise missiles, and its final upgrade included a re-programmable memory capability to keep pace with emerging threat ECM. It is thought that the Phoenix was based on the similar AIM-47 missile. The AIM-47 was developed for the experimental Mach-3 Lockheed YF-12 interceptor version of their venerable SR-71 Blackbird.

The U.S. Air Force adopted neither the AIM-47, nor the AIM-54, operationally. The Air Force had no similar capability with the F-15 Eagle until the introduction of the AIM-120 AMRAAM. The latest model, AIM-120C-7, has a range of 72 miles (120 km), still significantly less than the retired AIM-54.

The associated AWG-9 radar system carried by the F-111B and F-14 Tomcat was one of largest and most powerful ever fitted to a fighter.

Retired from service in 2004.

Category:

Science & Technology

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• AIM-54
• Phoenix
• AAM
• F-14
• Tomcat
• fleet
• defense
• missiles
• air-to-air
• AWG-9
• radar
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[shackvan]

The Iranians proved the complete oposite, it was extreamly effective to the point that the tomcat and that missile scared the iraq's so much that in the first gulf war as soon as the US tomcats switched on there radar they turned tail and ran

[jjdeliman]

@NobleKorhedron The F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet Cannot Carry The AIM-54 Phoenix Only The F-14 Tomcat Can 

[iamidiotic]

@hotpocketpoison hmm i see, only 45nm.. maybe we'll just have to swallow our pride and buy some european designs, the MBDA Meteor is supposed to have at least 60mi of range.

[hotpocketpoison]

@iamidiotic the actual range of the AIM-120D is about 45nm(which is 72km so i see where you got that,its an easy mistake to make). and this scares me because more and more countries are developing longer ranged missiles,while they are completely ineffective against the F-22(by the time they detect it it will already be to late)they can still pose a grave threat to or legacy platforms(which still make up the overwhelming majority of our airforce). but i agree with you the JDRADM looks promising.

[iamidiotic]

@hotpocketpoison the wikipedia estimation of the D's 700K production cost may be close but thats merely inflation, the 470K is the cost of the 54C model back in 88', for example, the earliest sidewinder models costed around 90 grand and the much improved (just as the D model is) X model is around 370K.. if you're angry over the fact we don't have a ultra-long range missile anymore, theres always the JDRADM that should be in service within a decade

[iamidiotic]

@hotpocketpoison the D isn't in even in production yet, nor has it debuted. It's supposed to have 50% more range over the C-7 and that'll put it at about 70nmi to the 54's 100nmi, but at 70nmi it'll be far more effective than the phoenix since it'll be less susceptible to countermeasures with its AESA radar and the fact that its far more maneuverable. while the iranians say they've had "success", I've never seen documented proof, it was designed to primarily shoot down a soviet bomber threat

[yamatobar]

F-14 is GOOD

F/A-18E/F is Suck

[FutureMarine1775USA]

@hotpocketpoison Really? fuck, must have accidentally looked at the Sparrow article on wiki.

[hotpocketpoison]

@FutureMarine1775USA actually, the AIM-120D costs over $330000 more than the AIM-54 but the AIM-54 has close to 3x the range of the AIM-120D, the AIM-54 also flys a whole Mach faster than the AIM-120D, it also has a higher flight ceiling as well. the fact that we dont use this missile just plain enrages me. the only downside is it weighs 3x as much, but also has a 3x larger warhead. all in all the AIM-54 phoenix is the long range best air-air missile ever built.

[FutureMarine1775USA]

@plutone220696 Depends on what you are doing.... also, the first plane to test the AIM-120 was the Tomcat, if I recall.

[FutureMarine1775USA]

@N1cholas240 The AIM-120D is cheaper... about the only advantage.

[FutureMarine1775USA]

@NobleKorhedron The AIM-54 has about 20 miles more range than the AAMRAAM. Also, just because the AIM-54 was retired doesn't mean we don't need the Tomcat.