China spy balloon suspected and UFOs destroyed by Sidewinder missiles
As mystery continues to swirl around the balloon and three other previously unidentified objects shot down by the US in recent days, at least one thing is clear: the weapons that shot them out of the sky. Be it the original alleged Chinese surveillance balloon shot down off South Carolina or the as-yet-unknown objects targeted over Alaska, Michigan and Canada, all suffered their demise from the same type of missile – the AIM-9X Sidewinder.
Here’s what you need to know about it:
Who makes and uses them?
Raytheon Technologies is producing the missile, which comes from a broader class of weapons that have been in the US arsenal for decades. While the weapons are primarily manufactured for US forces, the missile is also sold in large quantities to a number of American allies. Raytheon says it has 31 foreign military distribution partners, with countries including South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia all buying the missile. Designed primarily as an air-to-air weapon, the latest AIM-9X version is one that can also be used from the ground and against land-based targets. It is widely used on a number of modern aircraft, including the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22 Raptor aircraft. This versatility has allowed him to break records by helping the advanced F-22 fighter aircraft achieve its first air-to-air kill. The US does not disclose the exact number of such missiles in its arsenal, but it is likely to matter given the US Air Force will receive its 100,000th such missile in 2021.
How much do they cost?
The US Department of Defense is aiming to procure 255 of the missiles in fiscal year 2023 for $111.9 million. That works out to a cost of $439,000 each. Significant discounts exist, however, and other countries usually have to pay associated equipment, parts, and training costs as well. Malaysia, for example, only wanted to procure 20 for an estimated AIM-9X-2 missiles costing US$52 million in 2011, after such ancillary costs were factored in.
How do you work?
The AIM-9X Sidewinder is a short-range, heat-seeking, supersonic missile. The main components include an infrared homing guidance section, an active optical target detector, a high-explosive warhead and a rocket motor. Infrared, in particular, allows the missile to sharpen targets in a range of settings at any time of the day. The 84 kg (186 lb) device runs on solid fuel and is 3 meters (9.9 ft) in length. The so-called Block II variant of the missile has enhanced capabilities, including a lock-on after-launch capability, so the pilot launching the device doesn’t have to rely solely on visual aiming.
Why are they used?
Sidewinder missiles have a long history in the US military. They were first developed by the US Navy in the 1950s before being adapted by the US Air Force. It was the first heat-seeking guided missile to become operational. Early variants could only be used at close range and could not be used at night. However, later improvements made it an ideal weapon for a variety of situations, and a later version of the missile was used during the Vietnam War. The 9X is the latest iteration of the Sidewinder and debuted in 2003. Nonetheless, defense officials recognize that their use against unidentified flying objects such as balloons is novel. The military concluded that its smaller warhead and shorter range enabled the AIM-9X compared to other missiles such as the AIM-120, General Glen VanHerck, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the US Northern Command to be used more safely and effectively. told reporters on February 6.
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