The Soviet AA-7 air-to-air missile was developed by the former Soviet Union in the mid-1960s. In the mid-1970s, the R-23 air-to-air missile equipped with troops was the standard interception weapon for MIG -33 fighters. The NATO number of the missile is AA-7, and its nickname is "spire".
Romania once patented imitation production, code A-9 1 1. The seeker of R-23 also has semi-active radar and infrared guidance. The improved version is called R-24, but the appearance of R-24 has not changed much.
Weapon performance
Chinese name: Soviet AA-7 air-to-air missile
Minimum distance: 4000 meters
Maximum range: 35 kilometers
Maximum speed: M2
Main data
Maximum range: 35 km (р-23 р), 25 km (р-23 т), 25 km (р-24 р), 35 km (р-24 т).
Minimum distance: 4000 meters
Maximum speed: M2
Guidance system: radio command midcourse guidance and semi-active radar terminal guidance (р-23 р/24 р), radio command midcourse guidance and passive infrared terminal guidance (р-23 т/24 т).
Fuze: active radar fuze and active laser fuze (р-40р/рд, р-40т/тд).
Warhead: high explosive, weighing 25 kg.
Power plant: solid rocket engine
Weight: 223 kg (р-23 р); 2 17kg(р-23т)； 250kg(р-24р)； 248 km (р-24т)
Length: 4.46m (р-23 р) and 4.18m (р-23т); 4.8m(р-24р/т)
Elastic strength: 200mm (р-23 р/т) and 230mm (р-24 р/т).
Span:1000 mm (р-23 р/т) 972 mm (р-24 р), 1000mm (р-24 т),
design feature
For the first time, the AA-7 air-to-air missile of the Soviet Union adopted the normal aerodynamic layout of fixed small front wing, that is, four small truncated triangular stabilizers were installed in the front of the missile body, four large truncated triangular stabilizers were fixed in the middle of the missile body, and four small rear oblique truncated rudder surfaces were installed in the rear of the missile body.
This unique aerodynamic shape layout makes the missile get a large lateral overload, which is beneficial to improve the maneuverability during terminal attack; In addition, the rudder surface can be deflected differently to stabilize rolling.
Because the missile is specially designed for Russian front-line tactical air force fighters, it can realize medium-range air combat with enemy fighters, which is significantly different from radar medium-range air-to-air missiles specially used to intercept enemy bombers. It requires small size, light weight, large overload and good stability.
Construction background
The missile is the first medium-range radar air-to-air missile developed by the Soviet Union, equipped with front-line tactical air force fighters. It belongs to the second generation medium-range air-to-air missile, and the carrier is the new generation fighter of the Soviet Union-MIG -23.
The research and development unit is the Experimental Design BureauNo. 134 led by Ivan Toropov, the predecessor of the pennant machinery manufacturing design bureau, which was renamed when the system of the Soviet Military Design Bureau was readjusted from 1966 to 1968. 196 1 year, Andre Liapin succeeded Ivan Toropov as the chief designer of the design bureau.
This kind of missile was developed in the mid-1960s. The system code and serial number are к-23 and изд.340, 1969 respectively. The air force uses the code р-23 р.
1973, Pennant Missile Design Bureau introduced P-23 (AA-7 "steeple" in western countries) medium-range air-to-air missile. This missile has developed two modifications: P-23T with infrared homing guidance system and P-23P with semi-automatic radar homing guidance system.
The radar homing guidance system of P-23P missile adopts the principle of Doppler interception based on pulse information accumulation operation. The successful development of P-23P indicates that Russia has surpassed the West in medium-range air-to-air missiles. After 1978, Britain postponed the introduction of medium-range air-to-air missiles with monopulse radar homing guidance system.
Trident Missile Design Bureau has further improved the power-to-weight ratio and anti-jamming ability of P-23 missile, and then launched P-24 missile. P-24 has developed two modifications: P-24T with infrared homing guidance system and P-24P with semi-automatic radar homing guidance system.
Two modifications
There are many improved versions of this missile. The improved р-24 р/т (R-24R/T) developed in the late 1970s was put into service in 198 1.
According to the naming rules of Soviet weapons and equipment determined by the west and NATO group, this series of air-to-air missiles were numbered and named AA-7 "spire". This series of missiles are exported in large quantities and used in the battlefield in the Middle East. In 2008, they still served in the air force/navy of Russia and exporting countries.