SRAAMs

SRAAMs, or short-range air-to-air missiles, are weapons designed to engage enemy aircraft at close range from a fighter aircraft. They are optimized for high maneuverability, rapid response, and effective use in dogfight-style engagement zones where long-range missiles are less practical. Typical SRAAM envelopes extend from a few kilometers up to around 20–25 kilometers, depending on the system and flight conditions.

Guidance systems for SRAAMs are largely infrared or imaging infrared, and many examples use semi-active radar or dual-mode seekers. IR-based seekers detect and lock onto the heat signatures of targets, enabling shot-on-visual or shot-on-sight engagement with helmet-mounted cueing and high off-boresight capability. Some models employ dual-mode seekers to improve performance in cluttered or jamming-prone environments. Propulsion is usually a solid-fuel rocket motor, and warheads are sized for effective one-hit kills in aerial targets. Modern designs emphasize all-aspect launch capability, rapid acceleration, and strong maneuverability at the end of flight, with fuzes and proximity features to maximize hit probability.

Operational role and development trends: SRAAMs provide a last line of defense and a complementary capability to longer-range air-to-air missiles. They are integral to air superiority and point-defense scenarios, enabling fighters to engage threats before they can launch longer-range missiles. Over time, developments have focused on improved seekers, all-aspect capability, helmet-mounted cueing, and reduced launch warning to enhance hit probability in modern air combat.

Notable examples:

- AIM-9 Sidewinder family (IR-guided, widely used since the 1950s)

- AIM-9X Sidewinder (advanced IR-guided variant)

- AIM-132 ASRAAM (short-range, all-weather)

- IRIS-T (short-range, high off-boresight)

- R-73 (AA-11 Archer, Soviet-era IR-guided)

- Python-5 (compact, agile short-range)

These missiles illustrate the diversity of guidance, motor, and seeker technologies in the SRAAM category.