Российская ракета Р-77: разработка, применение и модернизации.

Russian beyond visual range air to air missile

The R 77 was marked by a severely protracted development. Work began in the 1980s, but was not completed before the Soviet Union fell. For many years, only the RVV AE model was produced for export customers. Production was further disrupted when the Russo Ukrainian War resulted in a Ukrainian arms embargo against Russia, severing supply chains. The Russian Aerospace Forces finally entered the R 77 1 (AA 12B) into service in 2015. It was subsequently deployed by Su 35S fighters in Syria on combat air patrols. It represented Ukraine's and later also Russia's first multi purpose missile for tactical and strategic aircraft for fire and forget use against aircraft ranging from hovering helicopters to high speed, low altitude aircraft. Gennadiy Sokolovski, general designer of the Vympel Design Bureau, said that the R 77 missile can be used against medium and long range air to air missiles such as the AIM 120 AMRAAM and AIM 54 Phoenix, as well as SAMs such as the Patriot. The munition has a laser triggered proximity fuze and an expanding rod warhead that can destroy targets of various sizes. It can be used against cruise missiles and precision guided munitions (PGMs). First seen in 1992 at the Moscow Airshow (MAKS) 1992, the R 77 was immediately nicknamed Amraamski by Western journalists. The basic R 77 is known as the izdeliye 170, while the export variant is known as the izdeliye 190 or RVV AE. The R 77 and RVV AE have a range of
There are other variants under development. One has an upgraded motor to extend a range at high altitudes to as much as 120–160 km; it is known as the RVV AE PD (Povyshenoy Dalnosti—improved range). This variant has been test fired and uses a solid fuel ramjet engine. Its range puts it in the long range class and is equivalent in range to the AIM 54 Phoenix. In another version of the R 77, a terminal infrared homing seeker is offered. This is in line with the Russian practice of attacking targets by firing pairs of missiles with different homing systems. This complicates end game defensive actions for the target aircraft, as it needs to successfully defeat two homing systems. If a radar guided medium range missile is fired at an enemy jet aircraft outside the non escape attack zone, the target aircraft may be able to escape through emergency maneuver. But at this moment, in fact, the infrared guidance has an advantage: once the jet aircraft turns to escape, the engine nozzle is exposed, and the infrared characteristics are exposed. This method of attack may not always be available as IR seekers typically have less range and less resistance to poor weather than radar seekers, which may limit the successful use of mixed seeker attacks unless the IR missile is initially directed by radar or some other means. Another improvement program was designated the R 77M, which made the missile longer and heavier, making use of a two stage motor as well as an improved seeker. A further product improvement of the R 77, designated the R 77M1 and then the R 77 PD, was to feature a ramjet propulsion device. This missile was destined for the MiG 1.44 that for the MFI program. The munition has a laser fuse and an expanding rod warhead that can destroy the variable sized targets. However, due to funding shortage and eventual cancellation of the MiG 1.44, development of this model may have stopped by 1999; no information or announcement regarding the R 77M and R 77 PD has appeared since.

Tactical Missile Weapons Corporation, also known as TRV (Takticheskoe Raketnoe Vooruzhenie – Тактическое Ракетное Вооружение), unveiled the RVV SD and RVV MD missiles for the first time at the Moscow Air Show (MAKS) in August 2009. The RVV SD is an improved version of the R 77, while the RVV MD is a variant of the R 73. The RVV SD includes the upgrades associated with the izdeliye 170 1, or R 77 1. According to specifications, the R 77 1 and its export variant RVV SD is heavier than the basic R 77 / RVV AE, weighing rather than Maximum range is increased to from .

For the first forty years, the aerodynamics combined vestigial cruciform wings with grid fins used as tail control surfaces (similar devices are used on the OTR 23 Oka, and USAF uses them on MOAB). The flow separation which occurs at high angles of attack enhances its turning ability, giving the missile a maximum turn rate of up to 150° per second. However, the grid fins also increase drag and radar cross section. Updated variants of the R 77, such as the izdeliye 180 that is destined for the Sukhoi Su 57, will use conventional fins instead. The radar features two modes of operation, over short distances, the missile will launch in an active "fire and forget" mode. Over longer distances the missile is controlled by an inertial guidance auto pilot with occasional encoded data link updates from the launch aircraft's radar on changes in spatial position or G of the target. As the missile comes within of its target, the missile switches to its active radar mode. The host radar system maintains computed target information in case the target breaks the missile's lock on.

At the beginning of February 2016, four Su 35S were deployed to Syria as part of the Russian aerial expeditionary force to the country. Tasked with air to air duties, the Su 35S were extensively documented while armed with a couple of R 77 missiles, between IR seeking R 27T under the inner pylons and R 73 under the outer ones.