R-37 (missile)
| Vympel R-37M NATO reporting name: AA-13 Axehead | |
|---|---|
R-37M (under the export designation RVV-BD) at 2013 MAKS Airshow | |
| Type | Long-range air-to-air missile |
| Place of origin | Russia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2019–present |
| Used by | Russian Aerospace Forces |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Tactical Missiles Corporation |
| Designed | 1980s |
| Manufacturer | Vympel MKB |
| Produced | 1985 |
| Variants | R-37M (export: RVV-BD) |
| Specifications (RVV-BD) | |
| Mass | 510 kilograms (1,120 lb) |
| Length | 4.06 metres (13 ft 4 in) |
| Diameter | 38 centimetres (15 in) |
| Wingspan | 72 centimetres (28 in) |
| Warhead | HE, fragmentation |
| Warhead weight | 60 kg (135 lb), conventional or thermonuclear |
| Propellant | Boost-Sustain Solid Rocket |
Operational range | 150–400 km (93–249 mi) Up to 200 kilometres (120 mi) (RVV-BD) |
| Maximum speed | Mach 6 (7,400 km/h; 4,600 mph) |
Guidance system | Inertial with mid-course update, semi-active and active radar homing |
Launch platform | MiG-31, Su-35S, Su-57 |
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The Vympel R-37 (NATO reporting name: AA-13 Axehead) is a Russian long-range air-to-air missile. The missile and its variants also had the names K-37, izdeliye 610 and RVV-BD (Ракета Воздух-Воздух Большой Дальности (Raketa Vozduh-Vozduh Bolshoy Dalnosti), "Long range air-to-air rocket"), and the NATO codenames "Axehead" and "Andi". It was developed from the R-33.
It is designed to shoot down tankers, AWACS and other C4ISTAR aircraft while keeping the launch platform out of range of any fighters that might be protecting the target.
According to Janes there are two variants, the R-37 and the R-37M; the latter conceived as having a jettisonable rocket booster that increases the range to "300–400 km" (160–220 nm). In 2023, Rosoboronexport introduced the export version of the R-37M, designated RVV-BD. It has a launch range of up to 200 kilometres (120 mi; 110 nmi) and maximum altitude of 25 kilometres (82,000 ft) with a 60 kilograms (130 lb) warhead. The missile is compatible with Sukhoi Su-57, Sukhoi Su-30, Sukhoi Su-35, Mikoyan MiG-31BM and Mikoyan MiG-35.