First test flight of fully upgraded missile on 14 August 1990 scored a direct hit on a QF-4 drone. Full-scale development began in August 1987. Latest version of RPM substitutes 6 ultra-high-speed computer chips for 45 of earlier, less-capable chips. It had modern performances way before the modern technologies were available. Contains internal heaters, which eliminates need for temperature conditioning liquid, high-power Traveling Wave Tube (TWT) transmitter adapted from the AIM-120 AMRAAM, and low-sidelobe antenna. The AIM-54 Phoenix, together with the F-14, was a missile in a class of its own. Continuous-rod warhead replaced by controlled fragmentation warhead.ĪIM-54C+ High Power Phoenix Improved variant developed by Hughes for F-14D. Analog electronics replaced by Reprogrammable Memory (RPM) digital processor, yielding faster target discrimination, longer range, increased altitude, improved beam attack capability, better ECM resistance, and greater reliability. Not produced.ĪIM-54C Last production model. Simpler construction, non-liquid cooling. Design range of 60 nm (69 mi 111 km) was easily surpassed in testing.ĪIM-54B Interim model. Liquid-cooled hydraulic and thermal-conditioning systems. Analog electronics, klystron tube transmitter/receiver. The Phoenix was the United States' only long-range air-to-air missile. Navy and Marines Corps aircraft, such as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, could fire six missiles simultaneously at different targets and in all weather conditions. Development began in 1960 to arm the General Dynamics F-111B, a Navy variant of the F-111 (which was not produced).ĪIM-54A First production model for F-14A. The AIM-54 Phoenix is an American radar-guided, long-range air-to-air missile (AAM), carried in clusters of up to six missiles on the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, its only operational launch platform. This is a solid-fuel, air-to-air, long-range Phoenix tactical missile, designated AIM 54A. The AIM-54 Phoenix, together with the F-14, was a missile in a class of its own. AAM-N-11 First designation for missile to replace AIM-47 variant of the Falcon family and the Bendix AAM-N-10 Eagle.
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