F / A-18F "Super Hornet" RAF
The approval by the US State Department of another possible defense contract for the supply by the friendly Royal Australian Air Force of a large consignment of 450 AIM-120D long-range air-to-air missiles has caused the appearance of new "fairy tales" and myths in the media. The news agency asdnews.com became one of such "storytellers", which claims that this modification of AMRAAM will not in any way affect the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region, which cannot but prompt serious thought.
In previous articles, we have repeatedly addressed the issue of Australia's transformation into a huge foothold for the American military-strategic concept aimed at dominance in the IATR (Indo-Asia-Pacific region). This happens both to control the movement of enemy submarine and surface fleets by the Americans at the global level, and directly with the aim of containing the Chinese concept of the "three chains". The latter was developed by the PLA command to suppress joint anti-Chinese actions of the United States Naval Forces, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Australia within 3 lines: "Spratly - Philippines - Okinawa", "Guam - Saipan", "Hawaii". In order for the Chinese concept not to be of high strategic importance, the Americans found an asymmetric response in the form of the transfer of the B-1B Lancer strategic missile-carrying bombers and several strategic KS-10A tankers to the Australian Tyndall airbase to the Australian airbase Tyndall, and several strategic KS-10A tankers to “strike fear” on the coastal facilities of the Celestial Empire. including unique economic zones, fleet facilities, high-tech infrastructure, etc. But the PLA's response capabilities are impressive today.
First, there are several dozen Dongfeng-4 MRBMs capable of reaching the territory of American air bases in Australia. The missiles are being modernized and have a modern complex of means of overcoming enemy missile defense, which does not give 100% guarantees of interception by American THAAD air defense systems and shipborne Aegis, installed on Australian Hobart-class destroyers, which in the future will defend the northern part of Australia. Secondly, work is not standing still on increasing the range of Chinese strategic cruise missiles of the CJ-10K / 20K family (their range reaches 3000 km), as well as on the development of a 5th generation supersonic strategic missile carrier capable of delivering these TFRs to the shores of Australia. in 2-3 hours.
Thirdly, such an air counterattack of the Chinese Air Force using promising strategic aviation will be supported by carrier-based fighter aircraft in the form of more than 100 modern J-15S and carrier-based versions of the stealthy J-31, based on the aircraft carrier Liaoning (formerly Varyag) and under construction today at the Dalian shipyard aircraft carrier pr. 001A. Carrier-based fighters will equip radar with AFAR and promising long-range air combat missiles. It is for this reason that we are witnessing the rearmament of the AIM-120D AMRAAM missiles today.
As you know, the Royal Australian Air Force is armed with 54 fighter-bomber F / A-18A "Hornet", 17 F / A-18B "Hornet", 24 F / A-18F "Super Hornet" and 12 antiaircraft and electronic warfare aircraft F / A-18G "Growler", also under contract for 100 F-35A. But the Hornets and Super Hornets were always armed with AIM-120C missiles, which are now beginning to become morally and technically obsolete.
The range of the AIM-120C version is only 105 - 110 km, which will not allow either the Super Hornets or Lightnings to show the high qualities of the AN / APG-79 and AN / APG-81 airborne radars in the fight against modern Chinese carrier-based aircraft, especially in view of the fact that the PRC with the purchase of the Su-35S will receive the technology for the production of the N035 Irbis-E radar. The AIM-120D is a completely new class product. The range of "AMRAAM-2" (the second name is AIM-120D) is 160 km, the flight speed is approaching 5M, and the active radar homing system has a more advanced guidance algorithm. It is known that already in the 7th test, this missile hit an air target with a direct hit, which indicates the ability to intercept small cruise missiles. Also on the lines of detection and "capture" of stealthy fighters by onboard radars of the above types (70 - 100 km), "AMRAAM-2" will maintain excellent maneuverability due to the high energy capabilities of the turbojet engine with increased thrust and operating time.
Despite its very compact size, the AIM-120D (another additional name for the AIM-120C-8) has a range comparable to the AIM-54C Phoenix heavy interceptor missile used from the F-14A / D carrier-based fighter-bombers, and also comparable to the MBDA Meteor air-to-air missile.
The presence of the AIM-120D in service with the Australian Air Force will increase the tactical potential of the existing 4 ++ generation multipurpose fighters by almost 1.5-2 times in intercepting and gaining air superiority: high-altitude high-speed targets can be intercepted at distances over 70-80 km, and ultra-small targets that are inaccessible for detection by radar systems of fighters at a considerable distance can be intercepted by target designation of AWACS aircraft (the Australian Air Force is armed with 6 AWACS Boeing 737AEW & C aircraft).
And therefore, all statements regarding the preservation of the existing balance of power in the APR after the acquisition of the AIM-120D by Australia are nothing more than an outright lie and disinformation of a simple and ignorant observer in technical matters.
