| Vympel R-27R | |
|---|---|
| Type | Medium-range, air-to-air tactical missile |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1983- present |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Vympel |
| Unit cost | N/A |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 253 kg (560 lb) |
| Length | 4.08 m (13.4 ft) |
| Diameter | 230 mm (9.1 in) |
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| Warhead | blast/fragmentation, or continuous rod |
| Warhead weight | 39 kg (86 lb) |
| Detonation mechanism |
radar-proximity and impact fuzes |
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| Engine | High performance, w. directed-rocket motor Solid-fuel rocket motor |
| Wingspan | 772 mm (30.4 in) |
| Operational range |
R-27R: up to 80 km R-27T: up to 70 km R-27ER: up to 130 km R-27ET: up to 120 km R-27AE up to 130 km R-27EM: up to 170km[1] |
| Flight altitude | N/A |
| Speed | Mach 2.5 to 4.5 (Depending on altitude and weather conditions.) |
| Guidance system |
semi-active radar homing |
| Launch platform |
the fighter planes |
The Vympel R-27 missile (with the NATO reporting name AA-10 Alamo) is a medium-to-long-range air-to-air missile developed by the Soviet Union. It remains in service with the Russian Air Force and air forces of the former Commonwealth of Independent States.
The R-27 is manufactured in infrared-homing (R-27T), semi-active-radar-homing (R-27R), and active-radar-homing (R-27AE) versions, in both Russia and the Ukraine. The R-27 missile is carried by the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 fighters, and some of the later-model MiG-23MLD fighters have also been adapted to carry it. The R-27 missile is also license-produced in the PRC, though the production license was bought from Ukraine instead of Russia. The Chinese versions have a different active radar seeker taken from the Vympel R-77 missile, which was sold to the PRC by Russia.
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Some Russian sources claim that in the Gulf War of 1990-1991 an Iraqi MIG-29 managed to damage an American B-52G, nicknamed "In Harm's Way" with a R-27R missile.[5] According to USAF the incident was a rather unusual case of friendly-fire: the B-52G defensive gun operator is reported to have locked onto a friendly F-4G Wild Weasel jet on his fire-control radar, suspecting it to be an Iraqi MiG. The Weasel recognized being tracked by a fire-control radar and responded by firing a HARM anti-radiation missile, which hit the B-52. This incident was also the reason the aircraft, which survived the damage, was later nicknamed "In Harm's Way".[6] The Russian sources claiming R-27 damage to the B-52 also list Iraqi MiG kills in direct contradiction to statements by Iraqi pilots, who deny such kills,[7] casting doubt upon the veracity of the claims.
In the 1999 Eritrean-Ethiopian War, Eritrean MiG-29s fought Ethiopian Su-27s both piloted by Russian mercenaries.[8] There were possibly as many as 24 R-27s fired by both sides, but they were evaded by their targets. Only one R-27 fired by an Ethiopian Su-27 at an Eritrean MiG-29 proximity-fuzed near enough the MiG that the damaged aircraft eventually crashed on landing. [9][10]