AAM-5 (Japanese missile)

{{Infobox weapon

| is_missile = yes

| name = AAM-5

| image = JASDF AAM-5 & AAM-5Kai at Gifu Air Base October 25, 2015.JPG

| image_size = 250

| caption = AAM-5 and AAM-5B

| origin = Japan

| type = Short-range air-to-air missile

| used_by = Japan Air Self-Defense Force

| manufacturer = Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

| unit_cost = 55-60 million yen

| propellant = solid fuel rocket

| production_date =

| service = 2004 - present

| engine =

| engine_power =

| weight = {{convert|95|kg|abbr=on}}

| length = {{convert|3.105|m|abbr=on}}

| height =

| diameter = {{convert|130|mm|abbr=on}}

| wingspan = {{convert|440|mm|abbr=on}}

| speed = Mach 3

| vehicle_range = {{convert|35|km|abbr=on}}

| ceiling =

| altitude =

| filling = blast-frag

| guidance = Infrared homing

AAM-5: (IIR + INS)

AAM-5B: ((Dual Wavelength) IIR + INS)

| detonation = laser proximity fuze and impact

| launch_platform =

}}

The Mitsubishi AAM-5 (Type 04 air-to-air missile, {{lang|ja|04式空対空誘導弾}}) is a short-range air-to-air missile developed and produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.{{cite web |title=Mitsubishi AAM-5 |url=https://weaponsystems.net/system/217-Mitsubishi+AAM-5 |website=weaponsystems.net |access-date=14 August 2023}} Development of the missile as a replacement for the AAM-3 (Type 90) missile commenced in 1991, and it has been operational since 2004.

Characteristics

Unlike the Type 90 guided missile, the AAM-5 does not have canard control surfaces, using thrust vectoring for high agility. The missile body has narrow strakes extending over most of its length. It features inertial guidance, provided by a fiber-optic gyroscope, which allows for LOAL (Lock-on after launch). Additionally it allows for high off-boresight use, through cueing targets outside of the seeker's field of view via a HMD. Terminal homing is via infrared imaging (IIR). In terms of generation, it is placed in the same generation as missiles such as the AIM-9X and IRIS-T.

For the AAM-5B, the NEC manufactured seeker has also been improved, with a dual wavelength infra-red focal plane array seeker. Additionally the gimbal type was changed from a 2-axis to a 3-axis design, allowing for improved off-boresight capabilities, as well as improved IRCCM. The reason the additional gimbal improves IRCCM functionality is due to the missile's IRCCM method, an image recognition type which relies on comparing the frame to prior ones to look for the target which it was originally locked onto.Defense Agency Technical Research & Development Institute 60 Years of History, 2012.04式空対空誘導弾, CP-Y-0115F, 20 January 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/adtc/14-yudoubuki.html |title=航空開発実験集団現在の実用試験等 |accessdate=2015-01-01 |archiveurl=https://warp.ndl.go.jp/collections/content/info:ndljp/pid/9854331/www.mod.go.jp/asdf/adtc/14-yudoubuki.html |archivedate=2016-02-10}}{{Cite web|title=誘導武器2001-2017|url=https://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/adtw/adm/shiken/kakoshiken_missile2.html|website=www.mod.go.jp|accessdate=2021-03-27}}

{{Cite web|url=https://www.mod.go.jp/atla/souhon/supply/jisseki/rakusatu/xls/29zuikei_kijunijo.xlsx|title=平成２９年度　月別契約情報／随意契約（基準以上）（Excelファイル）|accessdate=2021-03-27|publisher=防衛装備庁}}

Variants

AAM-5

:The original variant introduced in 2004, has limited operational time due to its seeker cooling type.

AAM-5B

:Enhanced background discrimination capability and IRCCM by changing to a dual wavelength seeker and a 3-axis gimbal. Seeker cooling time is extended by the adoption of a Stirling engine, up to a maximum cooling time of 1 hours.