Novator K-100 Russia - India AAM

The Novator K-100 is a Russian air-to-air missile designed as an "AWACS killer" at ranges up to 300–400 km (160-210 mi). The missile has had various names during its troubled history, including Izdeliye 172 ('Article 172'), AAM-L (RVV-L), KS–172, KS-1, 172S-1 and R-172. The airframe appears to have been derived from the 9K37 Buk surface-to-air missile (SAM) but development stalled in the mid-1990s for lack of funds. It appears to have restarted in 2004 after a deal with India, who wants to produce the missile in India for their Su-30MKI fighters.

The mockup shown in 1993 had a strong resemblance to the Buk airframe, but since the Indians became involved there have been some changes. An Indian magazine gave the specifications of the KS–172 in April 2004 as a core 6.01m long and 40 cm in diameter with a wingspan of 61 cm, with a booster of 1.4m, and 748 kg total weight. It had a solid fuel tandem rocket booster capable of speeds up to 4,000 km/h (2,500 mph), 12g manoevring, and an adaptive HE fragmentation warhead. Development would concentrate on the seeker head, autopilot, resistance to jamming and a steering system with 3D thrust vector control (TVC).

In May 2005 it was reported that there were two versions, with and without a rocket booster, with ranges of 400 km and 300 km respectively. At the MAKS airshow in August 2005, a range of 300 km was quoted for a streamlined missile with a small booster and fins on both booster and fuselage. However the model shown at the 2007 MAKS airshow under the name K-100 was closer to the original 1993 mockup in the photo above, with different-shaped fins that were further up the fuselage, and an even larger booster with TVC vents. At the same show it was shown under the wing of a Su-35BM, implying that at least two could be carried by Flanker-class aircraft rather than just one on the centreline.

Guidance is by inertial navigation until the missile is close enough to the target to use active radar for terminal homing. The K-100 has an enlarged (350 mm (14 in)) derivative of the Agat 9B-1103M seeker used in the Vympel R-27 (AA-10 'Alamo'). It has a lock-on range of 40 km (22 nmi), described by an Agat designer as "one fifth or less of the overall range".

Novator K-100-1
Type	air-to-air missile
Place of origin	Russia & India
Production history
Manufacturer	NPO Novator & DRDO
Specifications
Weight	748 kg (1,650 lb) (KS–172)
Length	6.01 m (19.7 ft) + 1.4 m (4.6 ft) (KS–172)
Diameter	40 cm (16 in) (KS–172)
Warhead	HE fragmentation (KS–172)
Warhead weight	50 kg (110 lb)
Engine	Solid-propellant tandem rocket booster (KS–172)
Wingspan	61 cm (24 in) (KS–172)
Operational range	At least 200km, possibly 300–400 km (160-210 nmi)
Flight altitude	3 m (9.8 ft)–30,000 m (98,000 ft) (KS–172)
Speed	"up to" 4,000 km/h (2,500 mph) (KS–172)
Guidance system	inertial navigation with midcourse guidance and active radar for terminal homing (KS–172)
Launch platform	Su-27, Su-30, Su-35, Su-30MKI