Vympel R-37 Russian AAM

The Vympel R-37 or AA-X-13/AA-13 Arrow is a Russian air-to-air missile with an extremely long range. It has also had the names K-37, Izdeliye 610 and R-VD (Raketa-Vysokaya Dalnost, "Very Long Range Missile"), and the NATO codename 'Andi'.

It was designed to shoot down AWACS and other C4ISTAR aircraft whilst keeping the launch platform out of range of any fighters that might be protecting the target. Although it was first tested from a MiG-31M, the R-37 is not a replacement for the Vympel R-33 missiles carried by that aircraft; rather, the R-37 is intended for the Su-35BM, PAK FA, and other future fighters.

The Vympel R-37 was developed from the Vympel R-33. For compatibility with aircraft that did not have the MiG-31's sophisticated radar, the semi-active seeker was replaced with a variant of the Agat 9B-1388 active seeker; mid-body strakes enhance lift and hence range, and folding tail controls allow semi-conformal carriage on planes that are not as big as the MiG-31. According to Defence Today the range depends on the flight profile, from 80 nautical miles (150 km) for a direct shot to 215 nautical miles (398 km) for a cruise glide profile. According to Jane's there are two variants, the R-37 and the R-37M; the latter has a jettisonable rocket booster that increases the range to "300-400km" (160–220 nm).

The Vympel R-37 is now in production to equip upgraded Russian MiG-31BM Foxhound interceptors, and export MiG-31BM aircraft for Syria. Despite the early intent to integrate the weapon on the Flanker, this has yet to be reported.

Vympel R-37
Type	air-to-air missile
Place of origin	Russia
Specifications
Weight	600 kilograms (1,320 lb)
Length	4.20 metres (13 ft 9 in)
Diameter	38 centimetres (15 in)
Warhead	HE, fragmenting
Warhead weight	60 kg (135 lb)
Wingspan	0.7 m (2 ft 4 in)
Propellant	Solid rocket
Operational range	80–215 nm (150–398 km)
Speed	Mach 6
Guidance system	Inertial with mid-course update, semi-active and active radar homing