AGM-122 Sidearm
Encyclopedia
The AGM-122 Sidearm was an American
air-to-surface
anti-radiation missile
.
missiles which had been taken out of service. The AIM-9C was a semi-active radar homing
variant of the Sidewinder, developed for the US Navy's Vought F-8 Crusader, but used for only a limited period of time. The Sidearm was first tested in 1981
. In 1984
, Motorola
was issued a contract to convert and upgrade AIM-9Cs to AGM-122A standard. A total of about 700 units were produced between 1986
and 1990
.
Existing stocks of Sidearm have been depleted, and the missile is no longer in service. Proposals for new-build missiles, under the designation AGM-122B, have not been proceeded with to date.
The AGM-122 was less capable than newer antiradiation missiles like the AGM-88 HARM
, but also substantially cheaper, and its lighter weight enabled it to be carried by combat helicopters as well as fighter aircraft
and fighter bombers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
air-to-surface
Air-to-surface missile
An air-to-surface missile is a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft and strike ground targets on land, at sea, or both...
anti-radiation missile
Anti-radiation missile
An anti-radiation missile is a missile which is designed to detect and home on an enemy radio emission source. Typically these are designed for use against an enemy radar, although jammers and even radios used for communication can also be targeted in this manner.- Air-to-Ground :Most ARM designs...
.
Development
The AGM-122 Sidearm was produced by the re-manufacture of AIM-9CAIM-9 Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried mostly by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. The missile entered service with United States Air Force in the early 1950s, and variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces...
missiles which had been taken out of service. The AIM-9C was a semi-active radar homing
Semi-active radar homing
Semi-active radar homing, or SARH, is a common type of missile guidance system, perhaps the most common type for longer-range air-to-air and surface-to-air missile systems. The name refers to the fact that the missile itself is only a passive detector of a radar signal – provided by an external ...
variant of the Sidewinder, developed for the US Navy's Vought F-8 Crusader, but used for only a limited period of time. The Sidearm was first tested in 1981
1981 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1981:-January:* January 3 – Pan American World Airways makes its final Boeing 707 flight.* January 7 – A Boeing 747 of CAAC lands at John F...
. In 1984
1984 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1984:-February:* February 21 - 14 hours and 2 minutes after taking off from New York, Air France pilot Patrick Fourticq and his companion, race driver Henry Pescarolo, land their Piper Malibu in Paris, setting a world record for a trans-Atlantic flight...
, Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
was issued a contract to convert and upgrade AIM-9Cs to AGM-122A standard. A total of about 700 units were produced between 1986
1986 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1986:-January:* January 9 - the UK Defence Secretary, Michael Heseltine, resigns amidst a political furore over the future of Westland Helicopters...
and 1990
1990 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1990:- Events :*Pan American World Airways and Trans World Airlines, both in financial difficulty, transfer their coveted landing rights at London Heathrow Airport to American Airlines and United Airlines.-January:...
.
Existing stocks of Sidearm have been depleted, and the missile is no longer in service. Proposals for new-build missiles, under the designation AGM-122B, have not been proceeded with to date.
The AGM-122 was less capable than newer antiradiation missiles like the AGM-88 HARM
AGM-88 HARM
The AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile is a tactical, air-to-surface missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally developed by Texas Instruments as a replacement for the AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-78 Standard ARM system...
, but also substantially cheaper, and its lighter weight enabled it to be carried by combat helicopters as well as fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
and fighter bombers.