Air-to-Air Missile Market Overview

摘要

In contrast the 1990s, the air-to-air missile (AAM) market will shift back to a situation where short-range missiles will be built in larger numbers than medium range AAMs though medium range AAMs will represent a larger fraction of the market in terms of overall value. Short-range missiles will not achieve the dominance they once enjoyed, as beyond-visual-range missiles have become favored. While this is due in part to tactical changes, the newer short-range AAMs employ imaging infrared seekers that add considerably to their cost. The increasing number of short-range missiles now being acquired is due to the recent advent of a new generation of short-range AAMs such as the AIM-9X, IRIS-T, ASRAAM and others. As in the case of fighter aircraft, the increasing ef- fectiveness and cost of the new generation of missiles will lead to fewer missiles being acquired, though the actual expense of the acquisition programs will remain similar.