Can U.S. Air-to-Air Missiles Compete in Today”s Electronic Warfare Environment?

THE MIL & AERO COMMENTARY, 12 April 2016. A new order for advanced radar-spoofing electronic warfare (EW) equipment got me thinking: how well do U.S. air-to-air missiles fare against the world”s most advanced EW countermeasures? The answer appears to be not so well.For years, if not decades, U.S. military forces largely have neglected developing not only advanced EW technologies, but also air-to-air missile technologies designed to operate through and defeat the most proficient enemy EW equipment.The most advanced U.S. long-range radar-guided air-to-air missile, the AIM-120 AMRAAM, for example, has been in the inventory for a quarter century, and no longer is considered the world”s leading long-range airborne anti-aircraft missile.The best and most advanced air-to-air missile is a matter of conjecture, with the European Meteor missile, the Russian K-37M, and the Chinese PL-15 considered the leading candidates. the U.S. AMRAAM rarely is mentioned in the company of these missiles.