Ukrainian drones and American missiles: A game-changer in Crimea
Magura anti-aircraft naval drones aren't new, but a recent historic incident involved shooting down a pair of Russian Su-30 aircraft using American AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, which are also used on Polish F-16s. Here's an overview of their performance.
Ukrainians are increasingly using naval drones to disrupt the Russian Black Sea Fleet, currently stationed in Novorossiysk. Additionally, Ukrainians utilize naval drones as miniature aircraft carriers for drones targeting Russian anti-aircraft defense systems deployed on the shores of Crimea.
Meanwhile, the Russians, aiming to protect their ships, are targeting drones using aviation. Initially, they used helicopters, but after losing a few units, they switched to multirole aircraft. These should, in theory, be impervious to anti-aircraft drones due to their high altitude and the use of technologies like laser-guided missiles.
However, for some reason, most likely the Russian pilots of the pair of Su-30 planes decided to attack the drones using cannons or unguided missiles, which was disastrous for them. The two planes were intercepted by a drone carrying American AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, likely in the older L or M versions. These are abundant in NATO and serve as a good substitute for the previously used Vympel R-73.
AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles — short-range weapon of most NATO air forces
The AIM-9 Sidewinder series missiles have been the primary armament for NATO countries' aircraft since the 1950s. Currently, NATO's aviation employs AIM-9L or M missiles from the late 1970s and 1980s, as well as the newer AIM-9X models produced since 2015.
The AIM-9X version is easily identifiable by the presence of small canards at the front of the missile and short fins at its rear. Ukraine received both older versions, for which "combat scrapping" is the best possible option, and newer AIM-9X units, most likely reserved for F-16 aircraft and the NASAMS system.
AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles - passive guidance system
These missiles are characterized by a short range, just over 30 kilometres for newer variants at high altitude or about 10 kilometres when launched from land or water. They are equipped with an infrared homing system with an IR seeker head, and in the latest variants, it's a fourth-generation (IIR) design that sees the thermal image of the target. However, as evident from the engagements, older models have also succeeded in downing Russian planes.
This passive homing method differs from the active radar seeker found in AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles and allows them to attack stealth aircraft while being resistant to flares.
A fragmentation warhead weighing about 10 kilograms is used to destroy targets, which is sufficiently powerful to seriously damage or destroy an aircraft or helicopter. The AIM-9X Block II version, compared to earlier versions, offers improved durability, a different control surface design, and features thrust vectoring, which significantly enhances its manoeuvrability at short range when the rocket motor is still active.
