Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD -- The sprawling mountain ranges of Anchorage, Alaska provided the recent backdrop for NAVAIR’s Air-to-Air Missile Executive Leadership Team gathered at Elmendorf Air Force Base for an opportunity to interface first-hand with the warfighter. In the case of PMA-259’s recent trip, the warfighter was not the U.S. Navy fleet, but the men and women of the Third Wing, Pacific Air Forces. Elmendorf AFB, with its strategic location and training facilities, is a key military facility in the Pacific region.

“It was a great opportunity to meet face-to-face with aircrews and ordies on their flight line and in their Ready Room”, said NAVAIR’s Air-to-Air Missiles Program Manager, Capt Scott Stewart. “Dialog with the warfighter using the weapons we are fielding is priceless. This trip gave our team the opportunity to respond to their questions and concerns right on the spot. Their positive feedback of how well the fielded AIM-9X is performing was very rewarding to our entire team. Air Dominance has been successfully delivered!

Joining Capt Stewart at Elmendorf AFB were Raytheon’s Vice President of Air-to-Air Missiles, Mr. Chuck Anderson, as well as PMA-259 Government/Industry team mates from Patuxent River, China Lake, Eglin, OPNAV and Raytheon Missiles Systems Tucson, AZ.

The 19th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf AFB is an F-15 Eagle squadron, one of the first units to field the AIM-9X. Having flown the missile for over 1,500 hours, the Eagles of the 19th have been quite pleased with the AIM-9X’s performance, capabilities and reliability. In addition to being the first recipients of the AIM-9X, the 19th Fighter Squadron is also the first to use the missile with the Joint Helmet Mounting Cueing System (JHMCS). The leadership team talked with pilots who flew the systems and were pleased to receive feedback such as “AIM-9X with JHMCS is like a Sidewinder on Steroids" or "Fighting with AIM-9X... It's not fair anymore". One passionate pilot ended his discussion with an appeal to the team, "Please don't take either one of them away!"

AIM-9X revolutionizes dogfighting tactics through a systems design approach that incorporates a fifth-generation staring focal plane array seeker for robust guidance performance, improved infrared countermeasures capability and jet vane control for extremely agile turning performance.

The AIM-9X’s seeker has near instantaneous slew rates, and achieves extremely high off-boresight angles for threat acquisition and first shot opportunity. Hence, pilots are no longer required to point the aircraft’s nose at the target to employ this transformational weapon system.

Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for the AIM-9X Missile is scheduled for early November 2003 with the U.S. Air Force followed by USMC and Navy squadrons. The AIM-9X program recently completed OPEVAL and is anxiously awaiting the final report before entering full rate production.

NAVAIR provides advanced warfare technology through the efforts of a seamless, integrated, worldwide network of aviation technology experts. From professional training to carrier launch; from sensor data to precision targeting; from aircraft and weapons development to successful deployment; from real-time communication to aircraft recovery NAVAIR provides dominant combat effects and matchless capabilities to the American warfighter.

For more information about the Air-to-Air Missile program please contact Denise Deon Wilson, Public Affairs Officer for PEO-T at 301-481-6263 or [email protected].

Caption:
Members of the PMA-259 Government/Industry team from Patuxent River, China Lake, Eglin, OPNAV and Raytheon Missiles Systems Tucson, gather on the flight line of the 19th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf AFB to talk to the AIM-9X warfighter.

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