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In Detail ——  IMP – the CF18 Incremental Modernization Program ——

by Allan Ng M.Eng., P.Eng. (with ST Priestley)

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Canadian Defence Procurement  –  December 2003 The CF18 Incremental Modernization Program  –  In Detail Allan Ng reviews DND's CF18 fighter aircraft modernization plan  (Part 8) Follow-Ons to the Engineering Change Proposal 583  –  Short-Range AAMs? AAM – X Marks the Spot? In order to take advantage of a JHMCS (Joint Helmet- Mounted  Cuing  System ), the CF would need a next- generation short-range air- to-air missile (AAM) as well. The CF's currently-serving short-range AAM – the infrared-guided AIM-9M Sidewinder – is simply incompatable with the JHMCS. As previously mentioned, the field-of-view of a Sidewinder infrared seeker-head is restricted to a cone fanning outward roughly 30° from that missile's nose. Any AIM-9M fired outside those para- meters is unlikely to successfully track its target. Newer short-range AAMs with a wider field-of-view slaved to the JHMCS would allow pilots to gain a missile 'lock' with a glance. In tests, successful locks have been gained on targets more than 90 degrees off the nose infrared seekers of this new generation of AAMs. The US short-range AAM designed to integrate with the JHMCS is the AIM-9X, an extensive redesign of the AIM-9M. The key differences are the AIM-9X's use of MIL-STD-1760 link (like the AIM-120 medium- range AAM) and, most importantly, an ability to take infrared cuing from the JHMCS. [1]  These 'Off bore- sight' launches require much more manoeuverability. To allow the AIM-9X to make such hard turns, thrust vectoring – ie: redirecting the rocket motor's efflux – has been added to assist the missile to manoeuvre.