R-37 (missile)

Design

The R-37 was developed from the R-33. For compatibility with aircraft that did not have the MiG-31's sophisticated radar, the semi-active seeker was replaced with a variant of the Agat 9B-1388 active seeker. Similarly, folding tail controls allow semi-conformal carriage on planes that are not as big as the MiG-31.

Mid-body strakes enhance lift and hence increase range. According to Defence Today, the range depends on the flight profile, from 80 nmi for a direct shot to 215 nmi for a cruise glide profile.

The R-37M designation has since been used for a modernized variant of the missile, also known as RVV-BD (Raketa Vozduh-Vozduh Bolshoy Dalnosty, or Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile). R-37M's range exceeds 200 km, and it is capable of hypersonic speeds (~Mach 5). It will be carried by the modernized MiG-31BM interceptors and Su-35S and Su-57 multirole fighters.

A further derivative designed for internal carriage in the Su-57, designated as Izdeliye 810, has folding rear fins, shorter strakes, and updated seeker and motor.

The missile can attack targets at altitudes of 15 m–25 km, guided semi-actively or actively through the Agat 9B-1388 system.

History

The missile was designed in the early 1980s and first flown in 1989. Testing of the R-37 continued through the 1990s, and in 1994, a trial round scored a kill at a range of 162 nmi. However, the program appears to have been dropped around 1998 on grounds of cost. Work on the missile appears to have restarted in late 2006, as part of the MiG-31BM program to update the Foxhound with a new radar and ground attack capability.

In 2018, the R-37M had finished its operational validation tests. Zvezda TV reports have recorded the Su-35 carrying the R-37, apparently as part of an air combat loadout. In this configuration, the craft carries two R-73s in the central wing pylon, two R-77s slung underneath the engine nacelles, and two R-37s on the hardpoints between the engines, with an option to carry a few more missiles, such as a Kh-31 anti-radiation missile.

The US Defense Intelligence Agency revealed in a 2025 report that Russia is fielding a nuclear-armed air-to-air missile. While the report does not mention any specific missile, analysts believe that it refers to a nuclear-capable variant of the R-37M missile.

Operational history

The R-37M has, since October 2022, been the main threat against the Ukrainian Air Force. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, MiG-31 aircraft have reportedly shot down several Ukrainian aircraft, mainly by using the long range R-37. By remaining at high speed and high altitude, MiG-31s have been able to operate virtually unopposed due to Ukrainian fighters lacking range, speed, or altitude necessary to engage the MiG-31. The Ukrainian Air Force lacked fire and forget missiles until the introduction of the AMRAAM and MICA. They relied on the R-27 missiles, both the R-27R and R-27ER. The Ukrainian pilot must illuminate the Russian aircraft with their radar to guide the missile to the target. Russian pilots firing active radar, fire and forget, R-77 give the Russian pilots the ability to launch their missiles and then take evasive action. Ukrainian pilots were forced to "exploit ground clutter and terrain-masking to get close enough to fire before being engaged".

A report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) states that in October some six R-37Ms were being fired at the Ukrainian Air Force a day. The Su-35S is also used as a carrier for the R-37M. Four MiG-31 were also deployed to Crimea at the Belbek Air Base in mid 2022.

In August 2022, Russian forces maintained a Combat Air Patrol of either a pair of Su-35S or MiG-31s on station to shoot down Ukrainian aircraft. The RUSI stated: "The VKS has been firing up to six R-37Ms per day during October. The extremely high speed of the weapon, coupled with very long effective range and a seeker designed for engaging low-altitude targets, makes it particularly difficult to evade."

In February 2023, Ukraine obtained wreckage of a R-37M which would be of interest to Ukraine and Western countries.{{cite web|url= https://www.hngn.com/articles/246753/20230218/ukraine-acquires-wreckage-r-37m-russian-missile-used-attack.htm |title= Ukraine Acquires Wreckage of R-37M Russian Missile Used for Attack

According to a Russian source, the missile is carried by the Su-35S and Su-57 fighters, and the MiG-31BM interceptor.

According to Ukrainian pilots, the R-37M isn't achieving a lot of "hard kills", the destruction of actual Ukrainian aircraft. However, their launch forces pilots to abandon their current mission and take evasive action.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2023/05/30/with-f-16s-ukrainian-pilots-can-finally-beat-back-russias-mig-31s/?ss=aerospace-defense&sh=de6e14c5c0b4|title=With F-16s, Ukrainian Pilots Could Finally Beat Back Russia's MiG-31s|website=Forbes.com|author= David Axe

Operators

• Russian Aerospace Forces: Operated by MiG-31s, Su-35s and Su-57s.

• Algerian Air Force: Operated by Su-30MKA, future Su-35s and Su-57s.

Potential Operators

• Algerian Air Force: Algeria has already integrated the R-37M on its Su-30MKA and in the future on the Su-57Es, with possible licensed production in Algeria.

Gallery

File:Army-2020-293.JPG|RVV-BD File:MAKS2015part7-19.jpg|RVV-BD

References

References

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18. Forbes Staff. (30 April 2022). "Ukraine's Pilots Are Flying Into Battle With Old, Dumb Missiles. It's One Reason They Get Shot Down.".
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23. "ЦАМТО / / Новая ракета Р-37М класса "воздух-воздух" показала в рамках СВО очень высокую вероятность поражения целей".
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