Author Topic: AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)  (Read 8972 times)

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)
« on: December 01, 2012, 11:33:31 AM »
New to me but the images that are available on the interweb show a missile airframe that appears to be smaller than the AIM-4 Falcon AAM of days long past. 

Link to page showing an F-35 lugging a dozen of these cute little things internally on the doors and weapons bay stores stations.

Click on image or html to read article



(Image source: TheAviationist.com)

It appears that at this time there is no official AIM designation number.  One blog states that Lockheed Martin took out a trademark on the Cuda in 2011.  Adding further to the mystery, there is no mention of the missile at Designation Systems net.  So if anyone can fill in the blanks without getting carted off to the Ministry of Truth it would be appreciated.  Topic title is temporary until the AIM number is determined and will be changed when it is known.
« Last Edit: December 01, 2012, 11:37:48 AM by Jeffry Fontaine »
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Offline Rafael

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Re: AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2012, 08:24:31 PM »
AFAIK this concept is merely that, a concept.
Exposed as it was, as shown in the F-35 internally laden with missiles (what a beautiful sight, somehow the narrow, shallow bays of the -35 and -22  made me feel uncomfortable), it reminds me of a 90's concept, that of weapon miniaturization, which in its day, led to the development of the SDB, and other miniature marvels like the Raytheon STM-Small Tactical Munition (Pyros missile for UCAVs) and others.

It's no wonder that such mini weapons start to appear everywhere, In A2G, specifically tailored to increase stowed kills density aboard, and the PC reduced collateral damage.

I read in the article that the CUDA (still a reserved lockheed name) is a HTK (Hit-to-Kill) missile, so the absence of a warhead will make more space available for fuel and guidance-control, allowing a denser packing of munitions on board. Calls my attention what looks like a crown or cluster of maneuvering rockets near the nose, so the "dogfighting missile" qualification would apply. Calls my attention also that it is cited as being in the AMRAAM class, but with no warhead, I assume this is a big bullet with a lot of fuel inside, and makes me speculate on its range. Radar guided is also another tidbit that suggest LOBL (lock-on Before Launch) so as not to expose the plane for more than it takes for the launch event to occur.

As Jeffry suggests, I would not be surprised when this little BarraCUDA gets an XAIM or AIM designation.

My 2cents
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Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2012, 03:22:47 AM »
From what I can determine from the news report, this missile contains no high-explosive warhead and instead relies on kinetic energy to destroy the target.  So what we are looking at is essentially the equivalent of a very smart precision-guided bullet that has to strike the opponent to inflict enough damage to render it ineffective to fight any further. 
« Last Edit: December 02, 2012, 03:29:23 AM by Jeffry Fontaine »
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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2012, 03:26:48 AM »
Correct - that is what it seems to be.  It is also supposed to be in the AMRAAM class wrt range. 

Rafa, I also have the same idea as you re the "Cuda" name: that "Cuda" is a name short for "Barracuda" - I think the fish description is well suited: Barracudas are voracious, opportunistic predators, relying on surprise and short bursts of speed to overtake their prey.   
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Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2012, 03:40:20 AM »
The one time I was hoping for a better match on the search and majority of the first page results from the search engine were showing links to almost every Plymouth (Chrysler) Barracuda/'Cuda that is still on the road. 

Dimensions on the thing are a bit sketchy but some are claiming a 7.0" (17.8 cm) diameter and an overall length of about 72.0" (183.0 cm).  So it is a bit longer than the AGM-114 Hellfire and about the same size as the AIM-4 Falcon.  With the current level of technology the guidance system will take up much less space so there will be more room for a larger motor section and a substantial increase in range.   
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Offline ChernayaAkula

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Re: AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2012, 05:21:36 AM »
From the article Jeffry linked to:
"The Cuda concept significantly increases the internal carriage capacity for 5th generation fighters (provides 2X to 3X capacity)."

Macross Missile Massacre (LINK) has finally come true!




<...> Barracudas are voracious, opportunistic predators, relying on surprise and short bursts of speed to overtake their prey.

And they taste great!  :icon_beer:
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Offline elmayerle

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Re: AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2012, 06:06:09 AM »
In some ways, this configuration reminds me of the early prototype configurations that led to the AIM-4.  I wonder if it will have multi-mode seekers?

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2012, 06:28:15 AM »
From the article Jeffry linked to:
"The Cuda concept significantly increases the internal carriage capacity for 5th generation fighters (provides 2X to 3X capacity)."

Macross Missile Massacre (LINK) has finally come true!



Don't forget about that massive missile massacre scene with the Gun Star and the "Death Blossom" weapon in the The Last Starfighter (1984) (click thumbnail or html to view article). 
 

(Image source: Wikipedia)

IMDB - The Last Starfighter (1984)
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Rickshaw

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Re: AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)
« Reply #8 on: December 05, 2012, 06:16:54 PM »
Without a warhead, it appears to be a return to the "hittile" concept which was used to develop the Rapier SAM.   Rapier does have a warhead but significantly smaller than a normal SAM because it's designed to actually hit the target, rather than rely on a near miss to destroy it.

Offline Daryl J.

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Re: AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2013, 10:19:16 AM »
Hmmmm.....
Light weight.
Fast.
Lockheed-Martin involvement.
Korean rhetoric.
ROKAF KAI/L-M T-50 loadout anyone?   
kwyxdxLg5T

Offline ysi_maniac

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Re: AIM-1XX Cuda Air to Air Missile (Lockheed Martin)
« Reply #10 on: October 01, 2021, 02:27:37 PM »
But the missile is a beauty, IMO. :smiley:

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All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.