Raytheon is designing small air-to-air missiles to enable stealth fighters to carry them internally
TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. defense contractor Raytheon has pulled the curtain off a new missile designed to boost the firepower of jet fighters. The new Peregrine missile (above) is designed to fit in the weapons bays of stealth fighters, allowing them to carry more missiles than ever before. Continue reading original article
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
23 Sept. 2019 -- As stealth fighter jets, the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II both suffer from a major problem: They must store all of their fuel, sensors, and weapons internally.
While previous-generation fighters stored this equipment on the fuselage and wingtips, having a collection of pointy missiles, bombs, and fuel tanks hanging off an aircraft can dramatically increase its radar signature.
Fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 and F-35 store everything internally, particularly weapons, maximizing the ability of their carefully molded shapes to evade radar.
Related: F-35 air-to-air missiles can now hit two unmanned aircraft at once -- changing air combat
John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics
