Norton, Bill Air-to-Air Missiles, Development and Combat Across 80 Years. Volume 1: Technology, Development and Operation

This is the first of six volumes detailing the 80-year history of air-to-air missiles (AAM) as weapons for combat aircraft. Volume 1 begins with the motivation for the introduction of such weapons, a general description and capabilities of AAM, the fundamentals and challenges of aircraft integration and how the missiles are used. This is followed by a description of the development of AAM as programmes of a country's military, including testing and deployment, and a description of the elements that make up a missile, including the airframe interface, airframe, flight control and autopilot, seeker and guidance system, propulsion, warhead, and more. The various design options for each of these elements are described with their advantages and disadvantages and are accompanied by diagrams for better understanding. The many seeker/guidance options that have been selected over the decades are each described along with their relative advantages and disadvantages. Again, diagrams aid the reader's understanding. The technological development underlying the improvement of these systems is an important point. The content of the six generations of missiles is then outlined. Finally, the basics of using AAM in combat are described, again with supporting drawings. This includes discussion of support, training, setting up interception for advantageous use of fighter borne AAM, and the countermeasures and anti-countermeasures that can be employed. All of this leads to an understanding of why many AAM shots miss their target. All of this content supports the understanding of the weapons presented in subsequent volumes and their combat successes and failures. Each of the following volumes examines a generation of missiles and their use, from the earliest World War II models to the latest designs currently in service around the world.