Credit
Don S. Montgomery, USN · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified
FORCETALLY
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At a glance
Measured figures
Length
Single source12 ft 9 + 1 ⁄ 2 in (3.9 m)[source]
PL-9/C
Single sourceConfiguration
| Specification | AIM-54 Phoenix | PL-9 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Long range BVR air-to-air missile[source] | Short-range air-to-air missile[source] |
| Place of origin | United States[source] | People's Republic of China[source] |
| In service | 1974–present[source] | c. 1989[source] |
| Used by | United States Navy (former) Iranian Air Force[source] | — |
| Designer |
2.9m (PL-9/C)[source]
AIM-54A/B
Single sourceAIM-54C
Single sourceAIM-54A/B - 976 lb (443 kg) AIM-54C – 1,015 lb (460 kg)[source]
PL-9
Single sourcePL-9C
Single source123kg (PL-9) 115kg (PL-9C)
Maximum; AIM-54A/B - Mach 4.3 (
Single sourceMaximum; ) AIM-54C – Mach 5 (
Single sourceMaximum; Maximum speed · source measurement 3
Single sourceMaximum; Maximum speed · source measurement 4
Single sourceAIM-54A/B - Mach 4.3 (1,460 m/s; 4,800 ft/s) AIM-54C – Mach 5 (1,700 m/s; 5,600 ft/s)[source]
Mach 2+[source]
Operational; AIM-54A/B
Single sourceOperational; AIM-54C
Single sourceAIM-54A/B - 72.9 nmi (135.0 km; 83.9 mi) AIM-54C – 99.4 nmi (184.1 km; 114.4 mi)[source]
Operational; DK-9, surface-to-air
Single sourceOperational; PL-9
Single sourceWarhead weight
Single source133 lb (60.33 kg)[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
Hughes Aircraft Company[source] |
| — |
| Designed | 1960–1966[source] | — |
|---|
| Manufacturer | Hughes Aircraft Company Raytheon Corporation[source] | Luoyang Electro-Optics Technology Development Centre (EOTDC) Hanzhong Nanfeng Machine Factory Xi’an Eastern Machinery Factory[source] |
|---|
| Unit cost | US$ 477,131 (1974 FY)[source] | — |
|---|
| Produced | 1966-1993[source] | 1989—present[source] |
|---|
| Warhead | AIM-54A/B - HE continuous rod AIM-54C – HE Mk 82; WDU‐29/B continuous rod[source] | 11.8kg blast-frag , or expanding rod (RF-fuse)[source] |
|---|
| Detonation mechanism | Proximity fuze[source] | laser proximity fuse[source] |
|---|
| Engine | Solid propellant rocket motor[source] | Solid-fuel rocket[source] |
|---|
| Flight ceiling | 103,500 ft (31.5 km)[source] | — |
|---|
| Guidance system | Semi-active radar homing and terminal phase active radar homing[source] | multi-element infrared[source] |
|---|
| Launch platform | Grumman F-14 Tomcat[source] | Aircraft, helicopter gunships, ground-launched[source] |
|---|
| References | Janes[source] | — |
|---|
| Flight altitude | — | 4.5km (surface-to-air)[source] |
|---|
| Reported operators |
| — |
|---|
Operational; (PL-9C, air-to-air) >
Single source15km (PL-9) 22km (PL-9C, air-to-air) >8km (DK-9, surface-to-air)[source]