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At a glance
Measured figures
Length
Single source12 ft (3.7 m)[source]
PL-15E
Single sourceConfiguration
| Specification | AIM-7 Sparrow | PL-15 |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | AIM-7A/B: Mach 2.5 AIM-7C/E/F: Mach 4[source] | Mach 5+[source] |
| Type | Medium-range, semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile[source] | Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile[source] |
| Place of origin | United States[source] | People's Republic of China[source] |
| In service | 1958–present[source] | 2016–present |
399.6 cm (13 ft 1.3 in) (PL-15E)[source]
AIM-7A/B
Single source2 ft 8 in (0.81 m) (AIM-7A/B)[source]
Operational; AIM-7C
Single sourceOperational; AIM-7D
Single sourceOperational; AIM-7E/E2
Single sourceOperational; AIM-7F/M/P
Single sourceAIM-7C: 26 km (14 nmi) AIM-7D: 44 km (24 nmi) AIM-7E/E2: 50 km (27 nmi) AIM-7F/M/P: 70 km (38 nmi)[source]
Operational; PL-15
Single sourceOperational; PL-15E
Single sourceBars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
| Used by | Australia, Canada, Egypt, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States[source] | People's Liberation Army Air Force[source]Operator listed in the retained article; inventory date not specified People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force[source]Operator listed in the retained article; inventory date not specified Pakistan Air Force[source]Operator listed in the retained article; inventory date not specified |
|---|
| Wars | Vietnam War Iran–Iraq War Gulf War Russo-Ukrainian War[source] | — |
|---|
| Unit cost | $125,000[source] | — |
|---|
| Produced | AIM-7D: 1959 AIM-7F: 1976 AIM-7M: 1982[source] | — |
|---|
| No. built | >70,000[source] | — |
|---|
| Variants | Sparrow I: AIM-7A Sparrow II: AIM-7B Sparrow III: AIM-7C, AIM-7D, AIM-7E, AIM-7E2/ Skyflash / Aspide , AIM-7F, AIM-7M, AIM-7P, RIM-7M, AGM-45[source] | — |
|---|
| Warhead | High explosive blast-fragmentation AIM-7C/D/E: 65 pounds (29 kg) AIM-7F/M: 88 pounds (40 kg)[source] | — |
|---|
| Engine | AIM-7A/B/C – Aerojet 1.8KS7800 solid rocket AIM-7D/E – Rocketdyne MK 38/MK 52 solid rocket AIM-7F/M/P – Hercules MK-58 solid-propellant rocket motor[source] | Dual-pulsed solid-propellant rocket[source] |
|---|
| Guidance system | semi-active radar homing[source] | Active radar homing[source] |
|---|
| Launch platform | Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon Grumman F-14 Tomcat F/A-18 Hornet JA-37 Viggen F-104S Starfighter Tornado F.3 ADV F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Mitsubishi F-2[source] | J-20 , J-35 , J-10C , J-15T , J-16 , J-11BG , JF-17 Block-3[source] |
|---|
| Manufacturer | Raytheon[source] | China Airborne Missile Academy (CAMA)[source] |
|---|
| Reported operators |
| — |
|---|
150–200 km (93–124 mi) (PL-15) 145 km (90 mi) (PL-15E)[source]