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At a glance
AIM-9X Sidewinderlarger figure on 1 of 6
Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomblarger figure on 5 of 6
Measured figures
Length
Single source9 feet 11 inches (3.02 m)[source]
Length
Single sourceConfiguration
| Specification | AIM-9X Sidewinder | Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Mach 2.5+[source] | — |
| Type | short-range air-to-air missile[source] | Glide bomb Surface-to-surface missile[source] |
| Place of origin | United States[source] | — |
| Manufacturer | Raytheon[source] | — |
| Status | Its latest variants (AIM-9X) remain standard equipment in most Western-aligned air forces.[source] |
Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.
SDB length is
Single source12 ft 10 in (3.91 m) SDB length is 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[source]
Warhead weight
Single source20.8 lb (9.4 kg)[source]
Warhead weight
Single sourceExplosive fill AFX-757 Insensitive munition certified PBX Penetration: greater than 3 ft (0.91 m) of steel reinforced concrete
Single source93 kg (205 lb) Explosive fill: 16 kg (35 lb) AFX-757 Insensitive munition certified PBX Penetration: greater than 3 ft (0.91 m) of steel reinforced concrete[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
| — |
| Operators | USAF (the lead platform was the F-15C ) and the USN (the lead platform was the F/A-18C )[source] | — |
|---|
| Introduction | November 2003[source] | — |
|---|
| Guidance system | imaging infrared 128×128 element focal-plane array (FPA) seeker[source] | GPS supported INS[source] |
|---|
| Flight control | two-axis thrust-vectoring control (TVC) system[source] | — |
|---|
| Propulsion and warhead configuration | It retains the same rocket motor, fuze and warhead of the AIM-9M[source] | — |
|---|
| Cooling | internal cooling system[source] | — |
|---|
| In service | 1956–present[source] | — |
|---|
| Used by | See Operators[source] | — |
|---|
| Wars | Second Taiwan Strait Crisis Vietnam War Yom Kippur War Iran–Iraq War Gulf of Sidra incident (1981) Falklands War 1982 Lebanon War 1989 air battle near Tobruk Gulf War Bosnian War Operation Allied Force 2023 Chinese balloon incident Gaza war Red Sea crisis Russian invasion of Ukraine 2026 Iran War[source] | Russo-Ukrainian War[source] |
|---|
| Unit cost | US$381,069.74 (Block II) US$399,500.00 (Block II Plus) US$209,492.75 (training missile) (All as of 2019 )[source] | — |
|---|
| Produced | 1953–present[source] | 2023[source] |
|---|
| Warhead | WDU-17/B annular blast-fragmentation[source] | Fragmentation multipurpose warhead[source] |
|---|
| Detonation mechanism | IR proximity fuze[source] | — |
|---|
| Engine | Hercules/Bermite Mk. 36 solid-fuel rocket[source] | M26 rocket motor[source] |
|---|
| Launch platform | Aircraft, naval vessels, fixed launchers, and ground vehicles[source] | M270 MLRS M142 HIMARS Or can be launched from its own launch container[source] |
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| Designer | — | Boeing & Saab Group[source] |
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| Designed | — | 2015–2019[source] |
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| Accuracy | — | 3 ft 3 in (1 m) CEP[source] |
|---|
| References | — | Janes[source] |
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| Reported operators |
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