AIM-9X Sidewinder vs Super 530: Specs Compared

FORCETALLY

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AMissiles

Super 530

French short to medium-range air-to-air missile

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

AIM-9X SidewinderLength

3.02 m

Length source ↗

Super 530Super 530D

3.8 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

AIM-9X Sidewinderlarger figure on 0 of 1

None

Super 530larger figure on 1 of 1

Diameter+107%

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

12 of 88 rows sourced on both sides

3.02m

3.8mSuper 530D

Length

All recorded figures & sources

3.02 m

Length

Single source

9 feet 11 inches (3.02 m)^[source]

3.8 m

Super 530D

Single source

Configuration

Details

AIM-9X Sidewinder and Super 530 configuration
Specification	AIM-9X Sidewinder	Super 530
Speed	Mach 2.5+^[source]	Super 530F: Mach 4.5 Super 530D: Mach <5.0^[source]
Type	short-range air-to-air 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]

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]	Semi-active radar homing (SARH)^[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]	—

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]	—

Warhead	WDU-17/B annular blast-fragmentation^[source]	30 kg (66 lb) high-explosive fragmentation^[source]

Detonation mechanism	IR proximity fuze^[source]	Super 530F: RF Super 530D: Semi-Active Radar^[source]

Engine	Hercules/Bermite Mk. 36 solid-fuel rocket^[source]	Solid-fuel rocket motor^[source]

Launch platform	Aircraft, naval vessels, fixed launchers, and ground vehicles^[source]	—

Former operator · France	—	France^[source]

Former operator · Brazil	—	Brazil^[source]

Former operator · Iraq	—	Iraq^[source]

Former operator · Spain	—	Spain^[source]

Former operator · Jordan	—	Jordan^[source]

Former operator · Kuwait	—	Kuwait^[source]

Former operator · Qatar	—	Qatar^[source]

Role	—	French short to medium-range air-to-air missile^[source]

National origin	—	France^[source]

Source measurement	—	The Super 530F and Super 530D share the same general aerodynamic features and internal layout with cruciform low aspect ratio wings, cruciform aft controls, and 30 kg high explosive fragmentation warhead. However the 530D has a lengthened stainless steel body. This allows it to accommodate a more powerful dual-thrust solid propellant motor and a new seeker assembly. The new seeker includes doppler filtering for improved low altitude performance and digital micro-processing to enable the seeker to be reprogrammed against new threats.^[source]Super 530 · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The 530D has a claimed maximum interception altitude of 24,400 m (80,100 ft), with a snap-up capability of 12,200 m (40,000 ft), and a snap-down capability to targets at 60 m (200 ft). The missile has a range of 40 km and a maximum speed of less than Mach 5.^[source]Super 530 · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Source measurement

—

The Super 530F and Super 530D share the same general aerodynamic features and internal layout with cruciform low aspect ratio wings, cruciform aft controls, and 30 kg high explosive fragmentation warhead. However the 530D has a lengthened stainless steel body. This allows it to accommodate a more powerful dual-thrust solid propellant motor and a new seeker assembly. The new seeker includes doppler filtering for improved low altitude performance and digital micro-processing to enable the seeker to be reprogrammed against new threats.^[source]Super 530 · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The 530D has a claimed maximum interception altitude of 24,400 m (80,100 ft), with a snap-up capability of 12,200 m (40,000 ft), and a snap-down capability to targets at 60 m (200 ft). The missile has a range of 40 km and a maximum speed of less than Mach 5.^[source]Super 530 · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

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