Condor BVRAAM
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The Condor BVRAAM (Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile) is a Latin American developed active radar-guided, ramjet-propelled air to air missile. It was developed by ENAER of Chile.
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The Missile
From nose to tail, the Condor consists of an active radar seeker derived from that used in AMRAAM, a guidance system, a datalink, a 26kg blast fragmentation warhead, a fuel tank containing kerosene, a ramjet engine, and a tandem rocket booster. The ramjet is aerated by four folding air intakes, which spring out after launch.
The missile is designed to cruise at Mach 4.5. After firing, the rocket booster accelerates the missile to Mach 4.5 after which the booster is jettisoned, and the ramjet takes over. The missile, prior to launch received target coordinates from the launcher. The missile will fly itself to a spot near these coordinates, and begin searching with its active radar. The first target it finds, it will attack.
If no coordinates are received prior to launch, the missile will out to a point 75km from the launch aircraft, and search in a figure of eight pattern until a target is found. If no target is found after one orbit, the missile will self destruct.
While in flight, the missile can receive updates from the launching aircraft over the datalink. The missile has a highly adaptive ECCM suite. The Condor can home onto a jamming signal.
The maximum range is over 200km, and the launch aircraft can get targetting data from any source, including the Condor AEW&C aircraft.
Launch Platforms
- F-15 Eagle
- F-15E Strike Eagle
- F/A-18 Hornet
- F-14 Tomcat
- F-90 Halcon
- F-20 Tigershark
- A-14 Vudu
- AV-8B Harrier II Plus
Some of these aircraft don't actually carry the missile on operational service, such as the AV-8B, which uses the Rafael Derby as its BVRAAM. The Condor's relatively high unit cost tends to ensure that it is kept mainly for air defence. The only FAEC CAT to use the Condor are the F-90 Halcon, and the F-15E, and only in limited numbers.
The Condor has been tested with Tornado, Eurofighter, and the F-16. It has also been tested from the M192 HAWK-AMRAAM launcher, though no land force has purchased the Condor.
Operators
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