By contrast the most capable long-range
air-to-air missile in u.s service, the AIM-120-D has a 180 kilometers range, mach 4.5 speed and a payload of around
20 kilograms. the R-37's very long range means it
requires aircraft with very powerful
sensors to deploy it which previously
meant that only the Mig-31, which carries
by far the largest radar in the world
for an aircraft designed for air-to-air
combat could employ it effectively.
the Su-35's introduction of the powerful
urbis e-radar. However allows the newer
aircraft to also make effective use of
the R-37M. with the jet expected to gain
even better situational awareness in
future when it integrates an aesa radar
derived from that currently deployed by
the Su-57 fighter. The ability of multiple su-35s to share
targeting data as well as the fighter's
ability to share data with ground-based
radars and airborne early warning
aircraft such as the A-50U, allows them to make better use of the R-37s long range.
The R-37m is one of two new air-to-air
missile classes to enter service in the
russian air force. The other being the K-77 which has a shorter range of
approximately 193 kilometers but is more
compact and has a sensor suite better
suited to neutralizing maneuverable
targets. The K-77 may only be deployed by Russia's new Su-57 fighters. however and
was designed specifically to be carried
eight at a time from their internal
weapons base providing the largest
long-range missile payload of any
fighter in the world in stealth
configuration.
The R-37M however is expected to be
deployed by a wider range of aircraft
including the Su-35, Su-30SM, Su-30SM-2, Mig-35 and the Su-57 itself. It remains uncertain whether the Su-57
will be able to carry the R-37M. Either in
its current variant or in future
modified variants, in its internal
weapons bays, or whether the larger
missiles must be carried externally
which will compromise its stealth
profile. The fact that the Su-57s weapons bays
are much deeper than those on other
heavyweight stealth fighters such as the
american F-22 or chinese J-20 makes the
possibly of internal carriage of the
missiles high.
Rhe R-37M is expected to be marketed for
export with egypt and china both being
leading potential clients given the
types of potential adversaries both face
and the fact that both were clients for
the Su-35. The more recent announcement that
advanced Su-30 variants can also deploy
the missiles opens up considerably
greater possibilities for export with Belarus, Myanmar and Kazakhstan being
likely clients.
The algerian air force which is expected
to receive its first Su-57 fighters by
the Mid-2020s and possibly to also
upgrade its Su-30MKA jets to the Su-30SM-2 standard is also likely to
purchase the new missiles alongside the K-77. Although the R-37 was originally
designed to counter heavyweight targets
such as bombers and airborne early
warning aircraft, such missiles have
shown a high potential against
fighter-sized targets as well when
operating at under 70% of their maximum
range.
The american AIM-54 Phoenix which is
conceptually in many ways similar to the R-37 but technologically approximately
four decades older proved very dangerous
against maneuverable fighter-sized
targets at long ranges due to its
endurance, high energy, high speed, powerful sensors and heavy warhead. At
times neutralizing multiple fighters in
a single hit at extreme distances.
The R-37 will be considerably more
dangerous still, although it remains
uncertain whether the R-37M variant
built to be carried by smaller aircraft
than the Mig-31 will still carry a heavy
60 kilograms warhead or whether this may
have been reduced somewhat.
