AE/S-10 ERAAM
Role: Extended range air-to-air missile
Guidance: First-stage semi-active radar homing with secondary inertial guidance capabilities (2-way datalink), terminal active radar homing
Detonation: Radar proximity fuze, impact
Payload: 35kg directional high-explosive blast fragmentation
Control: First stage tail control with forward lift wings, second stage tail and split canard control with jet vane
Propulsion: First-stage solid-propellant rocket, second-stage ramjet
Speed: Mach 4.0 (first stage) – Mach 6.0 (second stage)
Range: 350-400km
Weight: 820kg
Notes: Designed for extreme range interception of large targets, primarily tankers, bombers and AWACS. A two stage booster-interceptor missile, in order to obtain both a high range and probability of intercept. First stage carries missile 300-350km utilising solid fuel rocket engine and semi-active radar guidance from the launch aircraft. When fuel is fully expended, first stage booster is dumped by the missile system to reduce weight and drag, and second stage ramjet utilises terminal speed of first stage transit to generate initial power, raising the projectile speed by about Mach 2.0. Second stage control surfaces (tail and split canard control with jet vane) are designed for maximal manoeuvrability and lift in any conditions to maximise hit probability. Semi-active radar homing or inertial guidance are employed until terminal stage, when active radar homing directs the ERAAM second stage to its target.