Ukraine missile industry to develop active/passive-homing seeker for R-27

Three of the most prominent Ukrainian missile and electronics companies have agreed to develop a new dual-mode active/passive radar-homing air-to-air missile (AAM) seeker. This guidance package is not for a new missile programme, but would instead be retrofitted to existing models of the Vympel R-27 (AA-10 Alamo A/C/E/F) AAMs.

The seeker will not be presented as an alternative to nations looking to purchase the Russian-made RVV-AE (AA-12) active-homing AAM, "and is not an initiative to displace Russia in its traditional markets", according to representatives of these companies who spoke with IHS Jane's during the AviaSvit Ukraine National Aerospace Exhibition at the Gostomel aerodrome near Kiev.

Instead, state Ukrainian engineers and marketing executives familiar with this design proposal said that this seeker will be offered as an upgrade option to those nations that have a substantial number of the R-27R/ER AAMs equipped with the older-generation AGAT 9B-1101K semi-active homing seeker, and/or R-27P/EP models fitted with the Avtomatika 9B-1032 passive, anti-radiation seeker still in their inventory.

The semi-active guided variant of the R-27 was widely exported to almost every nation that currently has MiG-29, Su-27/Su-30-series, or other Russian-designed fighter aircraft as part of their air force order of battle.