American intelligence reported a new Russian air-to-air missile with a nuclear warhead, which allegedly has already begun to be accepted into service by the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS).
The report of the intelligence directorate of the US Armed Forces states that it may be a new modification of the long-range R-37M missile.
The R-37M missile carries a very large warhead weighing 60 kg, which is approximately three times larger than those usually installed on air-to-air missiles. The characteristics allow for the installation of a miniature nuclear warhead.
It is specified that the ammunition can be carried by Su-35S fighters and MiG-31BM interceptors. According to the author of the material, the R-37M with nuclear equipment will allow a Russian combat aircraft to neutralize entire squadrons of enemy aircraft on its own.
This seems logical, since its predecessor under the index Р-33 could also be equipped with a nuclear warhead. If we assume that the R-37M and R-33S can still carry a nuclear warhead, then these are the only air-to-air missiles with a nuclear warhead in service in the world.
What about the USA itself?
During the Cold War, the US Air Force also had an air-to-air missile with a nuclear warhead, GAR-11, later renamed AIM-26A, which, like the Soviet analogue, was originally intended to destroy groups of bombers and was an area-effect weapon. The long-range air-to-air missile R-37 is one of the most powerful Russian missiles with a range of over 300 km and a warhead mass of about 60 kg.
Earlier, the Su-30SM2 was first spotted with air-to-air missiles R-37M. The fighter shot down a MiG-29 combat aircraft at a distance of 213 km, thereby setting a world record.
Earlier, www1.ru reported that frames of the export fighter-bomber Su-34 in unusual camouflage appeared.
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