Russia has significantly strengthened its tactical aviation. Given this, the Pentagon and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory urgently began updating the shipborne anti-aircraft guided missiles (SAM) RIM-174 ERAM (SM-6) for use by deck fighters F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (Super Hornet manufactured by Boeing Defense, Space & Security). The new air-to-air missiles were designated AIM-174B. How dangerous have the American "Hornets" become and is there a way for Russia to counter these missiles? Military expert Evgeny Damantsev reflected on this.
According to him, the developers equipped the AIM-174B prototypes with a small-elongation wing with a developed chord to ensure high maneuverability and optimal mass distribution between the Mk104 solid propellant rocket engine (solid propellant rocket engine) compartment and the warhead with an active radar homing head (GOS).
Damantsev suggested that AIM-174B can be intercepted by promising air-to-air guided missiles of ultra-long range KS-172M (developed by specialists of NPO Novator). The expert also proposed developing guided missiles of the same class based on SAM 40N6 or 9M96DM.
The presence of a radio-contrast cloth of the active radar seeker of the AIM-174 missile increases its effective reflecting surface (RCS) to 0.1 - 0.15 sq. m., therefore, Su-35S fighters with N035 Irbis-E airborne radars will be able to detect missiles at a distance of 170 - 180 km and intercept them with R-37M or R-77-1 missiles at distances less than 100 km.
Read more on the topic:
"Invisible" and Su-57: Russian Aviation Begins Using Advanced Stealth Missiles Kh-59MK2
Will Destroy Targets in the Deep Rear: What is Known About the 3M14T Kalibr-NK Cruise Missile