What was the first air to air missile?

Hughes AIM-4 Falcon
The Hughes AIM-4 Falcon was the first operational guided air-to-air missile of the United States Air Force. Development began in 1946; the weapon was first tested in 1949. The missile entered service with the USAF in 1956.

Who invented the first heat-seeking missile?

Navy physicist William B. McLean, second from left, with some of the team that developed the Sidewinder missile in 1966. Undeterred by his peers, McLean and his team developed a first-of-its-kind infrared guidance system for use inside the standard 5-inch air-to-ground rockets of the time.

Who made the first heat-seeking missile?

successful passive homing munitions were “heat-seeking” air-to-air missiles that homed onto the infrared emissions of jet engine exhausts. The first such missile to achieve wide success was the AIM-9 Sidewinder developed by the U.S. Navy in the 1950s.

What was the first anti-ship missile ever made?

The first anti-ship missiles, which were developed and built by Nazi Germany, used radio command guidance. These saw some success in the Mediterranean Theater in 1943–44, sinking or heavily damaging at least 31 ships with the Henschel Hs 293 and more than seven with the Fritz X, such as the Italian battleship Roma or the cruiser USS Savannah.

What is the range of an anti-ship missile?

It has a range of about 290 kilometers. The missile is extremely versatile, capable of being carried by surface ships, land-based anti-ship missile batteries, and aircraft such as the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MK1. The air-launched version has a longer range of 500 kilometers.

Does the US Navy need a new anti-ship missile?

The U.S. Navy needs a new anti-ship missile. The current missile, Harpoon, was introduced in 1977. One of the best ASMs of the Cold War, Harpoon has aged into a mediocre missile unable to incorporate the latest technological advances. The Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile, or LRASM, is a leading candidate to replace it.

What are anti-ship missiles (AShMs)?

Anti-ship missiles (AShMs) were among the first instances of short-range guided missiles during World War II in 1943–1944.