AIM-9 Sidewinder facts for kids
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a special type of missile used by airplanes. It's called an "air-to-air" missile because it's launched from one aircraft to hit another. Think of it like a smart dart that an airplane shoots at an enemy plane.
This missile is "heat-seeking." This means it has a special sensor that looks for heat. It locks onto the heat coming from an enemy airplane's engine. Once it locks on, it tries to follow that heat until it hits its target.
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Early Days of the Sidewinder
The first Sidewinder missiles flew way back in 1953. They started being used by air forces in 1956. During the Vietnam War, these missiles were used a lot. But back then, they weren't always very good.
Challenges in Combat
The early Sidewinders only hit their targets about 10 to 20 out of every 100 times. They could also be fooled easily. Sometimes, they even got confused! Instead of locking onto an enemy plane, they might lock onto the sun or another hot spot by mistake.
Modern Sidewinders
Luckily, engineers worked hard to fix these problems. The newer versions of the Sidewinder missile are much better. They have a very good hitting rate now.
Where They Are Used Today
The Sidewinder missile is used by many different air forces around the world. It can hit targets from as far as 11 miles away. You will often see these missiles on many different types of aircraft today.
Images for kids
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Prototype Sidewinder-1 missile on an AD-4 Skyraider during flight testing
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A F-104 Starfighter test-firing an AIM-9 Sidewinder against a QF-80 target drone at China Lake.
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AIM-9Ds armed F-4B of VF-111 on USS Coral Sea
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AIM-9L Captive air training missile with part/section in blue color, denoting inert warhead and rocket motor, for training purposes.
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Experimental use of an AIM-9L against tanks at China Lake, 1971
See also
In Spanish: AIM-9 Sidewinder para niños
