Aim-54 Phoenix

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The phoenix remains as the only long-range air to air missle emplyed by the United States. With the retirement of the last General Dynamics F-111, only the F-14 can fire this 120+ mile range missle. The Aim-54 was originally designed as a long range missle to counter the soviet bomber fleet and it entered service in 1974.
The missle follows three different flight patterns after it is launched. Initially, it is guided by the reflections from the F-14's AWG-9 radar as it climbs to between 80,000ft and 100,000 ft. Traveling close to Mach 5, the missle cruises until it nears the target. Utilizing its supperior altitude to gain kinetic energy, the missle enters a dive toward its target and activates its active radar system for the final segment of the flight.

Capabilities:

• Long range, 120+ mile standoff air defence missle
• Guided by semi-active and active radar guidance systems
• Propulsion is through a Rocketdyne Mk 47 long-burn-time solid-fuel rocket
• Speed: Mach 5+ (C variant)
• Warhead: 132 lb IR and radar proximity rod/fragmentation blast (A variant)
• Service Ceiling: Greater than 100,000 ft.

For more information, please refer to the USAF Fact file
For information fo sources, see the credits page.