New Stealth UAV for the US Military

[CastleBravo]

Of course you need a powered system to go 200mi even if air launched, but a 200mi missile launched from a jet will be much smaller and cheaper than a 200mi missile fired from the ground, which will have the size, weight, and expense of a ballistic missile. That 200mi range missile on the jet can also be used in a 700 mile plus radius around the airfield you launch the aircraft from while the SAM missile is stuck defending the area it was deployed to.

The problem with long range SAMs is that in the time it takes a missile to fly a couple hundred miles, the target could have turned around and ended up a huge distance away from the predicted intercept point you launched the missile towards. Even worse, the target can simply dive down under your radar horizon and you will lose track of it. That 200 mile SAM is really only useful against a large, slow target that is flying a predictable flight path. Also, that 200mi 40N6 missile is going to have a tough time intercepting a small evasive target. Its meant to shoot down AWACs, JSTARs, and large bombers like the B-52, not maneuverable fighter aircraft.

The real threat against fighters is the shorter range 9M96E missiles. If that missile works as advertised then it could be a big threat against our legacy fighters.