It remains in service, although it is being phased out in aviation applications in favor of the more advanced AIM-120 AMRAAM.

Sparrow is now being phased out with the availability of the active-radar AIM-120 AMRAAM, but is likely to remain in service for several years.

The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM ( pronounced " am-ram "), is a modern beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile ( BVRAAM ) capable of all-weather day-and-night operations.

As of mid 2008, the AIM-120 AMRAAM has shot down nine aircraft ( six MiG-29s, one MiG-25, one MiG-23, and one Soko J-21 Jastreb ).

* Raytheon: AIM-120 AMRAAM

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F-16 carrying an AIM-120 AMRAAM ( top ), AIM-9 Sidewinder ( middle ) and AGM-88 HARM

As part of a Winston No Bull 5 fan contest, Earnhardt drives a Bomb Lift Truck and attempts to load an AIM-120 AMRAAM | AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile ( AMRAAM ) missile as he competes in a load crew competition at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, September 2000.

A Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor | F-22 Raptor fires an AIM-120 AMRAAM

It is the Russian counterpart to the American AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, thus gaining a nickname: Amraamski.

It is normally carried on one of the fuselage stations otherwise used for AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles.

The TC-2's seeker head is based on Motorola-Raytheon design, initially a competitor to the AIM-120 contract, which was later won by Hughes.

The PL-12 is outwardly very similar to the US-designed AIM-120 AMRAAM.

According to Chinese claims, PL-12 is more capable than the American AIM-120 A / B, but slightly inferior than the AIM-120C.

Like the AIM-120 AMRAAM, PL-12 is also used as SAM, and tests have already successfully completed as the possible replacement of LY-60, but such system has not entered service because China has already been developing the vertical launched version.

Hughes developed the AIM-120 AMRAAM, one of the world's most advanced air-to-air missiles.

Gennadiy Sokolovski, general designer of the Vympel Design Bureau, said that the R-77 missile can be used against medium and long range air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-54 Phoenix, as well as SAMs such as the Patriot.

The then Shorts Missile Systems was a partner in Raytheon's Future Medium Range Air-Air Missile ( FMRAAM ) project, which was to replace the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile used by European air forces.

* Six missile stations for two RB71 Skyflash ( only JA37 ), four AIM-120 AMRAAM ( JA 37D ), or six AIM-9 Sidewinder or four 135 mm ( 5. 4 in ) rocket pods.

* AIM-120 AMRAAM air to air missile

The upgraded aircraft are equipped with a new radar AN / APQ-65 YG similar to this of F / A-18 Hornet, mission-control computer, Head Up Display, IFF Interrogator, Multi Function Displays and are capable of carrying a large variety of advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, including the AIM-120 AMRAAM ( only the-B edition ), the AIM-9M missile, the AFDS and all the family of the Paveway ( I, II and III ) laser-guided bombs.

* Notes: The two wingtips missile launcher rail for AIM-9 Sidewinder, found on the E / F Super Hornet, have been replaced with AN / ALQ-218 detection pods, six removable under wing mounted hard points ( inboard pylons will carry 480 gal fuel tanks, mid-board pylons will carry AN / ALQ-99 High Band Jamming Pods, and outboard pylon reserved for AGM-88 HARM missiles ), two multi-mode conformal fuselage stations ( AIM-120 AMRAAM ), 1 centerline fuselage removable hardpoint, for AN / ALQ-99 Low Band Jamming Pod.

* Network Centric Airborne Defense Element ( NCADE )-On Sept. 18, 2008 Raytheon announced it had been awarded a $ 10 million contract to continue research and development of NCADE, a missile defense system based on the AIM-120 AMRAAM.

However, limitations imposed by the US on " new technology " to the region, such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM fire-and-forget air-to-air missile, has made TUDM consider purchases from Russia and other non-traditional sources.

The 33rd TFS made history when one of its pilots downed an Iraqi aircraft with an AIM-120 missile.

The incident marked the first time an AIM-120 missile was fired in combat and was the first U. S. F-16 air-to-air kill.

* Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile and surface-to-air missile

NASAMS was the first surface-based application for the AIM-120 AMRAAM ( Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile ) and the first surface-to-air missile system in the western world with active radar guidance.

Some sources claim the resulting combination has a greater range than the Russian missile, and a fire-and-forget active guidance ( from R-77 ) capability comparable to the modern U. S. AIM-120 AMRAAM.

The missile would use an inertial guidance system with terminal guidance provided by active radar-a mode of flight that would later be employed in the AIM-120 AMRAAM.

With the phasing out of the Phoenix missile the US Navy lost its long range AAM capability, relying instead on the medium range AIM-120 AMRAAM.