History, Design and Performance of US' AIM-7 Family of missiles

ScrubbyBro · June 1, 2023

Disclaimer: the previous post made by @Iron_physik was removed so I have put this together to help bring the information about the Sparrow family back to the community
If you think anything should be added, corrected or otherwise improved on please feel free to message me.

I have also omitted some variants with not enough information to make posts.
Do be aware that the ranges provided are not going to be 100% concrete as firing ranges depend heavily on the carrier plane, altitude, closure speed and batteries of the missile but they are general outlines to what you could expect to see with the practical range.

AIM-7A

The AIM-7 started out as a project in the late '40s with a contract to modify HVARs with a beam riding guidance system where it was designated AAM-2 in 1947, troubles with the size of the HVAR meant the US government contracted Douglas Aircraft to make a larger frame. Douglas made the frame 8in (20cm) in diameter allowing complex electronics to fit, first successful intercept was in 1952 and would serve on the F7U-3M Cutlass and F3D Skyknight. many shortcomings like poor low altitude performance and requiring the beam itself to be slaved to an optical sight mean you could only use it in clear weather. little were produced at around 2,000 and served for around 2 years.

Performance:

Length: 373.38cm (147in)
Wingspan: 93.98cm (37in)
Diameter: 20.32cm (8in)
Weight: 142kg (315lbs)
Speed: Mach 2.5
Burn time: 1.84 seconds
Propulsion: 3,628kg (8,000lb)
Warhead: 20 kg (45 lb) EX25 Mod.0 warhead
- Detonation Distance: 7.6m (25ft)
Guidance : Radar beam riding.
Practical Range: 8km (5mi) maximum
- Rmax (50kft alt) : N/A
G overloads:
- Launch Limit: N/A
- Target Maneuvering Limit: N/A
- Missile Maneuvering Limit: N/A
ECCM: None
Used on: F7U-3M, F3D

IOC: 1956

AIM-7B
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The Sparrow II was started development in 1952 with the prototype where it went through a few years of work and was refined, by 1955 Douglas had proposed and active radar variant to the US military, it was equipped with a Westinghouse AN/DPN-21 radar, The AIM-7B retained the same motor but with a different radome and clipped front fins. a few flight tests were conducted with a modified F4D skyray and it was intended to be used with the F5D Skylancer and Avro Arrow interceptors before the USN withdrew from the program in 1956, With Douglas abandoning the program shortly thereafter, Canadair continued development for a few years after where it was cancelled in 1958.

Performance:

Length: 363.22cm (143in)
Wingspan: 101.60cm (40in)
Diameter: 20.32cm (8in)
Weight: 190.5kg (420lbs)
Speed: Mach 2.5
Burn time: 1.84 seconds
Propulsion: 3,628kg (8,000lb)
Warhead: 32.6kg (72lb)
- Detonation distance: 7.5m (25ft)
Guidance : AN/DPN-21 Active Seeker
Practical Range: 11km (7mi) maximum
- Rmax (50kft alt) : 20km (12mi)
G overloads:
- Launch Limit: N/A
- Target Maneuvering Limit: N/A
- Missile Maneuvering Limit: 20g lateral limit, 14g Dual Plane
ECCM: None
Used on: F4D (testbed)

IOC: N/A

AIM-7C and D

In 1955 Raytheon started developing a version of the sparrow, in 1956 after all Sparrow I production had finished, Raytheon had been placed in charge of all Sparrow missile production. After some brief research and development Raytheon had put the AIM-7C (YAAM-N-6) into production in 1958, The AIM-7C would have a slightly less powerful engine with a longer total burn time allowing to retain total energy over a longer distance compared to the Sparrow I and II, it would have an improved seeker and would have clipped wings.

Shortly after the AIM-7C (AAM-N-6) went into production a second variant with a new liquid rocket motor was developed which was subsequently designated the AIM-7D(AAM-N-6a), little was changed, the wings were kept clipped, with the same seeker and g-limit from the onboard limiter and. it was put into production serving primarily with the F-4 series of aircraft in 1959.

Performance:

Length: 365.76cm (144in)
Wingspan: 101.60cm (40.in)
Diameter: 20.32cm (8in)
Weight: 176.4kg (389lbs)
Speed: Mach 2.5 (7C)
Burn time: 2.04 seconds (7C) 2.00 seconds (7D)
Propulsion: 3,220kg (7,100lbs) (7C) 35.38kg (7800lbs) (7D)
Warhead: 32.6kg (72lb)
Guidance : Semi-active, Conical scan
Practical Range: 8km (5mi) maximum
- Rmax (50kft alt): 24km (15mi)
G overloads:
- Launch Limit: N/A
- Target Maneuvering Limit: N/A
- Missile Maneuvering Limit: 15g lateral limit, 15g Dual Plane
ECCM: None
Used on: F4D (testbed), F3H-2M. (7C) F-4 (7D)

IOC: 1958 (7C), 59 (7D)

AIM-7E
F-4C_Phantoms_with_AIM-7_missiles_at_Cam
By 1963 the AIM-7E had been put into production and service, serving with later variant F-4 phantoms. the new missile had a better seeker with two new motors supplied by Rocketdyne (either the Mk 38 for earlier variants of the E or the Mk 58 for the later ones) which meant greater maximum flight range and better effective/practical ranges for both head on attacks and tail on attacks. This missile was used during the Vietnam conflict where it had very poor performance initially with around 10% kill probability. These versions of the sparrow used the same type of seeker, Conical scanning semi active but were again improved upon over the older variants.
Eventually shortcomings in Vietnam required better performance, so the AIM-7E-2 was put into production with a better auto-pilot adding a "Dogfight" mode which improve close range kill probability, fusing and clipped wings for better maneuverability and shorter minimum range. The E-3 was also produced with better reliability and fusing. where the final AIM-7E was the E-4 which was made to be tailored to the F-14's weapons system the AWG-9. The AIM-7E was adopted for Basic Point Defense Missile System or BPDMS which entered service in 1967 with the USN as the RIM-7 .

Performance:

Length: 365.76cm (144in)
Wingspan: 101.60cm (40.in)
Diameter: 20.32cm (8in)
Weight: 197.3kg (439lbs)
Speed: Mach 4
Burn time: 2.9 seconds
Propulsion: 3,447.3kg (7,600lbs)
Warhead: 32.6kg (72lb)
Guidance : Semi-active, Conical scan
Practical Range: 15km (9mi) maximum
- Rmax (40kft alt): 30km (18mi)
G overloads:
- Launch Limit: N/A
- Target Maneuvering Limit: N/A
- Missile Maneuvering Limit: 25g lateral limit, 35g Dual Plane
ECCM: HOJ
Used on: F-4, F-14A (later 7E variants)

IOC: 1963

AIM-7F
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In 1972 Raytheon started development on another Sparrow which would eventually become the AIM-7F, it featured an all solid state guidance kit which made it smaller allowing for heavier warheads and went to a new thrust + sustain motor layout instead of the old boost system. The new guidance kit made it possible to use with Pulse Doppler radars which allowed it to use pulse doppler illumination for newer radars as well as retaining continuous radar illumination for compatibility with older systems

Performance:

Length: 365.76cm (144in)
Wingspan: 101.60cm (40.in)
Diameter: 20.32cm (8in)
Weight: 231.3kg (510lbs)
Speed: Mach 4
Boost burn time: 4.5 seconds
Sustain burn time: 11.0 seconds
Boost Propulsion: 2,608.1kg (5,750lbs)
Sustain Propulsion: 461kg (1,018lbs)
Warhead: 39kg (86lb)
Guidance : Semi-active, Conical scan
Practical Range: 27km (17mi) maximum
- Rmax (40kft alt): 98km (53mi)
G overloads:
- Launch Limit: N/A
- Target Maneuvering Limit: N/A
- Missile Maneuvering Limit: 25g lateral limit, 35g Dual Plane
ECCM: HOJ
Used on: F-4, F-14, F-16 ADF, F-15

IOC: 1979

AIM-7M/P/R
AIM-7 Sparrow > Air Force > Fact Sheet Display

The AIM-7F eventually evolved into the AIM-7M which featured a new type of seeker, the inverse-monopulse seeker which vastly improved performance in lookdown modes, ECM environments and new guidance unit with a digital computer onboard allowing it to fly more optimized flight paths for better overall performance at range.

The second iteration of the M, called the MH, not much is publicly available about the MH as it's a more recent upgrade to the sparrow so all of what is said from this point on is alleged , it's said to be an identical missile with most of the improvements being software side, adding the ability to loft to further increase range and conserve energy for a longer flight

In the '90s Raytheon won a bid to improve the AIM-7M further, little is known about what the upgrade program has done for the missile but it's alleged to have improved low altitude performance, adding a rear antenna for allowing midcourse guidance and improve processing and software

As of now AIM-7M is still in service but being phased out in favor of the 7P and even being upgraded where possible.

RIM-7/R/AIM-7R

In august of 1990 the US DOD announced plans for another production Sparrow variant, the RIM-7R with development already having kicked off, it would have it's tail fins move compared to predecessors which had the front fins move, it had two forms of guidance being passive IR and SAR guidance, the passive IR would be sat at the front of the radome with a seeker roughly half the size of a contemporary AIM-9 seeker with comparable performance, allowing a normal sized SAR guidance kit to be sat behind it, the missile would guide initially off of radar guidance where it would try to slave the IR seeker and transition onto IR guidance. initial testing was scheduled to start from October 1993 and go to September of 1994, when testing was completed it was deemed to be a effective missile and capable of performing with specific issues of compatibility with previous RIM-7 system launchers, combined with better options like the AIM-120 by 1996 and funding shortfalls the project was soon cancelled. Raytheon would propose an extensive set of upgrades for the Sea Sparrow which would lead to the ESSM project and changes being so extensive it was renamed "RIM-162 ESSM"

Performance:

Length: 365.76cm (144in)
Wingspan: 101.60cm (40.in)
Diameter: 20.32cm (8in)
Weight: 231.3kg (510lbs)
Speed: Mach 4
Boost burn time: 4.5 seconds
Sustain burn time: 11.0 seconds
Boost Propulsion: 2,608.1kg (5,750lbs)
Sustain Propulsion: 461kg (1,018lbs)
Warhead: 48kg (88lb)
Guidance : Semi-active, Inverse-monopulse
Practical Range: 27km (17mi) maximum
- Rmax (40kft alt): 98km (53mi)
G overloads:
- Launch Limit: N/A
- Target Maneuvering Limit: N/A
- Missile Maneuvering Limit: 25g lateral limit, 35g Dual Plane
ECCM: HOJ
Used on: F-14, F-16 ADF, F-15C, F/A-18