AIM-9X Sidewinder as A-G weapon

// December 11th, 2009 // F-16's weapons

F-16.net informs about new Air-To-Surface capability of AIM-9X Sidewinder missile.

“With a software upgrade, AIM-9X retains its air-to-air capabilities and gains an air-to-surface capability,” said Harry Schulte, Raytheon Missile Systems vice president of Air Warfare Systems. “AIM-9X now has the potential to take on an additional mission at a very affordable cost.”

WOW. Didn’t see that coming, though “The test marks the third time an AIM-9X engaged moving surface targets.” (even in 2007 – launched by F-15).

As a fan of F-16 simulation, I’m wondering how the practical employment of AIM-9X Sidewinder looks like (for A-G targets).

What’s equally interesting, Squid from 1stVFW posts a link to info regarding Raytheon successfully firing an AIM-9X Sidewinder from a submarine! The article “Hunted becomes Hunter – Raytheon demos sub-launched Sidewinder” says about AIM-9X  fired from a submerged Tomahawk Capsule Launching System.
“The development of such new weapons puts extra demands on the helicopters and crews hunting them.”  Damn, it does.

Raider