The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has short-listed the Rafael Python 4 and the Matra BAe Dynamics Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) for its next-generation within-visual-range air-to-air missile requirement, ruling out consideration of the Hughes Evolved Sidewinder (AIM-9X) and the Bodensee Geratetechnik IRIS-T.
The US Navy, which was the lead service in the AIM-9X competition requirement, has been pushing for the missile to be considered by the RAAF, while Germany was lobbying for the IRIS-T.
A request for tenders is expected to be released to Matra BAe Dynamics and Rafael in the third quarter of this year. The RAAFis working towards introducing its AIM-9 replacement into service in 2000.
As well as selecting the Python 4 and ASRAAM to compete for the AIM-9 replacement, the RAAF has decided to sole-source the Hughes AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) as its Raytheon AIM-7 Sparrow replacement.
Source: Flight International