Israeli missile house Rafael has taken the wraps off its Derby beyond visual range, active-radar guided air-to-air missile, 10 years after it came into service. The missiles development was first rumoured in the early-1990s, although Tel Aviv has only now acknowledged its existence.
Rafael says that Derby - which is in Israeli air force service - can be used for short- and medium-range engagements and has look-down, shoot-down capabilities. Israel Aircraft Industries' MBT division is responsible for the active radar seeker.
The weapon has two operating modes, lock-on-after and lock-on- before launch, the latter to improve short range performance.
The missile is the standard radar-guided weapon on Israel's Lockheed Martin F-16s and is carried on the same pylon as Rafael's Python 4 imaging infrared guided dogfight missile. Derby was developed in the 1980s, says Rafael, and has been in service for 10 years.
Towards the end of development, South Africa invested in the programme, receiving technology and subassemblies later used in Denel Kentron's similar looking R-Darter missile.
Ehud Ganani, Rafael vice president commercial, says Derby has been offered to a number of countries. "Its light weight allows it to be put it on a variety of aircraft," he says. The missile's international debut is planned for the Paris air show next month.
Chile, a Python 4 user, is understood to have integrated Derby with its Israeli-upgraded Northrop F-5E/Fs. But it is not clear if Chile has bought the weapon in numbers (Flight International 1-7 May). South America could be a rich market for Rafael as the USA refuses to export the Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM to the region.
Derby is 3.6m (11.8ft) long, has a diameter of 160mm, the same as Python 4, and weighs 118kg (260lb). The missile is slightly narrower and lighter than AMRAAM, but about the same length.
Source: Flight International
