AA-10 Alamo

R-27 AA-10 Alamo
German Air Force MiG-29 firing an R-27
Type	Medium-range, air-to-air tactical missile
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1983- present
Production history
Manufacturer	Vympel
Unit cost	N/A
Specifications
Weight	253 kg (558 lb)
Length	4.08 m (13.4 ft)
Diameter	230 mm (9.1 in)
Warhead	blast/fragmentation, or continuous rod
Warhead weight	39 kg (86 lb)
Detonation mechanism	radar-proximity and impact fuzes
Engine	High performance, w. directed-rocket motor Solid-fuel rocket motor
Wingspan	772 mm (30.4 in)
Operational range	R-27R: up to 80 km R-27T: up to 70 km R-27ER: up to 130 km R-27ET: up to 120 km R-27EP: up to 130 km R-27EA: >130 km
Flight altitude	N/A
Speed	Mach 4.5
Guidance system	semi-active radar homing (A/C), active-radar-homing (R-27EA), infrared homing (B/D), passive radar (E/F)
Launch platform	Su-27, Su-30, Su-33, Su-34, Su-35, Su-37, MiG-29, Mig-23, Yak-141, PAK FA

The Vympel R-27 missile (NATO reporting name AA-10 Alamo) is a medium-to-long-range air-to-air missile developed by the Soviet Union. It remains in service with the Russian Air Force and air forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The R-27 is manufactured in infrared-homing (R-27T), semi-active-radar-homing (R-27R), and active-radar-homing (R-27EA) versions, in both Russia and Ukraine. The R-27 missile is carried by the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 fighters, and some of the later-model MiG-23MLD fighters have also been adapted to carry it. The R-27 missile is also license-produced in China, though the production license was bought from Ukraine instead of Russia.

R-27R and ER variants can be used in any meteorological conditions. Launch can made at less than 5 g overload and less 50 deg/s roll rate. It is allowed to redesignate targets during flight, or sharing target illumination with other aircraft.

R-27T and ET variants can be used out of cloudiness, at least 15 degrees away from the bearing of sun, and 4 degrees away from the bearing of moon and ground based head-contrasting conditions. In cases of maximum head-on range launches where lock-command cannot be utilised, missile can be fired in PPS: In this mode, missile will fly straight until achieves target lock. As missile lacks capability of maneuvering before lock, aircraft itself must maneuver so that missile will be pointed to no more than 15 degrees bearing of the target for confident capture by the IR seeker after launch. Equalising altitude is recommended but not required. On combat operations section of the Su-27 manual, this mode of usage is especially recommended for head-on usage for passive attacks at targets with 0 degrees approach angle (i.e. another fighter moving to intercept), leaving target unalerted to incoming missile. Launch can be made at 0 to 7 g, but limited to 6 g if roll induced slip is more than 2x diameter of the ball.