KS-172

K-100-1
Mockup of KS–172 in front of Su-30 in 1994
Type	Long range air-to-air missile
Place of origin	Russia & India
Production history
Manufacturer	NPO Novator & DRDO
Specifications
Weight	748 kg (1,650 lb) (KS–172)
Length	6.01 m (19.7 ft) + 1.4 m (4.6 ft) (KS–172)
Diameter	40 cm (16 in) (KS–172)
Warhead	HE fragmentation (KS–172)
Warhead weight	50 kg (110 lb)
Engine	Solid-propellant tandem rocket booster (KS–172)
Wingspan	61 cm (24 in) (KS–172)
Operational range	At least 200 km, possibly 300–400 km (160–210 nmi)
Flight altitude	3 m (9.8 ft)–30,000 m (98,000 ft) (KS–172)
Speed	4,000 km/h (2,500 mph; 1.1 km/s; Mach 3.3) (KS–172)
Guidance system	inertial navigation with midcourse guidance and terminal active radar homing (KS–172)
Launch platform	Su-27, Su-30, Su-35,Su-30MKIPAK FA (expected)

The Novator K-100 is a Russian air-to-air missile designed as an "AWACS killer" at ranges up to 400 km. The missile has had various names during its troubled history, including Izdeliye 172 ('Article 172'), AAM-L (RVV-L), KS–172, KS-1, 172S-1 and R-172. The airframe appears to have been derived from the 9K37 Buk surface-to-air missile (SAM) but development stalled in the mid-1990s for lack of funds. It appears to have restarted in 2004 after a deal with India, who wants to produce the missile in India for their Su-30MKI fighters. It is the heaviest air-to-air missile ever produced.

Modern airforces have become dependent on airborne radars typically carried by converted airliners and transport aircraft such as the E-3 Sentry and A-50 'Mainstay'. They also depend on similar aircraft for inflight refuelling (e.g. Vickers VC10), maritime patrol (e.g. CP-140 Aurora), reconnaissance and electronic warfare (e.g. Tu-16 'Badger' E & J) and C4ISTAR (e.g. VC-25 "Air Force One"). The loss of just one of these aircraft can have a significant effect on fighting capability, and they are usually heavily defended by fighter escorts. A long-range air-to-air missile offers the prospect of bringing down the target without having to fight a way through the fighter screen. Given the potential importance of "blinding" Western AWACS, Russia has devoted considerable resources to this area. The R-37 (missile) (AA-13 'Arrow') is an evolution of their R-33 (AA-9 'Amos') with a range of up to 400 km (220 nmi), and there have been persistent rumours – if little hard evidence – of an air-to-air missile with a range of 200 km (110 nmi) based on Zvezda's Kh-31 anti-radar/anti-shipping missile or its Chinese derivative, the YJ-91.