Which Russian missile makes Ukraine and the West most afraid?

Western observers have drawn attention to documents published online, which, in their opinion, show that the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) have used R-77M air-to-air missiles in combat, and this is indeed a dangerous threat to Ukrainian and Western fighter jets.

“It is clear that Russia is using a new type of missile in its war with Ukraine,” said the US military website The War Zone, affirming that the R-77M is a deeply modernized version of the R-77 long-range air-to-air missile, developed during the Soviet era.

Western analysts have previously warned that Russia's investment in advanced weapons such as the R-77M is aimed at gaining air superiority in future conflicts, especially against opponents equipped with stealth weapons and long-range sensors.

The War Zone said that the new photo appeared on social media showing a Su-35S multirole fighter, with two R-77M missiles on pylons located under the air intakes. At the same time, there are still standard R-77-1 missiles, mounted on the main wing center pylons.

In addition, the Su-35S is also equipped with a R-73/74 infrared-guided short-range air-to-air missile, located under the left wing's hardpoint; as well as electronic warfare pods on the wingtips. This missile is intended for combat within visual range.

In terms of shape, the R-77M missile is not like the R-77, because it has four smaller cross-shaped tail fins, instead of mesh-shaped fins; the four lift fins are also smaller and longer. The R-77M missile has a number of significant improvements over the R-77, making it comparable to the development level of American missiles; The War Zone assessed. (Photo of R-77 missile).

As mentioned, the basic R-77 missile uses a fairly old active radar guidance method. Its development began in the Soviet Union, in the early 1980s, with the aim of creating an air-to-air missile similar to the American AIM-120 AMRAAM.

But due to technical and economic difficulties, the R-77 missile was not put into service until 1994. During the Syrian war, the Russian Aerospace Forces received an improved version of the R-77, the R-77-1, with better anti-jamming capabilities and a more sensitive seeker. However, its aerodynamic features were limited.

The R-77-1 version is considered an interim upgrade, while the R-77M, or “Izdelie 180 (Product 180)”, is expected to bring much more significant improvements. The presence of improved stabilizing fins allows the R-77M missile to be placed inside the weapons bay of Russia’s latest stealth fighter, the Su-57.

At the same time, the R-77M missile's rudders have been significantly upgraded, reducing the missile's aerodynamic drag and radar signature. Other changes include an improved radar seeker, which has a semi-active mode in addition to the active guidance mode. This can be aimed at detecting targets using external radar sources.

In particular, the new generation dual-engine improvement is also a significant improvement of the R-77M missile. It provides continuous thrust throughout the missile's flight path, helping to improve maneuverability at high altitudes, increase range and improve combat effectiveness against targets with good maneuverability.

According to unconfirmed information, the R-77M's range is twice as long as the R-77 version, that is, it can reach 190 km. Although in reality, this range depends on many factors (speed and altitude of the missile launch aircraft, target trajectory, etc.).

Currently, Ukraine's air-to-air missiles are one step below the R-77M. In an interview with the Western press before his death in 2023, a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter pilot nicknamed "Djus" said that the R-37M missiles equipped on the Ukrainian MiG-29 "limited our ability to carry out missions" because the pilot had to maneuver away from the threat, which did not allow for an air strike.

The longest-range air-to-air missile used by Ukraine is the AIM-120C AMRAAM, which was provided by the US, with a maximum range of about 74 km. Therefore, when conducting air combat, if Ukrainian pilots do not detect the R-77M missile being launched in time, their careers are over. (Photo source: The War Zone, TASS, Wikipedia).