US Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 transport an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 28, 2022. Credit: DVIDS.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) awarded Raytheon Missiles and Defense a $236.7m modification contract to manufacture 571 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles with supplementary equipment.

The US Navy, Air Force and foreign military sales (FMS) customers will acquire the products by August 2026.

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The modification comes as part of Raytheon’s Lot 23 production for the military services.

Sidewinder’s attributes

The DoD issued the contract as part of the US Navy-led joint programme with the US Air Force. Under this programme, Raytheon provides for both miltiary services and 31 FMS partners.

The AIM-9X Sidewinder is a multi-purpose missile for air-to-air engagements, surface-attack and surface-launch missions.

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The advanced infrared-tracking, short-range missile is proven in several theatres around the world.

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The latest Block II variant is equipped with updated electronics, including a lock-on-after-launch capability that uses a new weapon datalink to support beyond visual range engagements.

Falling out of favour?

According to GlobalData intelligence, global spending on Raytheon’s missile will grow from $1m to $2.9m between 2023-2032, which would register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 87.76%.

Despite the Sidewinder’s promising growth rate, observers will take note of the enduring legacy of the Sidewinder and the rising popularity of the German Iris-T model.

As Europe mobilises its air defence systems in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the continent is integrating new missile systems, such as the Iris-T surface-to-air medium-range launched (SLM) system provided by Diehel Defense.

The Iris-T SLM’s forerunning air-to-air short-range missile, the Iris-T SLS, fielded in the German Air Force in 2005, gives Raytheon a run for its money as it was designed to replace the Sidewinder.

While the Sidewinder and the Iris-T SLM have different purposes, we can still expect the latter to outpace the former significantly. GlobalData tells us that global spending on the Iris-T SLM will increase from $28.2m to $112.5m between 2022 and 2024.