Russian fighter fired and lost a secret missile in Ukraine

Russian fighter jet lost a secret air-to-air missile during strikes into northern Ukraine, according to social media posts from Voyennyy Osvedomitel.

Ukrainian emergency services have found and unearthed wreckages of Russian-made R-77-1 medium-range air-to-air missile, also known as Izdeliye 170-1, in the Zhytomyr region.

Apparently, one of the most advanced Russian missiles was lost during the battle in northern Ukraine due to a technical malfunction.

- ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW -

The R-77-1 (NATO reporting name: AA-12B) is the latest generation of Soviet-era active-radar-guided R-77 missiles, which was subsequently introduced on Russian Su-35 Flanker fighters.

The Russian Air Force entered the R-77-1 air-to-air missile into service in 2015. It offers improved resistance to countermeasures, a more sensitive seeker, and aerodynamic refinements — the lattice fins at the rear are retained.

According to open sources, the R-77-1 is 15 kg (33 lb) heavier than the basic R-77 / RVV-AE, weighing 190 kg (420 lb) rather than 175 kg (386 lb). The maximum range is increased to 110 km (68 mi) from 80 km (50 mi).

The missile is also slightly longer at 3.71 m (12.2 ft), rather than the 3.6 m (11.8 ft) of the basic variant. Additional improvements include upgrades to the missile’s radar seeker and boat tail rear section to reduce drag.

If you would like to show your support for what we are doing, here's where to do it.

If you wish to report grammatical or factual errors within our news articles, you can let us know by using the online feedback form.

Executive Editor

About author:

Dylan Malyasov
Dylan Malyasov
Dylan Malyasov is the editor-in-chief of Defence Blog. He is a journalist, an accredited defense advisor, and a consultant. His background as a defense advisor and consultant adds a unique perspective to his journalistic endeavors, ensuring that his reporting is well-informed and authoritative. read more

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

TRENDING NOW