the required aerodynamic shield to protect the internal
components of the seeker. During ground handling, the
radome is protected by a radome protector cap.
The warhead section contains a penetration blast
type of explosive, the guided missile fuze, fuze booster,
and the pressure probe assembly. It also provides
internal routing of the interconnecting cable from the
guidance section to other parts of the missile.
The sustainer section contains the fuel tank and fuel
supply system, missile battery, pyrotechnic relay panel,
and the turbojet engine. Three BSU-4/B missile wings
and one BSU-43/B missile wing are attached to the
sustainer section by quick-attach, clevis-type fittings.
These wings are attached to the missile at the
organizational level. They provide the aerodynamic lift
required to sustain missile flight. They are made of a
framed aluminum honeycomb construction and are
nonfolding.
The boattail section contains four control actuators,
which control the control fins. Four identical
nonfolding missile control fins (BSU-44/B) provide
directional control of the missile’s airframe proportional
to the input signal received from the guidance section.
The control fins are one-piece aluminum castings, and
are attached to the control fin actuators by means of an
integral torque-limiting, screw-type device.
For further information concerning the air-launched
AGM-84 (series) Harpoon guided missiles, refer to the
publications Airborne Weapons Assembly, NAVAIR
11-140-6.2-4, and Airborne Weapons Assembly,
AGM-84/E, NAVAIR 11-140-6.2-5.
Sidewinder Guided Missile
The Sidewinder guided missiles, AIM-9 series (fig.
3-8), are supersonic, air-to-air weapons with passive
infrared target detection, proportional navigation
guidance, and torque-balance control systems. They are
capable of being launched from the A-6, F-14, and
F/A-18 aircraft. The AIM-9 series missiles are issued
to the fleet as AURs. The components of the ATM-9L-1
are identical to the AIM-9L/M except that a training
warhead is substituted for the tactical warhead in the
ATM-9L-1. The AIM-9L/M missile is used strictly for
tactical purposes. The ATM-9L-1 missile is used for
pilot training in target acquisition and missile firing.
The Sidewinder guided missile is approximately
113 inches in length, 5 inches in diameter, weighs
approximately 190 pounds, and consists of five major
components. These components are the guidance and
Figure 3-8.—AIM-9 series Sidewinders guided missile.
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