AIM-9 Sidewinder missile

The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a U.S. short-range infrared-guided air-to-air missile family developed for fighter aircraft and still fielded in modernized variants. It is documented as a supersonic heat-seeking missile carried by fighter aircraft, with the Alpha Jet among the aircraft explicitly cleared to carry it.

AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, Short-range air-to-air missile, Munitions

Image source: AIM-9 Sidewinder on AMX.JPG

Profile

Origin: United States
Built by: Raytheonsuccessor builders
Type: Short-range air-to-air missile
Service note: Cold War-present

air defense NATO

Specifications

Guidance: Infrared homing
Role: Short-range air-to-air missile
Warhead: High-explosive fragmentation
Launch platform: Fighter aircraft and other launch platforms
Service: U.S. service from the 1950s; modernized variants remain in service

Carrier Aircraft

The Alpha Jet is explicitly documented as supporting AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles among its external stores.

Carrier aircraft	Aircraft type	Documented relation
Alpha Jet attack aircraft	Light attack aircraft	Supports AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles as part of its carried stores.

Carrier Aircraft

The Alpha Jet is explicitly documented as able to carry AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on its underwing stores stations.

Carrier

Carrier type

Carriage evidence

Alpha Jet attack aircraft

Light attack aircraft

MilitaryFactory describes the Alpha Jet as supporting AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles among its external stores.

Sources: Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jet | Military Factory

AIM-9 Sidewinder missile Videos

How one missile changed air combat | The AIM-9 Sidewinder

AIM-9 Sidewinder missile Images

AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, Short-range air-to-air missile, Munitions - view 1 — Source: AIM-9 Sidewinder on AMX.JPG

AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, Short-range air-to-air missile, Munitions - view 2 — Source: AIM-9 Sidewinder on F-14A Tomcat ordnance loading image

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Sources

AIM-9 Sidewinder | U.S. Air Force Fact SheetPublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports AIM-9 Sidewinder origin, general role, and infrared heat-seeking missile background. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 AIM-9X Sidewinder Missile | RTXPublisher: RTX | Note: Supports manufacturer context for the modern AIM-9X Sidewinder family and current production background. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jet | Military FactoryPublisher: Military Factory | Note: Supports that the Alpha Jet supports AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles as an external-store carriage option. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 AIM-9 Sidewinder on AMX.JPGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the primary Sidewinder gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 AIM-9 Sidewinder on F-14A Tomcat ordnance loading imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a gallery image showing the missile mounted on an F-14A. | Accessed: 2026-06-23