Munitions

AIM-9X Sidewinder missile

Also known as
  • AIM-9X
  • Sidewinder Block II

The AIM-9X Sidewinder is a U.S. infrared-tracking short-range missile family built by Raytheon for modern fighters and surface-launch air defense. RTX says it can be installed on F-15, F-16, F/A-18, EA-18G, F-22, and F-35 aircraft, while NAVAIR traces service entry to 2003 and Block II full-rate production to 2015.

AIM-9X Sidewinder missile, Short-range air-to-air missile, Munitions
Image source: AIM-9X Sidewinder.jpg

Role in Conflicts

What Makes AIM-9X Distinct

AIM-9X is more than a warmed-over Sidewinder. NAVAIR and RTX describe a missile built around a high off-boresight imaging infrared seeker, with Block II adding lock-on-after-launch and a weapon datalink.

FeatureDocumented detailWhy it matters
SeekerImaging infrared with high off-boresight acquisitionGives the missile a wider firing cone than older heat-seekers.
Block II updateWeapon datalink and lock-on-after-launch capabilityLets the missile receive updates after launch and engage with more flexibility.
Launch optionsAir-launched or surface-launched without modificationExplains why AIM-9X also appears in NASAMS and other ground-defense roles.
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Built by
Raytheon
Type
Short-range air-to-air missile
Service note
2000s-present
Designer
Raytheon and Loral Martin
Designed
1990s
Unit cost
$402,000 average procurement unit cost (AIM-9X Block II, PB 2025, 2011 base-year dollars)
Produced
Production approved in 2000; full-rate production approved in 2004; AIM-9X Block II reached full-rate production in 2015.
Number built
10,000+ delivered by May 2021

Specifications

Primary function
Air-to-air missile
Guidance system
Imaging infrared seeker with high off-boresight acquisition
Launch modes
Air-launched or surface-launched without modification
Length
9.9 feet (3.02 meters)
Launch weight
186 pounds (84.37 kg)
Warhead
Annular blast fragmentation
Power plant
ATK MK-139 solid-propellant rocket motor
Block II upgrades
Adds a weapon datalink and lock-on-after-launch capability
Variants
  • AIM-9X Block I
  • AIM-9X Block II
  • AIM-9X Block II+
Carrier Aircraft

RTX says AIM-9X is configured for easy installation on a wide range of modern aircraft, including the F-15, F-16, F/A-18, EA-18G, F-22, and F-35 families.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
F-15E Strike Eagle, Dual-role strike fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF-15E Strike EagleStrike fighter

RTX lists the F-15E Strike Eagle among the modern aircraft configured for AIM-9X installation.

Sources: AIM-9X SIDEWINDER Missile | Raytheon - RTX

F-16 Fighting Falcon, Multirole fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsF-16 Fighting FalconMultirole fighter

RTX lists the F-16 Fighting Falcon among the modern aircraft configured for AIM-9X installation.

Sources: AIM-9X SIDEWINDER Missile | Raytheon - RTX

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF/A-18E/F Super HornetCarrier-capable strike fighter

RTX lists the F/A-18 Super Hornet among the modern aircraft configured for AIM-9X installation.

Sources: AIM-9X SIDEWINDER Missile | Raytheon - RTX

EA-18G Growler, Carrier-capable airborne electronic attack aircraft, Electronic WarfareEA-18G GrowlerElectronic attack aircraft

RTX lists the E/A-18G Growler among the modern aircraft configured for AIM-9X installation.

Sources: AIM-9X SIDEWINDER Missile | Raytheon - RTX

F-22 Raptor, Fifth-generation stealth air-superiority fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF-22 RaptorAir-superiority fighter

RTX lists the F-22 Raptor among the modern aircraft configured for AIM-9X installation.

Sources: AIM-9X SIDEWINDER Missile | Raytheon - RTX

F-35 Lightning II, Fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF-35 Lightning IIFifth-generation multirole fighter

RTX lists all F-35 Joint Strike Fighter variants among the modern aircraft configured for AIM-9X installation.

Sources: AIM-9X SIDEWINDER Missile | Raytheon - RTX, RAAF Flies F-35As in Beast Mode for the First Time

F-35C Lightning II, Carrier-based stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF-35C Lightning IICarrier-based stealth fighter

UOTT live-fire testing reported two F-35C pilots each launching an AIM-9X-2 missile from the aircraft against a subscale drone.

Sources: UOTT Completes High-Tempo, Joint Testing on F-35

Carrier Aircraft

Popular Mechanics' F-21 coverage describes the fighter carrying two AIM-9X missiles alongside the AMRAAM loadout.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
Lockheed Martin F-21, Multirole fighter aircraft proposal, Aircraft & UAVsLockheed Martin F-21Multirole fighter

Popular Mechanics reports that the F-21 promo video shows two AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles alongside the AMRAAM loadout.

Sources: Why There's a New American Fighter Called the F-21

Firing Aircraft

The Marine Corps reported the F-35B firing a live AIM-9X during a defensive combat air patrol rehearsal.

Firing weaponWeapon typeFiring evidence
F-35B Lightning II, STOVL stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF-35B Lightning IISTOVL stealth multirole fighter

The Marine Corps said the F-35B carried and employed a live AIM-9X Sidewinder during a combat air patrol rehearsal, marking the first operational F-35B live-fire of the missile in the Indo-Pacific region.

Sources: Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II completes simulated defensive combat air patrol with live AIM-9X missile

Timeline

AIM-9X Sidewinder missile Key Events

  1. First flight

    Air & Space Forces records the AIM-9X's first flight in July 1999.

    Sources: AIM-9 Sidewinder Archives | Air & Space Forces Magazine

  2. Approved for production

    NAVAIR reported that the AIM-9X Sidewinder was approved for production after Defense Acquisition Board review.

    Sources: AIM-9X approved for production - NAVAIR

  3. U.S. service entry

    Air & Space Forces lists November 2003 as the AIM-9X IOC date.

    Sources: AIM-9 Sidewinder Archives | Air & Space Forces Magazine

  4. Full-rate production approved

    NAVAIR announced that the AIM-9X had been approved for full-rate production on May 15, 2004.

    Sources: AIM-9X Sidewinder Approved For Full-Rate Production - NAVAIR

  5. Block II reaches full-rate production

    NAVAIR reported that AIM-9X Block II reached the full-rate production milestone on August 17, 2015.

    Sources: Air-to-air missile reaches production milestone - NAVAIR

  6. Block II IOC

    Air & Space Forces lists September 2016 as the AIM-9X Block II IOC date.

    Sources: AIM-9 Sidewinder Archives | Air & Space Forces Magazine

  7. 10,000th delivery

    NAVAIR accepted delivery of the 10,000th AIM-9X Sidewinder for the U.S. Air Force on May 27, 2021.

    Sources: Air-to-Air Missiles Takes Delivery of 10,000th AIM-9X - NAVAIR

Media

AIM-9X Sidewinder missile Videos

AIM-9X Sidewinder missile Images

AIM-9X Sidewinder missile, Short-range air-to-air missile, Munitions - view 1
Source: AIM-9X-F18E 080414-N-7981E-106
AIM-9X Sidewinder missile, Short-range air-to-air missile, Munitions - view 2
Source: F-22 test fires AIM-9X.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
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F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsF/A-18E/F Super HornetCarrier-capable multirole strike fighterBoeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a U.S. Navy carrier-capable multirole strike fighter developed from the Hornet family for fleet air defense, escort, interdiction, close air support, aerial refueling, suppression of enemy air defenses, and day/night precision strike. The single-seat F/A-18E and two-seat F/A-18F anchor carrier air wings through Block II and Block III upgrades, with documented U.S. Navy use in Afghanistan drawdown support, Operation Inherent Resolve, the Red Sea crisis, Somalia strikes, and U.S. operations against Iran.
EA-18G Growler, Carrier-capable airborne electronic attack aircraft, Electronic WarfareElectronic WarfareEA-18G GrowlerCarrier-capable airborne electronic attack aircraftThe EA-18G Growler is a Boeing-built electronic attack derivative of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet, fielded to jam, detect, and attack hostile radars, communications, and air-defense networks while retaining missile carriage for suppression missions. U.S. Navy and Australian Growlers provide carrier or land-based electronic warfare support, with early combat deployment in Iraq and Libya in 2010-2011 and later documented use in 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve, Red Sea operations against Houthi forces, and the U.S.-Iran strike context.

Sources

RAAF Flies F-35As in Beast Mode for the First TimePublisher: Lockheed Martin | Note: Supports F-35 AIM-9X employment context. | Accessed: 2026-06-28AIM-9X Sidewinder | NAVAIRPublisher: U.S. Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports AIM-9X Sidewinder specifications, manufacturer, and general background context. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Weapons load crew arms F-15E Strike EaglePublisher: U.S. Air Forces Central | Note: Supports the F-15E Strike Eagle carriage of an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile during weapons loading at Al Dhafra Air Base. | Accessed: 2026-06-28AIM-9X SIDEWINDER Missile | Raytheon - RTXPublisher: RTX | Note: Supports modern aircraft compatibility, surface-launch use without modifications, Block II upgrades, and NASAMS context. | Accessed: 2026-06-27UOTT Completes High-Tempo, Joint Testing on F-35Publisher: Lockheed Martin F-35 | Note: Supports AIM-9X-2 live-fire testing from F-35C aircraft during operational testing. | Accessed: 2026-06-28Acquisition Standards Can Be a Two-Way StreetPublisher: Naval Aviation News | Note: 2023 Red Sea Crisis: used by a squadron in the Red Sea supporting Operation Prosperity Guardian, which wanted to carry more AIM-9X missiles on its Super Hornets to bolster capability against Houthi attacks on merchant vessels. | Accessed: 2026-06-21AIM-9X approved for production - NAVAIRPublisher: U.S. Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports AIM-9X production approval in September 2000. | Accessed: 2026-06-27AIM-9X Sidewinder Approved For Full-Rate Production - NAVAIRPublisher: U.S. Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports AIM-9X full-rate production approval in May 2004. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Air-to-air missile reaches production milestone - NAVAIRPublisher: U.S. Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports AIM-9X Block II reaching the full-rate production milestone in August 2015. | Accessed: 2026-06-27AIM-9 Sidewinder Archives | Air & Space Forces MagazinePublisher: Air & Space Forces Magazine | Note: Supports AIM-9X first flight in July 1999, November 2003 IOC, September 2016 Block II IOC, and planned production and delivery counts. | Accessed: 2026-06-27FY24 Fact Sheet NAWCWDPublisher: U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division | Note: 2023 Red Sea Crisis: used by Carrier Air Wing-3 to support an F/A-18 loadout with four AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles to aid combat operations in the Red Sea. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Air-to-Air Missiles Takes Delivery of 10,000th AIM-9X - NAVAIRPublisher: U.S. Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports the 10,000th AIM-9X delivery for the U.S. Air Force on May 27, 2021. | Accessed: 2026-06-27AIM-9X Blk II MSAR, December 31, 2023Publisher: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Sustainment) | Note: Supports the AIM-9X Block II average procurement unit cost and the PB 2025 procurement quantity baseline. | Accessed: 2026-06-27AIM-9X Sidewinder.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Navy image page for the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile. | Accessed: 2026-06-21AIM-9X-F18E 080414-N-7981E-106Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Navy image page showing an AIM-9X Sidewinder mounted on an F/A-18F Super Hornet. | Accessed: 2026-06-21F-22 test fires AIM-9X.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Air Force image page showing an AIM-9X test fire from an F-22. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Why There's a New American Fighter Called the F-21Publisher: Popular Mechanics | Note: Supports the F-21 promotional-video carriage of AIM-9X missiles alongside the AMRAAM loadout. | Accessed: 2026-06-28Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II completes simulated defensive combat air patrol with live AIM-9X missilePublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports the F-35B carriage and live firing of AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles. | Accessed: 2026-06-28