The author's conception of the new Russian active-homing missile, similar in form and function to the AIM-120 AMRAAM used in the west. Internally it is known as the Vympel R-77 and is likely to enter service in the mid to late 1990's. It is interesting to note that Russian engineers developing active-homing missiles have appeared to abandon the unwieldy AA-9 Amos in favor of this smaller, sleeker, and more agile weapon.
