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Helicopters demonstrate air-to-air missiles

An AIM-9M Sidewinder missile seen mounted on one of the army's Super Cobra attack helicopters. PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES

In April the army successfully demonstrated the ability to use Sidewinder AIM-9M air-to-air missiles with its Super Cobra AH-1W attack helicopters, it was reported yesterday.

The test was held at the nation's largest missile test site in Chiupeng, Pingtung County, said Lieutenant Colonel Chang Ching-cheng (張清正), leader of an attack helicopter battalion from the Taichung-based 602nd airborne brigade. Chang's battalion was responsible for the test.

Chang made the remarks yesterday at his base in Taichung County's Hsinshe township.

"Only one Sidewinder was fired in the initial test due to budget constraints. The missile successfully hit the target right before the target, a flare bomb fired from a 60mm gun, ran out of fuel," Chang said.

"After the first successful test-firing, we went on to launch four more Sidewinders from the Super Cobras," he said.

"The AH-1W Super Cobras are designed to destroy tanks. On each mission, one AH-1W can destroy 12 of the most advanced tanks in the world. Now our AH-1Ws have an extra capability -- they can engage enemy aircraft or helicopters in the sky," he said.

"We installed the Sidewinders on our AH-1Ws some time ago. But we hadn't test-fired the missiles from the Super Cobras until now mainly because it is so hard to find a suitable missile test site. The weather was also of major concern. The accuracy of Sidewinders can be easily affected by bad weather," he said.

Better than earlier Sidewinder models, the AIM-9M has improved defense against infrared countermeasures, enhanced background discrimination capability and a reduced-smoke rocket motor. These modifications increase its ability to locate and lock on a target and decrease the missile's chances of detection.

The Sidewinder is the most widely used air-to-air missile in the West, with more than 110,000 missiles produced for 27 nations excluding the US. The AIM-9 is one of the oldest, least expensive and most successful missiles in the entire US weapons inventory.

The 602nd brigade is one of two airborne brigades in the army. The other airborne brigade is the 601st brigade based in Taoyuan.

The army plans to establish a third airborne brigade, but the plan is stalled due to a lack of helicopters and pilots to fly them.
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