R.550 Magic

R.550 Magic
R.550 Magic loaded on the pylon of a ROCAF Mirage 2000-5EI
TypeShort-range air-to-air missile
Place of originFrance
Service history
In service1968 (Magic) and 1986 (Magic 2)
Used bySee Operators
Production history
ManufacturerMatra, MBDA France
Unit cost$38 000 - $90 000 (USD)
Specifications
Mass89 kg (196 lb)
Length2.72 m (8 ft 11 in)
Height2.75 Meters
Diameter157 mm (6 in)
Wingspan0.66 Metres
WarheadHigh explosive pre-fragmented 12.7 kg (28 lb) warhead
Detonation
mechanism
Contact and RF proximity fuzing

EngineRichard single-stage butylene solid-propellant rocket
PropellantSolid fuel
Operational
range
10 km (6 mi) (Magic 1)
20 km (12 mi) (Magic 2)
Flight ceiling18,000 m (59,000 ft)
Maximum speed Mach 3 (Magic 1)
Mach 2 (Magic 2)
Guidance
system
Infrared homing
Launch
platform
British Aerospace Sea Harrier FRS.51, Dassault Étendard IV, Dassault Mirage III, Dassault Mirage 5, Dassault Mirage F1, Dassault Mirage 2000, Dassault Super Étendard, Dassault Rafale, General Dynamics F-16, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 LanceR, SEPECAT Jaguar, Vought F-8E(FN).

The R.550 Magic (backronym for Missile Auto-Guidé Interception et Combat[1][2]) is a short-range air-to-air missile designed in 1965 by French company Matra to compete with the American AIM-9 Sidewinder, and it was made backwards compatible with the Sidewinder launch hardware.

  1. ^ "armement des avions". dan1959.centerblog.net.
  2. ^ "EC 2/13 Alpes jeunesse oblige". petaf-shop.e-monsite.com.