K-30 / Izdeliy 300 / K-MD

Development of guided weapons for the PAK FA is carried out by the Tactical Missile Armament Corporation (KTRV). Air-to-air missile systems are being created by the II Toropov Moscow State Design Bureau Vympel, which is part of the KTRV. For PAK FAVympel is developing promising air-to-air products of short, medium and long range for internal deployment and with a gradual increase in their combat characteristics.

A practically new short-range missile, highly maneuverable short-range air combat and anti-missile defense missile, which received the designation K-MD ("product 300"), is also being created. The missile is equipped with a matrix thermal seeker with the ability to recognize the image and double the capture range. The engine is dual-mode with an operating time of up to 100 seconds and a three-channel gas-dynamic control device. Rocket tests were expected in 2014-2015.

The R-73 rocket (NATO designation AA-11, Archer), developed by the Vympel ICB, allows to engage vigorously maneuvering targets, including with large aiming errors, at all angles, day and night, in the presence of natural and organized interference, against the background of the earth and water surface.

As General Designer of KB Vympel, Academician Gennady Sokolovsky, said at the MAKS- 95 exhibition , the design bureau has developed a modification of the R-73 rocket, designated R-73M. The missile's targeting zone has been expanded to -t 90 degrees. The sensitivity and range of the seeker are doubled. The head of this rocket is equipped with a multi-area two-band photodetector, which increases its noise immunity. The R-73M contains technical and algorithmic solutions that provide retargeting from the engine torch to the central part of the airframe when approaching the target.

According to "Aviation Week" magazine dated September 4, 1995, representatives of the "McDonnel Douglas" company at the MAKS-95 air show were negotiating with the developers of the R-73 missiles about the possibility of acquiring this missile to arm the FA-18 and F-15 fighters. They also discussed the issue of joint research programs of GMKB Vympel and American firms in technology and design of new weapons. At the same time, American representatives noted that Russia has an advantage in the development of guidance algorithms and in homing technologies, but is inferior in digital signal processing and the use of computers.

The R-74 was a modified version of the R-73, apparently also designated as Product 740. This rocket appeared at MAKS in the 1990s. Developed back in the 1980s, it differs from the R-73 in the use of a modified "Mayak-80M" seeker with a target capture angle increased to 120 degrees and an increased capture range. The range has been increased to 40 km, the control system has been modified, and four gas dynamic control channels have been introduced. Arsenal made the Mayak-80M for the R-74. Moreover, there were also modified versions of the R-74 itself.

Vympel proposed the Izdeliye 300 to arm the Sukhoi PAK FA / Su-57 fighter. In 2006, the company said the 300 missile could have been ready in 2013, if enough funding had been available. But the simpler izdeliye 760 R-74M2, was chosen as the primary short range missile for the Su-57. Now the R-74 is already history, for the T-50 products 300 and 760 are being developed.

In the corporate newspaper Vympel, JSC State Machine-Building Design Bureau Vympel named after II. Toropov "(JSC" GosMKB "Vympel" named after II Toropov ") - a leading Russian enterprise in the development and production of aircraft weapons, primarily guided air-to-air missile class (the enterprise is part of JSC" Corporation Tactical Rocket Armament ") - published on 31 January 2021 a material on the results of the enterprise's production activities in the field of R&D in 2020 and plans for 2021. "The main new works within the framework of the FPR include work on the formation of the appearance of a prospective Product 300M, research on the ballistic characteristics of products with combined propulsion systems, as well as experimental assessments of the effect of changes in antenna arrays on the main characteristics of radar homing heads."

The American edition of The Drive notes "“To date, exact information about the 300-M product remains unavailable. However, the fact that the manufacturer noted its existence is of great importance, and everything indicates that Russia is approaching the completion of a completely new short-range air-to-air missile."

This missile seems new, but in fact the Product designation "M" implies a modification of an earlier advanced short-range air-to-air missile program. It is assumed that the projectile will be able to detect targets twice as far as the P-73. In addition, the product should have a more powerful solid fuel engine, as well as the ability to control the thrust vector. The production version of the Product 300-M is likely to be designed for the Su-57, as well as for use by the Okhotnik unmanned aerial vehicle. The presence of a new generation of short-range missiles will have a positive effect on attracting buyers for Russian fighters.