http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/081015/new022.html?.v=70
AIM-120C7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile entered the U.S. Navy's Weapon System User Program.
During a landmark mission, two U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet strike-fighter aircraft fired two Raytheon-built air-to-air missiles -- an AIM-120C7 and an AIM-9X.
This was the first time the AIM-120C7 and AIM-9X have been launched by a fleet-assigned operational Super Hornet and the first time the U.S. Navy employed both missiles during the same mission.
"Firing the AIM-9X during the same tactical mission as the AIM-120C7 proves that our warfighters will be able to maintain their critical advantage in both the beyond-visual-range and within-visual-range fight," said Capt. Jeffrey Penfield, the U.S. Navy's Air-to-Air Missile program manager.
The WSUP firings were a joint effort with the Air Force's Weapon System Evaluation Program and proved the AIM-120C7 can operate in a joint environment. The WSUP firing also demonstrated the maturity of the AIM-120C7.
Both Super Hornet pilots were "very impressed with the new capabilities the AIM-120C7 and AIM-9X," said Lt. Col Terry Scott, mission commander and commander of the U.S. Air Force's 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron.
The missiles were fired by aircraft assigned to the U.S. Navy's VFA-143 squadron and were launched against a BQM-167A target drone during a joint mission with U.S. Air Force F-15Cs from Eglin Air Force Base's 60th Fighter Squadron. All missiles guided within lethal range of the target and were assessed as 100 percent successful.
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