The Phoenix missile is the Navy's only long-range air-to-air missile.(emphasis added) It is an airborne weapons control system with multiple-target handling capabilities, used to kill multiple air targets with conventional warheads. Near simultaneous launch is possible against up to six targets in all weather and heavy jamming environments. The improved Phoenix, the AIM-54C, can better counter projected threats from tactical aircraft and cruise missiles.
We lose the loiter capability of the F-14 to stay onstation even with far less refueling stress, and the incredible interception capabilities that it represents against cruise missile threats in particular. It provides the Navy with the practical equivalent of a tactical supersonic AWACS and a forward-deployed missile defense...able to handle salvos intended to innundate and overwhelm the battle groups.
I did notice that. I thought it was kind of odd. I guess they'll be depending more heavily on the AIM-120 AMRAAM since the long range AIM-155 project seems dead. Raytheon is slated to produce more than 6000 of the AIM-120 AMRAAM through 2012.
Although, the supersonic free flight tests of the new Northrop Grumman Miniature Air-Launched Interceptor (MALI) have been successful. This may be what will be filling the void after the AIM-54 is gone.
