List of missiles of the RAF
The following list of missiles of the Royal Air Force contains both current and former missiles used by the British air force:
A[]
- AS.11 - Air-to-surface anti-tank missile. Carried by the Westland Wessex and Westland Whirwind helicopters
- AS.12 - Air-to-surface anti-tank missile. Carried by the Westland Wessex and Hawker Siddeley Nimrod
- AS-30 - Air-to-surface missile. Carried by the English Electric Canberra
- ALARM - Air-to-surface anti-radiation missile. Carried by the Panavia Tornado
- AMRAAM - Medium-range air-to-air missile. Carried by the Eurofighter Typhoon and Panavia Tornado ADV
- ASRAAM - Short-range infrared homing air-to-air missile. Carried by the Eurofighter Typhoon and Panavia Tornado.
B[]
- Bloodhound - Obsolete land-based surface-to-air missile. In RAF service 1958 to 1991.
- Blue Steel - Obsolete air-to-surface nuclear armed missile. Carried by the Avro Vulcan and Handley Page Victor V Bombers. In RAF from 1963 to 1970.
- Brimstone - Air-to-surface ground-attack missile. Carried by the Panavia Tornado.
F[]
- Fireflash - Obsolete infrared homing air-to-air missile. Carried by Gloster Meteor and Supermarine Swift test aircraft. In RAF service from 1955 to 1958.
- Firestreak - Obsolete air-to-air missile. Carried by the English Electric Lightning and Gloster Javelin. In RAF service from 1957 to 1988.
H[]
- Harpoon - Air-to-surface all-weather over-the-horizon anti-ship missile. Carried by the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod.
- Hellfire - Air-to-surface anti-tank missile.
M[]
- Martel - Anglo-French air-to-surface anti-radiation missile. Carried by the Blackburn Buccaneer and Hawker Siddeley Nimrod. Retired.
- Maverick - Air-to-surface missile. Carried by the British Aerospace Harrier II, Hawker Siddely Nimros and Panavia Tornado.
- Meteor - Air-to-air active radar homing beyond-visual-range missile.
R[]
- Rapier - Land-based surface-to-air missile operated by the RAF Regiment.
- Red Top - Obsolete infrared homing air-to-air missile. Carried by the English Electric Lightning. In RAF service from 1964 to 1988.
S[]
- Sea Eagle - Air-to-surface sea-skimming anti-ship missile. Carried by the Blackburn Buccaneer and Panavia Tornado. Retired.
- Shrike - Air-to-surface anti-radiation missile. Carried by the Avro Vulcan.
- Sidewinder - Short-range air-to-air missile. Carried by the Blackburn Buccaneer and British Aerospace Harrier II, Hawker Siddeley Harrier, Hawker Siddeley Hawk, Hawker Siddeley Nimrod McDonnell Douglas Phantom, SEPECAT Jaguar Panavia Tornado and Panavia Tornado ADV.
- Skyflash - Obsolete medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile. In RAF service from 1978 to 2006. Cariried by the McDonnell Douglas Phantom and Panavia Tornado ADV.
- Sparrow - Medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile. Carried by the McDonnell Douglas Phantom.
- Storm Shadow - Anglo-French air-launched cruise missile. Carried by the Panavia Tornado and Eurofighter Typhoon.
T[]
- Tigercat - Obsolete short-range surface-to-air missile system. Operated by the RAF Regiment form 1967 to 1978. Replaced by the Rapier surface to air missile.
- Thor - Obsolete Land-based intermediate-range ballistic missile. In RAF service from 1959 to 1963. See Project Emily
Unguided Rockets[]
Unguided air-to-surface rockets[]
- 2-inch RP air-to-air, air-to-surface rockets. Retired
- RP-3 air-to-surface rockets. Retired
- SNEB 68-mm air-to-surface rocket pods
- CRV7 air-to-surface rocket pods
- 11-kg (25-lb) 76.2-mm (3-inch) air-to-surface rockets. Retired
- 28-kg (60-lb) air-to-surface rockets
Laser-guided bombs[]
- Paveway
- Paveway IV
- Paveway III
- GBU-12
- GBU-24
Homing torpedoes[]
- Mark 24 mine - Obsolete
- 18" Mark 30 torpedo - Carried by Avro Shackleton and Hawker Siddeley Nimrod. In service from 1954 to 1975.
- Mark 44 torpedo
- Mark 46 torpedo - Carried by the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod
- Marconi String Ray Torpedo - Carried by the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod
List of Royal Air Force munitions[]
Bomb 1918-1939[]
Bombs 1939-1945[]
- Blockbuster bomb - Carried by the Avro Lancaster, de Havilland Mosquito and Vickers Wellington.
- Bouncing bomb - Carried by the Avro Lancaster.
- Grand Slam bomb -Carried by the Avro Lancaster.
- Tallboy bomb - Carried by the Avro Lancaster.
Bombs[]
Sea mines[]
List of nuclear weapons of the RAF[]
Type | Origin | Notes | Variants |
---|---|---|---|
B28 nuclear bomb | United States | Air dropped thermonuclear weapon. In service from 1960 to 1964, carried by the English Electric Canberra, McDonnell Douglas Phantom and Vickers Valiant V Bombers. | |
B43 nuclear bomb | United States | Air dropped thermonuclear weapon. In service from 1964 to 1976, carried by the English Electric Canberra, McDonnell Douglas Phantom and Vickers Valiant. | |
B57 nuclear bomb | United States | Air dropped tactical nuclear weapon. In service from 1970 to 1991, carried by English Electric Canberra, Hawker Siddeley Nimrod and McDonnell Douglas Phantom. | |
Mark 5 nuclear bomb | United States | Air dropped nuclear bomb. In service from 1958 to 1965, carried by the Avro Vulcan. See Project E | |
Mark 7 nuclear bomb | United States | Air dropped tactical nuclear bomb. In service from 1958 to 1965, carried by the English Electric Canberra | |
Blue Danube | United Kingdom | Air dropped nuclear weapon. In service from 1953 to 1962, carried by the Avro Vulcan, Handley Page Victor and Vickers Valiant. | |
Red Beard | United Kingdom | Free-fall tactical nuclear weapon. In service from 1961 to 1971, carried by the English Electric Canberra, Handley Page Victor, Hawker Siddeley Nimrod and Avro Vulcan. | Red Beard Mk 1, Red Beard Mk 2 |
Red Snow | United Kingdom | Thermonuclear warhead | |
Violet Club | United Kingdom | Air drooped nuclear weapon. In service from 1958 to 1960, carried by the Avro Vulcan. | |
W.65, Mk Lulu | United States | Air dropped nuclear depth charge. In service from 1965 to 1971. Carried by the Avro Shackleton and Hawker Siddeley Nimrod. | |
WE.117 | United Kingdom | Free-fall gravity nuclear bomb. In service from 1969 to 1998, carried by the Avro Shackleton, Avro Vulcan, Blackburn Buccaneer, English Electric Canberra, Handley Page Victor, SEPECAT Jaguar, Panavia Tornado and Vickers Valiant. | WE.117A, WE.117B, WE.117C |
Yellow Sun nuclear bomb | United Kingdom | Air dropped strategic nuclear weapon. In service from 1958 to 1972, carried Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant. | Yellow Sun Mk 1, Yellow Sun Mk 2 |
Nuclear missiles 1950s-1990s[]
Type | Origin | Notes | Variants |
---|---|---|---|
Avro Blue Steel | United Kingdom | Air-launched, rocket-propelled stand-off missile. In service from 1963 to 1970, carried by the Avro Vulcan and Handley Page Victor. | |
Douglas Thor | United States | Land-based Intermediate-range ballistic missile. In service from 1958 to 1963. See Project Emily | PGM-17A Thor |
Categories:
- Royal Air Force lists
- Guided missiles of the United Kingdom
- Royal Air Force