ABVRM Comet

ABVRM Comet
Type	Beyond visual range air-to-air missile
Place of origin	Arthurista
Service history
In service	2019-present
Production history
Manufacturer	Arthuristan Dynamics
Specifications
Weight	185kg
Length	3.65m
Diameter	0.178m
Engine	Ramjet
Operational range	100km+ purely level flight profile, 250-300km with ballistic cruise phase
Speed	Mach 4+
Guidance system	Inertial, mid-course datalink, active radar, passive radar or IIR terminal homing

The ABVRM Comet is the latest beyond-visual range air-to-air missile of the Commonwealth Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm. Designed to replace the AIM-120 AMRAAM, the Comet is an active-radar guided weapon, equipped with a ramjet motor to confer a very long burn-time, the missile enjoys a considerable kinematic advantage when engaging super-maneouverable targets. Its combination of mach 4 speed and agility enables it to have a very generous no-escape zone compared to legacy rocket-powered BVRAAMs, allowing the comet-armed fighter to retain the initiative and dictate the tempo of an engagement.

The Comet is a networked weapon. Launching aircraft equipped with a two-way datalink can transmit information to the missile, based on information acquired by the plane's on-board sensors, and update the weapon's course, while the pilot would also be able to garner information acquired by the missile's own sensors package. Alternatively, in 'fire-and-forget' mode, the fighter can launch and then turn away immediately, leaving the missile to autonomously engage its target.

There are three terminal-homing packages available to the comet missile. Aside from the active-radar seeker, an imaging infra-red seeker is also available as an alternative. Mixtures of both versions of the Comet will probably be launched in the same salvo to increase the likelihood of a kill in heavy ECM environments or where the target has radar-stealth features. A passive-radar seeker version is also available for silent engagements against AWACs.