Japan Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
AAM-4
Japanese active radar-homing beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile developed to replace the AIM-7 Sparrow on JASDF fighters.
In service since 1999
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-05
100
km range
4.5
Mach
31
kg warhead
💲 ≈ $450,000 (public figure)
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to Japan export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
In service since 1999. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 4.5 Mach |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 100 km |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 31 kg |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | High-explosive directional blast-fragmentation |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Inertial navigation, Datalink, Semi-active radar homing (mid-course), Active radar homing (terminal) |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 3.67 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 0.77 m |
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 0.2 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 222 kg |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Solid-fuel rocket (two-stage) |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $450,000 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-05.
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IRIS-T Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries AAM-4? +
The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries AAM-4 has a maximum range of 100 km.
How much does the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries AAM-4 weigh? +
The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries AAM-4 has a combat weight of 222 kg.
How much does the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries AAM-4 cost? +
The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries AAM-4 has an approximate unit cost of 450,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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