R.550 Magic
| R.550 Magic | |
|---|---|
R.550 Magic loaded on the pylon of a ROCAF Mirage 2000-5EI | |
| Type | Short-range air-to-air missile |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1968 (Magic) and 1986 (Magic 2) |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Matra, MBDA France |
| Unit cost | $38 000 - $90 000 (USD) |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 89 kg (196 lb) |
| Length | 2.72 m (8 ft 11 in) |
| Height | 2.75 Meters |
| Diameter | 157 mm (6 in) |
| Wingspan | 0.66 Metres |
| Warhead | High explosive pre-fragmented 12.7 kg (28 lb) warhead |
Detonation mechanism | Contact and RF proximity fuzing |
| Engine | Richard single-stage butylene solid-propellant rocket |
| Propellant | Solid fuel |
Operational range | 10 km (6 mi) (Magic 1) 20 km (12 mi) (Magic 2) |
| Flight ceiling | 18,000 m (59,000 ft) |
| Maximum speed | Mach 3 (Magic 1) Mach 2 (Magic 2) |
Guidance system | Infrared homing |
Launch platform | British Aerospace Sea Harrier FRS.51, Dassault Étendard IV, Dassault Mirage III, Dassault Mirage 5, Dassault Mirage F1, Dassault Mirage 2000, Dassault Super Étendard, Dassault Rafale, General Dynamics F-16, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 LanceR, SEPECAT Jaguar, Vought F-8E(FN). |
The R.550 Magic (backronym for Missile Auto-Guidé Interception et Combat) is a short-range air-to-air missile designed in 1965 by French company Matra to compete with the American AIM-9 Sidewinder, and it was made backwards compatible with the Sidewinder launch hardware.