Western competitive market of KS- 172 ultra-long range air-to-air missile
Western manufacturers are also eroding the Russian market. In 2002, the three major European missile manufacturers merged to form MBDA Group, focusing on the development of Meteor ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles, Mika dual-range missiles and IRST short-range combat missiles, forming a product phalanx of "combination of far and near"; Israel took out Derby over-the-horizon air-to-air missiles to compete in the international market; The United States has relaxed the export restrictions of AIM- 120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles. Raytheon hopes to triple the export of AIM- 120 missiles in the next five years, completely monopolizing the replacement market of the active AIM-7 sparrow missiles of NATO Air Force ... The opponents have let go, and the reduction of technology and export restrictions has undoubtedly stimulated the appetite of traditional Russian weapons buyers in the past. The Indian Air Force is going to purchase close-range missiles from many countries, such as the Snake IV of Israel and the advanced close-range air-to-air missiles of France, for use in improved fighters such as MIG -2 1, MIG -27 and Jaguar. Although Russian missiles are also a member of the procurement list, they rank quite low, which was unimaginable in the past. Russia is worried that even its "strategic allies" who have been cultivated for decades will be abandoned, and the movements of other sales targets can be imagined. If countermeasures are not taken, Russia may be squeezed out of this lucrative market. Therefore, the emergence of KS- 172 ultra-long-range air-to-air missile, which has no comparability at all, is obviously a "trump card" for Russia to try to attract buyers' attention and seek new investment channels. The question is, who is really excited about this "futures bill" and who is waiting for it. No one knows how much it has been accepted in the international market.