Alarm bells are ringing in India after the US cleared 225$ arms sale to Turkiye, which backed Pakistan with weapons support during Operation Sindoor.

- The deals involve the sale of 53 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and 60 AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II missiles

- AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM is a cornerstone of modern air-to-air combat. It is designed for beyond-visual-range engagements. It is powered by a solid-fuel rocket motor and can achieve speeds up to Mach 4.

- Complementing the AMRAAM, the AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II is a short-range air-to-air missile optimised for within-visual-range ] combat. Its imaging infrared seeker provides exceptional target discrimination.

TENSION

- The Block II variant introduces a lock-on-after-launch capability. With speed exceeding Mach 2.5, it is a formidable weapon in dogfight scenarios.

- Turkiye’s order includes 60 All-Up-Round (AUR) missiles and 11 tactical guidance units, which enhance the missile’s targeting precision.

- These missiles are primarily intended for integration with its fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons, particularly the newly ordered F-16V (Viper) variant

- The F-16V can carry up to six AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two AIM-9X Sidewinders, alongside other munitions.