# R-27 (air-to-air missile)

The Vympel R-27 (NATO reporting name AA-10 Alamo) is a family of air-to-air missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the late Cold War-era. It remains in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces, air forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States and air forces of many other countries as the standard medium-range air-to-air missile despite the development of the more advanced R-77.
The R-27 is manufactured in infrared-homing (R-27T, R-27ET), semi-active radar homing (R-27R, R-27ER), and active-radar homing (R-27EA) versions. R-27 family missiles are produced by both Russian and Ukrainian manufacturers. The R-27 missile is carried by the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 family fighters. The R-27 missile is also license-produced in China, though the production license was bought from Ukraine instead of Russia.

## Variants

* R-27R: AA-10 Alamo-A, semi-active radar homing. Missile can be used at 20–25,000 m (66–82,021 ft) altitude (launch platform or target). Effective kill range for a target at same altitude: 2–42.5 km (1.2–26.4 mi) head-on, 0.7–7.5 km (0.43–4.66 mi) tail-on. Maximum range: 73 km (45 mi). Maximum allowed vertical separation between target and launch platform: +/− 10 km (6.2 mi).
* R-27R1: Export model of the R-27R. The missile has a maximum range of 75 kilometres (47 mi) with 39 kg (86 lb) warhead.
* R-27T: AA-10 Alamo-B, infrared homing, passive homing using the Avtomatika 9B-1032 (PRGS-27) IR seeker head. Missile can be used at 20–25,000 m (66–82,021 ft) altitude. Effective kill range for a target at same altitude: 2–33 km (1.2–20.5 mi) head-on, 0–5.5 km (0.0–3.4 mi) tail-on. Maximum range: 63 km (39 mi). Maximum allowed vertical separation: +/− 10 km (6.2 mi).
* R-27T1: Export model of the R-27T. The missile has a maximum range of 80 kilometres (50 mi) with 39 kg (86 lb) warhead.
* R-27ER: AA-10 Alamo-C, the semi-active-radar homing extended-range version. Missile can be used at 20–27,000 m (66–88,583 ft) altitude. Effective kill range for a target at same altitude: 2–65.5 km (1.2–40.7 mi) head-on, 0.7–16.5 km (0.43–10.25 mi) tail-on. Missile cannot be fired at altitude less than 3 km (1.9 mi) against a target with background earth, if launch range is less than 6 km (3.7 mi). Maximum range: 117 km (73 mi). Maximum allowed vertical separation: 12 km (7.5 mi).
* R-27ER1: Export model of the R-27ER. The missile has a maximum range of 100 kilometres (62 mi) with 39 kg (86 lb) warhead.
* R-27ET: AA-10 Alamo-D, the infrared-homing extended-range version, Weight 348 kg (767 lb). Missile can be used at 20–27,000 m (66–88,583 ft) altitude. Effective kill range: 2–52.5 km (1.2–32.6 mi) head-on, 0.7–12.5 km (0.43–7.77 mi) tail-on. Maximum range: 104 km (65 mi). Maximum allowed vertical separation: 12 km (7.5 mi).
* R-27ET1: Export model of the R-27ET. The missile has a maximum range of 80 kilometres (50 mi) with 39 kg (86 lb) warhead.
R-27R and ER variants can be used in any meteorological conditions. Launch can made at less than 5 g overload and less than 50 deg/s roll rate. It is allowed to redesignate targets during flight, and can share target illumination with other aircraft.
R-27T and ET variants can be used out of cloudiness, at least 15 degrees away from the bearing of sun, and 4 degrees away from the bearing of moon and ground-based heat-contrasting conditions. In cases of maximum head-on range launches where lock-command cannot be utilized, missile can not be fired. Seeker must acquire target before launch. On the combat operations section of the Su-27 manual, this is especially recommended for head-on usage for passive attacks at targets with 0 degrees approach angle (i.e. another fighter moving to intercept), leaving target unalerted to the incoming missile. Launch can be made at 0 to 7 g, but limited to 6 g if roll induced slip is more than 2× diameter of the ball.
Other variants:
* R-27P AA-10 Alamo-E, passive radiation homing with a range of up to 72 km (45 mi).
* R-27EP AA-10 Alamo-F, a longer range passive anti-radiation missile with a range of up to 110 km (68 mi).
* R-27EA, active radar homing with 9B-1103K active seeker, range of >130 km (81 mi).
* R-27EM, active radar homing with 9B-1103K active seeker, range of >170 km (110 mi).

## Operational service
### Ethiopia and Eritrea

In the 1999 Eritrean-Ethiopian War, Eritrean MiG-29s fought Ethiopian Su-27s both piloted by Russian mercenaries. Only one R-27 fired by an Ethiopian Su-27 at an Eritrean MiG-29 proximity-fuzed near enough to the MiG that the damaged aircraft eventually crashed on landing.

### Russia and Ukraine

During the war in Donbas, the Ukrainian Air Force claimed that one of its Su-25 was shot down by a Russian Aerospace Forces MiG-29 using a R-27T on 16 July 2014. Russian officials denied any involvement.
The R-27 was used by both sides during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

### Yemen

During the Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) Houthis have used R-27T missiles modified to serve as surface to air missiles. A video released on January 7, 2018, also shows a modified R-27T hitting a Saudi led coalition fighter on a Forward looking infrared camera. Houthi sources claim to have downed a F-15. Rebels later released footage showing an aircraft wreck, however serial numbers on the wreckage suggested that the downed aircraft was a Panavia Tornado, also operated by Saudi forces. On January 8, the Saudi Press Agency admitted the loss of an aircraft over Yemen, though it did not clarify whether it was a Tornado or an F-15, blaming the crash to 'a technical issue' and reporting that the pilots ejected and were recovered by friendly forces.
On 21 March 2018, Houthi rebels released a video where they hit and possibly shot down a Saudi F-15 in Saada province. In the video a R-27T air to air missile adapted for surface to air use was launched, appearing to have successfully hit a jet. As in the video of the previous similar hit recorded on 8 January, the target, while clearly hit, did not appear to be downed. Saudi forces confirmed the hit, while saying the jet safely landed at a Saudi base. Saudi official sources confirmed the incident reporting that it happened at 3:48 pm local time after a surface-to-air defense missile was launched at the fighter jet from inside Saada airport.

## Operators
### Current

* Algeria
* Angola
* Armenia − R-27R
* Azerbaijan − R-27T and R-27R
* Bangladesh − R-27R
* Belarus − R-27R and R-27ER
* Bulgaria − R-27R
* China − R-27T and R-27R Used by the PLAAF and PLANAF
* Cuba
* Eritrea
* Ethiopia
* India − Used by the Air Force and Navy
* Indonesia
* Iran − R-27T and R-27R
* Kazakhstan − R-27T, R-27ER, and R-27R
* Libyan National Army − R-27T
* Malaysia
* Myanmar
* North Korea − R-27R/ER
* Peru
* Poland − R-27R
* Russia − R-27T/ET, R-27R/ER, and R-27P/EP used by the Air Force; R-27T/ET used by the Navy
* Serbia − R-27ER
* Sudan
* Syria
* Uganda
* Ukraine − R-27ET, R-27ET1, R-27ER and R-27ER1
* Uzbekistan
* Venezuela − R-27T/ET and R-27R/ER
* Vietnam

### Former

* Czechoslovakia
* Czech Republic
* East Germany − Passed on to Germany after the German reunification
* Germany
* Hungary
* Iraq
* Romania
* Soviet Union − Passed on to successor states
* Slovakia
* Yemen
* Yugoslavia − Passed on to successor states