A - Darter The A - Darter ( Agile - Darter ) also named V3E is a modern short - range infrared homing ( " heat seeking " ) air - to - air missile , featuring countermeasures resistance with a 180 - degree look angle and 120 - degrees per second track rate , under development by South Africa ' s Denel Dynamics ( formerly Kentron ) and Brazil ' s Mectron , Avibras and Opto Eletrônica . It will equip South African Air Force ' s JAS 39 Gripen and Hawk 120 ; Brazilian Air Force ' s A - 1M AMX , F - 5BR and future FX - 2 . It is expected to be operational in both Air Forces by 2014 and it will also be available for export . Development . Development of the A - Darter started in 1995 , however it suffered from inadequate funding and changes to the SAAF ' s requirements . Mectron , Avibras and Atech joined the program in 2006 after a three - year negotiation process with US $ 52 million invested by the Brazilian Government in the project , estimated to be worth US $ 130 million . In that same year , Denel announced that it would use the latest solid - state inertial measurement unit , the SiIMU02 from BAE Systems , for mid course range guidance . The Brazilian company Opto Eletrônica has partnered with Denel Dynamics in the development of the missile imaging infrared seeker for thermal guidance . Ground seeker tests were concluded in January 2010 , while trajectory guidance and agility flight tests were performed in February 2010 . Prototypes were sent to Saab AB in order to begin the integration of the missile to the Saab JAS 39 Gripen . Captive flight trials were concluded in March 2010 . The first successful in - flight launch from a Gripen fighter took place on 17 June 2010 . In March 2012 , Denel Dynamics disclosed that the missile , which will be ready for production by end of 2013 , has entered the qualification phase . Several testing firings at Denel ' s Overberg Test Range were carried out from a Gripen in January 2012 . Final testing included the use of high - speed target drones to simulate an aircraft by towing infrared targets at high speed . In December 2012 , the Brazilian air force commissioned Denel to build a factory in São José dos Campos , close to Mectron , Avibras and Opto Eletrônica . Design . The missile seeker can be slaved to the Helmet Mounted Display ( HMD ) , allowing the pilot to track a target beyond the aircraft ' s radar scan envelope using the missile ' s high off - boresight capability , achieved by the pilot turning his head towards the target to lock - on , better known as “ look and shoot ” . The missile can then be launched and can immediately pull extreme g - force to reverse its course in order to engage a target behind the aircraft , sometimes called an " over - the - shoulder " . Engage modes include Lock - On After Launch ( LOAL ) capability to engage targets outside its seeker ' s acquisition range , and Lock - On Before Launch ( LOBL ) capability where the target is identified and designated before launch . The two colour thermal imaging technology and a laser proximity fuse fitted on the missile provide multiple Electronic counter - countermeasures ( ECCM ) techniques with targeting algorithms including advanced spatial filtering techniques and velocity profiling . The A - Darter has four major sections : guidance section , warhead , control , and rocket motor . It uses a streamlined design with low aerodynamic drag in a wingless airframe , ensuring ranges beyond those of traditional short - range missiles . It is fitted with a thrust vectoring control ( TVC ) system to provide agility up to 100 times the force of gravity ( 100G ) , which makes small corrections by slightly gimballing the main motor to slew the missile , by placing deflective surfaces called vanes within the rocket exhaust . The absence of aluminium powder from the motor propellent inhibits production of a smoke trail , which means no visual warning for enemy aircraft . According to SAAF fighter pilots involved within the project , the A - Darter it is better than the IRIS - T in some respects .