Red Top is an infra-red guided air-to-air missile that armed most Commonwealth fighters during the late 1960s and
Red Top AAM
1970s until it was replaced by the far more capable Blue Vesta.
Description[]
Red Top was developed from the earlier Firestreak AAM incorporating all the lessons learned from that weapon's service. The Red Top was faster and had greater range and maneuvrability than the Firestreak, and its more sensitive IR enabled a wider range of engagement angles. Being more sensitive it could home in on a target that had been warmed by air friction heating. Like Firestreak however the seeker did not perform well in cloudy conditions.
Carrier Aircraft[]
- EE Lightning
- Sea Vixen
- Scimitar FAW.4/5