Boeing MA-31

Boeing · United States · first flew 1996 · reconnaissance aircraft

The MA-31 is a supersonic aerial target derived from the Russian Kh-31 air-to-surface missile, adapted by Boeing for the US Navy to simulate high-speed maneuvering anti-ship threats. It is air-launched from an F/A-18 Hornet.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, delta
E — Engines	1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	4.7 m fuselage
T — Tail	No tailplane

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Spot it by:

Converted Kh-31 missile used as supersonic target
Air-launched from F/A-18
Simulates high-speed anti-ship missiles

Essentially an unmodified Kh-31 missile with added telemetry and flight-termination systems; cruciform delta canards at the nose, four larger delta fins at the tail, and a prominent ramjet intake ring around the fuselage mid-section.

Specifications

The Boeing MA-31 has a length of 4.7 m (15 ft).
It has a wingspan of 0.78 m (3 ft).
Its maximum speed is 2350 km/h (1460 mph).
Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Boeing won a US Navy contract in the mid-1990s to procure and adapt Russian Kh-31 missiles as aerial targets under a unique Cold War-era technology transfer arrangement. The MA-31 could simulate inbound anti-ship missiles at speeds and altitudes unmatched by American-built targets of the time.

Variants

The baseline MA-31 was the only operational variant; plans for a domestic follow-on were pursued separately through the GQM-163 Coyote program.

Where you'll see it

Used exclusively by the US Navy for fleet air-defense exercises in the late 1990s and early 2000s before being superseded by the GQM-163 Coyote.

Related aircraft

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