In the 1980s, NATO countries had an agreement that the USA would develop a medium range missiles (the AIM-120 AMRAAM) to replace the AIM-7 Sparrow, and Britain and Germany would develop a short range missiles (the ASRAAM) to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder.
The USA later changed its mind and developed an improved Sidewinder, the AIM-9X. Note that the AIM-9X uses the same seeker head as the ASRAAM..
Germany left the ASRAAM project in the early 1990s, and in the spring of 1995 initiated an improved version of the Sidewinder, the IRIS-T. This decision was motivated by new insights into the performance of the Russian AA-11 Archer missile carried by the MiG-29s which Germany inherited during reunification.
The guidance system can lock on to a target 90 degrees off boresight
History
Notes
Characteristics