AKD-9
Contents
Description
The AKD-9, also known as the Blue Arrow 9 for export purposes, is a Chinese laser-guided air-to-ground missile.
The AKD-9 provides a relatively long range option to strike enemy vehicles with accuracy and sufficient damage, while players will have to get used to its relatively slow velocity and its high trajectory - a double-edge sword, enabling high-angle attacks against enemy armour but making it impossible to hit closer targets.
Vehicles equipped with this weapon
AKD-9
Blue Arrow 9
General info
| Missile characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Mass | 26.5 kg |
| Guidance | Laser+IOG |
| Maximum speed | 340 m/s |
| Missile guidance time | 25 secs |
| Firing range | 6 km |
| Explosive mass | 2.46 kg TNTeq |
| Armour penetration | 800 mm |
Effective damage
With a tandem warhead and explosive filler, the AKD-9 can do both overpressure damage to open-topped or lightly-armoured vehicles and lethal damage against vehicle crews with its jet stream and spalling.
Comparison with analogues
Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.
Usage in battles
Thanks to its light weight, even a scout helicopter like the Z-19 can carry up to 8 AKD-9s. The tandem warhead grants the capability to knock out tanks' composite/ERA protection given it does not hit the turret front of tanks. If players do not feel confident in taking the enemy out in one hit, depending on the carrier, fire multiple missiles in a short consecutive volley to ensure the target's destruction. Its trajectory is high enough to make sure most shots land from a high angle of attack, meaning that closer targets at around 1.5 km will have a higher chance to survive as the missile doesn't have enough time to build an angle of attack. Since AAMs might not have a safe range to lock onto enemy helicopters with heat suppression systems, players can also opt for the AKD-9 as a long-range alternative to AAMs against careless hovering helicopters.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Accelerates straight forward first, so it has a slight top-down trajectory
- Sufficient 6 km range to hit enemies from safer distance
Cons:
- Not able to engage targets at close range
- Light explosive mass compared to other AGMs
History
AKD-9's development traces back to the PLAGF's AKD-10 ATGM. Since the AKD-10 was too heavy for helicopters like the Mi-171Sh and the Z-9W, NORINCO downscaled it at the cost of a shorter range and lower penetration. The result was the AKD-9 and it was widely seen on the Z-9W as well as the Z-10. The BA 9 is the export version of the AKD-9 and was first seen at the 2016 Zhuhai Airshow along with the even lighter BA 7 for UCAVs.
The BA 9 currently has no overseas customers and its domestic version is now depleting its stock due to inferior performance. Both AKD-9 and 10 are being replaced by new CM-502 KG AGMs.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;
- references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
