1 octobre 2018 | International, Aérospatial

Le missile Air-Air très longue portée russe R37M entrera bientôt en service

FABRICE WOLF

Avec plus de 4000 avions de combat modernes de tout type, l'OTAN dispose de la plus formidable force aérienne au monde, très supérieure aux forces russes (1300 appareils) et chinoises (1500 appareils).

Consciente qu'elle ne pourra jamais rivaliser numériquement avec cette force, la Russie a développé une stratégie de défense aérienne multi-couches reposant sur des systèmes de défense anti-aérienne à longue, moyenne et courte portée, intégrée dans un réseau global et coordonnant ses actions avec l'importante flotte de chasseurs russes de plus de 800 appareils Su27-30-35 et MIG-29, et les 130 intercepteurs MIG-31. Ainsi organisée, la défense anti-aérienne russe représente un challenge important pour les forces aériennes occidentales, qui doivent utiliser des avions de brouillage ou des appareils furtifs pour espérer garder la supériorité aérienne.

Pour articuler cette puissance aérienne, qui représente aujourd'hui 80% de la puissance de feu de l'Alliance selon le British Defense Comittee, l'OTAN déploie un nombre important d'appareils de veille aérienne AWACS, de surveillance électronique, et une flotte massive d'avions ravitailleurs.

Le missile à longue portée hypersonique R37M a été développé pour engager et abattre ces appareils, avec une portée supérieure à 300 km et une vitesse supérieure à Mach6. Destiné à équiper les intercepteurs rapides MIG-31 et les chasseurs lourds furtifs Su-57, le R37M permettra de repousser les appareils de soutien de l'OTAN très loin de la zone d'engagement, limitant de fait très sensiblement leurs performances. Un appareil qui, comme le F-35 américain, n'a qu'un rayon d'action de 1000 km, sera ainsi largement contraint s'il doit se ravitailler à 500 km de ses objectifs. En outre, les forces russes auront la possibilité de mener des « raids tactiques », des incursions rapides destinées à porter le danger au plus profond du dispositif adverse, suivi d'un retour rapide dans la zone de supériorité alliée. Au delà des AWACS et ravitailleurs, le nouveau missile menacera donc l'ensemble des appareils lourds de l'alliance atlantique, incluant les avions de transport en charge du train logistique transatlantique indispensable, ainsi que les appareils de patrouille maritime, surtout ceux évoluant à moyenne altitude comme le P8 Poséidon, très exposés dès qu'ils évolueront à moins de 2000 km d'une base aérienne russe.

Les mêmes causes ayant les même conséquences, la Chine a elle-aussi développé un missile à très longue portée, estimée à 400 km, et destiné à abattre les appareils de soutien occidentaux. Le nouveau missile, dont la nomenclature est encore floue, a déjà été aperçu sous les ailes des J-11 et des J-16 de l'Armée Populaire de Libération.

Ce type de missile n'a pas d'équivalent en Occident. En effet, les forces aériennes chinoises et russes dépendent beaucoup moins des appareils de soutien que leurs homologues occidentaux. En revanche, les états-majors de l'OTAN ont privilégié des missiles d'une portée inferieure, de l'ordre de 150 km, mais très efficaces contre les agiles chasseurs adverses, comme le missile européen Meteor.

L'entrée en service du R37M devra donc engendrer une rapide évolution des doctrines aériennes de l'OTAN, comme dans la conception des appareils lourds, qui devront nécessairement être équipés de systèmes d'autodéfense performants capables de détecter, brouiller et leurrer de tels missiles.

https://analysedefense.fr/blogs/articles/le-missile-air-air-tres-longue-portee-russe-r37m-entrera-bientot-en-service

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