MATRA MAGIC-II

The Magic-II is an improved version of the Magic-I missile. It entered development in the late 1970s and entered service in 1985. It has many improvements over the Magic-I, but principally it has an all-aspect engagement capability and it takes far less time to prepare the missiles for launch. The Magic-II missiles were designed to use the AIM-9 Sidewinder interfaces and can be carried on various aircraft including the Mirage 2000, Jaguar IS/IB/IM, Sea Harrier and also on MiG-21/23s, all of which are in service with the IAF and the Indian Navy. The missile has a range of 10 km and a maximum speed of Mach 2+

Interior of the Magic-II missile

The Magic-II weighs at 90 kg and has double nose fins and free rotating rear wings. The front 4 delta fins are fixed and the four moving control fins have a rectangular forward section followed by a delta rear section. This double canard configuration allows the moving fins to maintain control at higher angles of incidence. The missile has a more sensitive IR seeker with a head-on capability, an improved IR counter-countermeasures including flare rejection, a RF proximity fuze, a 10% increase in motor thrust and a 13 kg. HE-FRAG warhead. The missile can be slaved to the aircraft radar or a helmet-mounted sight and designated a target, or it can be used in the autonomous mode to scan in either the vertical or horizontal planes and lock onto a target without help from the aircraft radar. The missile seeker is cooled by gaseous nitrogen carried in the launcher.

Close-up shot of a Magic-II missile

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