The AIM-9 Sidewinder is the most successful short-range air-to-air missile ever fielded. Used by the United States and dozens of allied air forces, the Sidewinder was first introduced in the 1950s—but remains in frontline service today, over 70 years later. Known for its simplicity and reliability, the Sidewinder has been constantly upgraded through the decades to remain relevant to modern fighter jets, having long-since earned its place as a defining aerospace weapons system. 

The Sidewinder was first developed in the late 1940s and early 1950s, as planes became faster and faster and the usefulness of aircraft cannons and machine guns decreased. The missile was first used in combat during the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis, where a Sidewinder scored the first........

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