MA-31

Lore & Background

The Kh-31 missile was developed by Zvezda-Strela in the Soviet Union starting in 1977, first flown in 1982, as a long-range anti-ship and anti-radiation missile derived from the P-270 Moskit. It featured cruciform titanium fins and a rocket-ramjet propulsion system. Following the cancellation of the AQM-127 SLAT target drone program, the U.S. Navy needed a replacement for the MQM-8 Vandal and chose to acquire examples of the Kh-31—the actual threat the drone was meant to simulate—as an interim solution. In 1995, a contract was awarded to McDonnell Douglas to evaluate the Kh-31 in the Supersonic Sea-Skimming Target role. An initial small batch of missiles was delivered as "green" shells without electronics to Boeing (which had acquired McDonnell Douglas) for modification to U.S. Navy standards, including tracking, telemetry, and range-safety systems. The MA-31 was equipped for launch from the QF-4 Phantom II, and a launcher for the F-16N was proposed. The first launch occurred in August 1996. Evaluated against an improved MQM-8, the MA-31 proved superior, and a contract for 34 production missiles was placed in 1999. However, political complications arose when the Russian Duma refused export clearance for the missiles. Boeing proposed a further modified version with improved GPS navigation and longer range, but the program went no further. The last MA-31s in U.S. Navy inventory were expended in 2007. The Navy eventually replaced both the MA-31 and MQM-8 with the GQM-163 Coyote, which entered service in 2007.

Reader's Guide

The MA-31's significance lies in its role as an interim high-speed target drone that directly simulated the threat it was designed to counter—a rare case of a military service adopting an adversary's operational missile for training. Its acquisition was driven by the cancellation of the AQM-127 SLAT and the need to replace the MQM-8 Vandal. The MA-31 proved superior to an improved MQM-8 in evaluations, leading to a production contract. However, political intervention by the Russian Duma, which refused export clearance, curtailed the program and prevented further procurement. Boeing's attempt to salvage the effort with a GPS-enhanced variant did not succeed. The MA-31 thus served only as a stopgap, with the last missiles expended by 2007. Its legacy is that of a technically successful but politically constrained program, ultimately superseded by the GQM-163 Coyote, which became the definitive U.S. Navy supersonic sea-skimming target. The MA-31 demonstrated the feasibility of adapting foreign missile technology for domestic training needs, while also highlighting the vulnerabilities of such reliance on foreign export approvals.

Did You Know?

• The MA-31 was a conversion of the Soviet Kh-31 anti-ship missile for use as a U.S. Navy target drone.
• The Kh-31 was developed by Zvezda-Strela starting in 1977 and first flown in 1982.
• The MA-31 could reach Mach 3.1 at high altitude and Mach 2.5 at sea level.