what happens to old/obsolete missiles?

[Blackjack56]

This is a serious question as i realised the other day that the RAF no longer uses the sidewinder or the sparrow/skyflash on their current aircraft so how do the MOD dispose of them? are they sold on or dismantled ?,sorry if this has been covered before but i thought someone on this knowledgeable forum is bound to know.

[22A]

They could be sold / given to friendly nations.
Remember the British Army had been equipped with the Blowpipe SAM. Then in the early 1980's it was replaced with something more effective.
A week later the Mujahdeen announced they had received 300 Blowpipe missiles.
The Government of the day (1960's) sold off Tigercat missiles to Argentina "Knowing" they would never be used against us.

[toom317]

The Government of the day (1960's) sold off Tigercat missiles to Argentina "Knowing" they would never be used against us.

I've got a slide somewhere of a launcher in Stanley, 82/83.

[roughcutter]

In September 1988 there was a massive deployment of Lightnings to RAF Valley, I think they were there for two weeks? I'm not certain, I believe all the remaining Red Tops were fired off at the Pendine ranges down the coast.
To my eternal regret, never went down to see them

[acw367]

This is a serious question as i realised the other day that the RAF no longer uses the sidewinder or the sparrow/skyflash on their current aircraft so how do the MOD dispose of them? are they sold on or dismantled ?,sorry if this has been covered before but i thought someone on this knowledgeable forum is bound to know.

According to what the RAF told the Parliamentary Defence Committee in 1999, a bit of both.

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/c ... 544w09.htm
Prepared 10 November 1999
DISPOSAL OF EQUIPMENT REPLACED
24. Surplus Sidewinders may have potential for resale. Missiles that cannot be sold will have no operational use and will be scrapped.

[turmo]

The airframe and control components can be salvaged

The solid motors are usually disposed of by controlled burning

Electronics and seeker - I don't know, the white-coated fairies dealt with that stuff.

[toom317]

Of course, what they should do is ping them off. If they aren't needed, why not give the crews a chance of a live firing or two. I doubt there is much live firing these days.

[Vulcanone]

Roughcutter

They did various sortie from base and back, with the odd jets here and there at MPC at Valley mixed in from 1987 to 1988. But the last pair of jets left on 30th June 88 to Cranfield.

[roughcutter]

By all accounts that final Lightning deployment to Valley in 88 was legendary.