IFR Aspid

The IFR Aspid was a proposed supersonic, long-range air-to-air missile developed by the Italian firm Selenia (later Alenia Marconi Systems and then MBDA Italia) in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The project was intended as a successor to the Aspide missile family and was designed to equip the Italian Air Force's (Aeronautica Militare Italiana) Tornado ADV (Air Defence Variant) interceptor aircraft.

The missile's key design features included a ramjet propulsion system for sustained high speeds and long range, an active radar seeker for autonomous target engagement, and advanced electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) capabilities to resist jamming. The IFR Aspid was envisioned as being able to engage multiple targets simultaneously.

The development program encountered significant technical challenges and was ultimately cancelled in the early 1990s due to budget cuts and a shift in strategic priorities following the end of the Cold War. While a fully operational missile was never produced, significant research and development work was completed, contributing to subsequent missile technology advancements. Some technology developed for the IFR Aspid may have influenced later Italian missile programs.