The R-27 air-to-air guided missile is designed to intercept and destroy air targets by day and night, in adverse weather conditions, from all directions, against the earth and sea background, in spite of severe ECM, counterfire and evasive manoeuvring. The missile’s design combines canard and pivoting wing configurations, with tandem destabilisers.

The R-27R1 missile guidance system includes a semi-active radar homing head and inertial navigation guidance with radio correction. The R-27T1 is fitted with an IR seeker. The R-27ER1 and R-27-ET1 missiles have an increased power engine.

The R-27 missile locks on a target at any designation angle within ± 50 degrees for the semiactive radar homer and ± 55 degrees for the IR seeker. The carrier g-load can attain 5g at missile launch. The missile can engage targets flying at speeds of up to 3,500 km/h at altitudes ranging from 0.02 to 27 km. Maximum target elevation (depression) in the carrier level flight can reach 10 km. Minimum tail-on range of launch is 500 m. The R-27 is designed to arm the MiG-29, Su- 27 and Su-30 aircraft.

The R-27 missiles with homing heads of various types increase integral anti-jamming capability and combat effectiveness of the weapon system.