June 5, 2011: China claims to have, for the first time, developed, on its own, a world-class radar guided air-to-air missile without using foreign help (licensed or stolen technology). The 199 kg (438 pound) SD-10 missile is high speed (up to 4,000 kilometers an hour) and has a max range of 70 kilometers (with max altitude of 21 kilometers/65,000 feet). The missile is 3.9 meters (12.2 feet) long and passed all seven of its recent firing tests. The twenty year old U.S. AMRAAM design is similar to the SD-10, but about 25 percent lighter. China claims the SD-10 is equal, or superior to AMRAAM because of its state-of-the-art guidance system. But AMRAAM has an extensive combat record, something that China will have to match to prove their claims.