The RIM-116, (reductively describable as) a spin stabilized aim-9 sidewinder launched out of a tube with folding fins and canards. Used aboard ships for shooting down ASMs and stored in batteries because of its ultra compact nature. The range given for the rim116 is that of a ground launched sidewinder, five nautical miles.
I'm sure many of us are aware of various "micro missiles" from sci fi and anime where ultracompact finless missiles are launched from launch tubes in an aircraft.
I'm wondering what problems there would be with doing the same with something like the RIM-116. It seems to me that most modern aircraft are long enough that a pair of tubes could be designed into the airframe to store a pair of missiles in line, or at least multiple single shot tubes. It seems if the RIM116 has the same kinematics as the Aim9, they could be carried with much less drag than on pylons and rails. Of course the aircraft needs to be designed for this from the start, but if you think about it, most of the wear and tear of the weapon being carried is removed from the equation.
It just seems like an excellent marriage of sci fi and current technology. At the very least, fighters like the F22 could carry probably three such missiles in each side bay instead.of only one, and more aerodynamically since you just need the launcher to pop out of the side enough to expose the seeker.
Sorry for the late engagement my dear glorious tachikoma
Interesting thought process with the emplyment of the RIM-116.
Even if such an air-to-air derivative was derived as a point self-defence missile.
I particuly like and appreciate the the low drag factor of your "pair of tubes could be designed into the airframe".
Extending on this, could an actual pylon that incorporates this pair of tubes containing either one or two RIM-116's?
Such a point self-defence missile arrangement would indeed free up hardpoints/pylons which would otherwise be used to carry a Aim-9 Sidewinder.....
MAD
With regard to the multiple shot single tube there is the slight problem of the exhaust from the missile at the front damaging any behind it if it's motor is ignited while in the launch tube. The idea of being able to use the seeker head prior to launch then become a problem to any subsequent missile in the launch tube.
An alternative would be to have a rotary launcher. Fire one missile, rotate so the next is available and repeat.
Gondor
BAe looked at tube launched AAMs back in the 80/90s. I forget the name, but it looked very similar to the Sidewinder replacement carried by Typhoon (again, I forget the name), except it was tube launched. I don't know why they moved away from it.
As MAD says, incorporating them into a pylon would make a good idea, as long as the tube was either replaceable or refillable, depending on whether the system was single shot or reusable.
That missile was called SRAAM or Taildog (https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/taildog-sraam-asraam-family.5619/), and it was a bit earlier (1970s). It led to the ASRAAM that's carried by Typhoon today.
This sort of thing might make for a modern version of the old unguided rockets used in the 50's as anti-bomber weapons. Early versions of the F-8 Crusader carried tube-launched rockets in a belly tray, and the F-102 and F-106 carried them in tubes built into their weapons bay doors. Obviously such doors would have to get thicker to build RIM-116 launch tubes into them, but it does make for an interesting idea. The other potential benefit from having tube-launched missiles like that is that you could probably carry more of them in the bays of stealthy aircraft like the F-22. I imagine the side bays of the Raptor could hold two launch tubes for RIM-116s instead of a single Sidewinder each.