The R-77, RVV-AE medium-range air-to-air guided missile is designed to engage air targets, such as fighters, bombers, attack aircraft, helicopters, military transports, and cruise missiles, at all aspects against ground and water surface, by day and night, in conditions of enemy electronic countermeasures, including a multichannel "fire-and-forget" mode.

The missile's design with folding lattice control planes (electrically driven) and low-aspect wing make it small-sized enough for accomodation inside carrier's fuselage.

The missiles make part of weapon systems of MiG/Su-type and other aircraft.It is suspended under the aircraft on the AKU-170E launch unit providing for in-flight power supply, combat launch and emergency jettison.The missile can also be adapted for employment from foreign-made carriers in accordance with the technology developed by the missile designer. The RVV-AE missile can also be launched from land-based anti-air weapon systems making part of air defence missile/artillery units, including those armed with anti-aircraft guns.