A 3M-LONG air-to-air missile has been found inside a house in the north-eastern suburbs.

Police said the heat-seeking Sidewinder missile the same type used by RAAF F/A-18 Hornet jet fighters was disarmed and safe when they found it among a cache of weapons last week.

The Sidewinder missiles are supersonic, heat-seeking missiles and are fired from fighter jets.

The smart weapons are equipped with an explosive warhead and infrared guidance system which locks on to heat signals from enemy aircraft. Sidewinders are 3.2m long and weigh about 85kg.

A man, 51, has been charged with a range of offences including possessing dangerous articles, unlawful possession and unregistered and insecure firearms.

Police have launched an investigation into how the missile came to be in Modbury North but would not provide any further details.

The Department of Defence declined to comment on the missle discovery, but said it had been advised by police that the incomplete and expended missile, and other inactive weapons, were recovered during the search.

Originally published as Mystery missile uncovered at Modbury