AIM-120C
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- "Radar guided medium range air-to-air missile."
- ― Weapon Description
The AIM-120C AMRAAM is a medium range, radar-guided Air-to-Air missile available to the F/A-26B and T-55.
Usage
The AIM-120C features a single setting within the EQUIP menu.
- MADDOG: Allows you to fire the AIM-120C without a radar lock by holding down the trigger for 3 seconds.
- ON/OFF
The AIM-120C can be fired in one of three modes:
- Command inertial mode, where the missile continuously receives targeting information from the launching aircraft's radar during the midcourse phase to guide itself towards the target.
- MADDOG mode in which no guidance from the launching aircraft is provided and the missile will immediately begin searching for targets using the built-in radar projector.
- Home-on-jam (HOJ) mode which allows it to home in on sources of noise jamming.
During the guidance phase of a missile fired in command inertial mode, the missile will fly a lead pursuit path towards the predicted impact point (PIP), which will be continuously updated with information from the guiding radar. If the aircraft radar was to lose lock during this phase, the missile will continue to fly towards the PIP, extrapolating using the target's last known velocity. Once the missile gets near the PIP, the missile switches on its built-in radar projector and begins to search for contacts in a 7 degree cone. If the seeker locks a target ("goes Pitbull") the missle will track that target independently of the deploying aircraft's own sensors, allowing the launching aircraft to break off and make evasive maneuvers or even duck into cover to disengage if needed. The built-in radar projector will lock the first aircraft it finds, whether or not it is the intended target. Additionally, the built-in radar projectors will not distinguish between friend or foe - firing at enemies that have friendly aircraft in close proximity runs the risk of the missile locking onto a friendly aircraft, rather than the intended enemy. Command inertial is the preferred mode of operation, as the continuously updating target information provided by the launching aircraft radar greatly increases its effectiveness against distant or maneuvering enemy aircraft.
Pilots also have the option of enabling MADDOG firing for the AIM-120 in the EQUIP menu and activate it by holding the trigger for a few seconds. This allows the missile to be launched without the deploying aircraft locking the target - or even activating its radar at all. After launch, the missile will immediately begin searching for targets in a 30 degree cone using the built-in radar projector. Firing AIM-120s in MADDOG mode is also a powerful weapon for flushing out enemies hiding behind terrain, as the missile can be launched over the terrain without exposing the deploying aircraft to possible counterattack. However, the danger of friendly fire due to the radar seeker's behavior is even greater than in command inertial mode, as not only is the seeker field of view is wider, but the missile also lacks the guidance of the aircraft radar during its midcourse stage.
By selecting a jamming source via the RADAR MFD, the AIM-120C can be fired in can be fired in Home-on-jam (HOJ) mode which allows it to home in on sources of noise jamming when the aircraft's radar is unable to locate the target normally. This mode is fully fire-and-forget and does not receive any guidance at all from the launching craft's radar. Additionally, an AIM-120C will smartly switch between HOJ and radar guidance in flight if either fails.[1]
Deployment
- Enable the Master Arm switch.
- Open the RADAR page on an MFD screen and set it to SOI.
- Turn on the aircraft's radar.
- Select the AIM-120C as your current weapon.
- While holding the flight stick, use the thumb stick to slew the TAC over an air target or jamming signal for HOJ. Click-in the thumb stick once for TWS on the target. Click it again to switch to STT.
- Note: The AIM-120C can be fired using either tracking mode.
- Once in range, the Range Launch Authorization Lights will come on and the aircraft's Voice Warning System will announce: "Shoot!" Pull the trigger to fire the missile.
- When launched, the missile will display a Time-to-Impact indicator on the HUD, displaying the letter T next to the estimated time.
- The launching aircraft must maintain a radar lock on the target until the missile's own radar can achieve a lock. The Voice Warning System will announce: "Pitbull!" and the Time-to-Impact on the HUD will display the letter M instead. The missile will now guide itself and no further action from the launching aircraft is required.
Variants
- 1x AIM-120C: Available to both aircraft.
- Cost: $1500
- Weight: 187 kg
- 2x AIM-120C: Available to both aircraft.
- Cost: $3700
- Weight: 479 kg
AIM-120D
The F-45A and EF-24G use a slightly more advanced variant of the AIM-120C, known as the AIM-120D, which features slightly increased engine burn time and better maneuverability.
Additionally, the AIM-120D can be guided to targets based solely on positional data from a TSD alone, allowing it to navigate towards a target without a direct radar lock from the deploying aircraft.
