AIM-54
- "A radar guided long range air-to-air missile."
- ― Weapon Description
The AIM-54C Phoenix is a radar-guided, long range Air-to-Air missile exclusive to the EF-24G.
Usage
The AIM-54 features a single setting within the EQUIP menu.
- MADDOG: Allows you to fire the AIM-54 without a radar lock by holding down the trigger for 3 seconds.
- ON/OFF
Employment wise, the AIM-54 operates near identically to the AIM-120C, though lacking its initial speed and maneuverability. Despite these downsides, its powerful engine allows it to accelerate to speeds up to and beyond mach 5 and achieve a range significantly higher than what an AIM-120C could achieve under normal circumstances. This makes it a formidable weapon in long range, BVR engagements.
The missile must receive guidance from its launching aircraft's radar until the target is in range of its own on-board radar, from which point the missile will guide itself to the target and no further action from the launching aircraft is required.
The AIM-54 is a very effective tool in combatting large and, in some cases, fast aircraft such as bombers or AWACS aircraft.
The AIM-54 can also 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. Additionally, an AIM-54 will smartly switch between HOJ and radar guidance in flight if either fails.[1]
Deployment
- Enable the Master Arm switch.
- Set the Master Mode to AA and the knob to WPN.
- Open the RADAR page on an MFD screen and set it to SOI.
- Turn on the aircraft's radar.
- Select the AIM-54 as your current weapon.
- While holding the flight stick, use the thumb stick to slew the TAC over an air target. Click-in the thumb stick once for TWS on the target. Click it again to switch to STT.
- Note: The AIM-54 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-54:
- Cost: $2300
- Weight: 485 kg
Gallery
EF-24G
An AIM-54 attached to the wing of an EF-24G.
