AIM-9
(Redirected from AIM 9+ Sidewinder)
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- "A short range heat seeking air-to-air missile."
- ― Weapon Description
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a short-range, heat-seeking air-to-air missile available to the AV-42C, F/A-26B and T-55.
It is designed for close-range air-to-air combat, when long-range air-to-air weapons such as the AIM-120C would be impractical to use. It features considerable maneuverability to its radar-guided counterpart, and is capable of tracking and homing in on a target's ambient heat-signature from any angle.
There exist multiple variants of the AIM-9, such as the AIM-9+, a modernized version of the missile with better maneuverability and the AIM-9E, an older variant with a worse, rear-aspect IR seeker.
Usage
The AIM-9 has a number of deployment options that affect the behavior of the targeting reticle, listed below:
- Seek Mode:
- Caged - The targeting reticle points forward at all times, much like the AIM-120Cs seeker.
- Uncaged - The targeting reticle circles around the HUD and snaps to the first prominent heat signature it detects. Additionally, the targeting reticle will automatically slew to any target locked by radar.
- Note, that this mode can only be activated by setting Trig-Uncage to Off.
- Vertical Scan - Similar to Uncaged; instead of circling the center of the HUD, the reticle bobs up and down along the center vertically, snapping to the first heat signature it detects.
- Head Track - Requires the HMCS to be active. The missile's reticle points in the direction the player is looking in, allowing the missile to effectively target enemies beyond the launching aircraft's heading.
- Trig-Uncage:
- On/Off - Requires holding down the trigger to achieve a full lock on a target. The missile can then be fired by pressing the weapon switch button. This setting is off by default.
The AIM-9 is a short range infrared missile, used in dog-fighting and pop-up attacks when radar-guided missiles are no longer practical. When the missile is selected, it will emit a low tone when not targeting a heat signature. Once it identifies a heat signature, its tone will increase; a stronger tone designates a more reliable lock. A predicted intercept point will also be displayed on the HUD, leading the target aircraft when you have obtained a strong lock. The missile has much higher maneuverability than other missiles like the AIM-120C, letting it maneuver more sharply to hit its target. While the missile can fire and track at extreme angles, aligning your aircraft closer to the predicted impact point and closing range will always improve results. Most fighters are equipped with countermeasure dispensers with flares for evading heat-seeking missiles. The AIM-9 is particularly vulnerable to this, being easily "distracted" by flares launched from the defending aircraft.
Warning: Please take care when firing any IR missile in close proximity to friendly units. The IR missiles will reliably track whichever heat source is targeted, but if a friendly aircraft passes in front of the missile, the missile's seeker could become confused and target them instead, especially if their heat signature is stronger. Stick to your Cannons if you are dogfighting near allies.
Deployment
PLACEHOLDER
Variants
- 1x AIM-9: Available to every listed aircraft.
- Cost: $900
- Weight: 120kg
- 2x AIM-9: Available to every listed aircraft.
- Cost: $1900
- Weight: 231 kg
- 3x AIM-9: Available to every listed aircraft.
- Cost: $2900
- Weight: 346 kg
AIM-9+
This variant is available only to the F-45A and EF-24G. It is an in-between to the AIM-9 and the AIRS-T in terms of range, accuracy and maneuverability.
AIM-9E
This missile variant is a significant downgrade of the now-standard AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. Unlike its more modern cousins, the AIM-9E can only be fired in caged mode, and is only capable of locking onto a target's engines, meaning that the deploying aircraft needs to be facing an enemy plane's rear aspect for the 9E's seeker to target it.
