From: "Emilio"


snip

But how many Sidewinders will it take to bring down commercial airliner with
4 engines? Don't the missile just go after the engine exhaust? F16 carries
2 missiles and that will not bring them down.


It may only take one missile. Yes a heat seeker goes after the engines, but if
it explodes near enough to the wing it could damage it to the point of
structural failure or explode the fuel.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired


Emilio