IRANIAN AIM-54A PHOENIX MISSILE

Ed Rasimus wrote:

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 20:31:46 -0500, "John Carrier"
wrote:

snip

Maybe some Tom-drivers in this forum will comment, but I've got to
think that in a head-to-head pass with a system lock at ten miles
there is no possible way that the AIM-54 could function.


It's well inside Vmin for a AIM-7E-2 and wouldn't be a viable shot for
an AIM-9J, P, or M.

I think your memory is cloudy. 10NM is nicely within the AIM-7 envelope.
It's also in the heart of the AIM-54 ACM Active mode envelope IIRC.

10NM is just great for a low aspect shot, but head-on is a distinctly
different situation.

As pointed out in my other post, 10nm is closer to Rmax had-on for an AIM-7E-2 at
moderate altitudes and ca. M0.9, not Rmin, which is more like 2nm. I used to
have a videotape off CNN of the F-14/MiG-23 engagement over the Gulf of Sidra in
the mid-80s or so ("I can't get a ****ing tone!"), which I transcribed.
Presumably using the longer ranged AIM-7F or -7M (anyone know which?) instead of
what would have presumably been an AIM-7E-4*, Sparrow shots were taken head-on at
13 and 10nm, firer at Angels 5 snapping up, target at Angels 9, both firer and
target at about 450 kts; presumably the heart of the envelope or close to it.

*According to Friedman differing from the 7E-2 in protection from the AWG-9's
much greater 'spillover' radiation, compared to the F-4's radar.

Guy

Minimum engagement range is about 3.7 km (2 nm), in which case active
homing is used from the beginning.