Semi-active radar missiles
Semi-active radar missiles have no radar of their own. They home on the echo of the radar that launched them, which must keep the target painted until the missile hits. The instruments show them as FOX1, the radio call a pilot makes on firing one.
Painting the target
- Select missiles with X until the instruments show FOX1. When an enemy is within the missile’s range and close enough to where your nose points, the radar locks on, a box appears around the target, and you hear the tracking tone.
- Hold the lock. A missile is guided only by what your radar paints, so it follows your lock while you stay on FOX1. Lock another target, and the missile goes for that one. Leave the target’s radar circle, or switch to another weapon, and the missile flies on unguided until you lock again.
- A missile fired without a lock has nothing to guide it toward, so wait for the box.
Notching
Like a radar missile, a semi-active one picks its target out of the sea below by the target’s motion toward or away from it. A target flying perpendicular to the missile’s path has no such motion, blends into the sea, and may break the lock. This is called notching.
Countering
- Your radar lock warns its target at once: they see Radar warning, and Missile inbound once a missile is in the air.
- Breaking your lock is the surest defence: turn out of your radar’s circle, and the missile has nothing to follow.
- Chaff (press F with flares, or C alone) can draw a semi-active missile off its target.
Reloading
Missile rails reload by themselves, one at a time. The missile you have selected reloads first: on an aircraft that also carries other missiles, select Fox 1 and its rails jump the queue. Land on a friendly aircraft carrier to rearm at once.
Reading the figures
Each missile below is listed with its speed, the shortest and longest range it can be fired at, the seconds its rail takes to reload, and the damage of a direct hit. A near miss explodes for less.
Missiles
- AIM-4F (1372m/s 266-8124m 22s) [875dmg]
- AIM-7E (1372m/s 266-13416m 24s) [875dmg]