The F-15E at 10,500 meters and Mach 1.68 fires an AIM-120B that hits Mach 4.30. Meanwhile, a Su-30 cruising lower at 7,000 meters and Mach 1.30 launches its R-77-1and that missile still reaches almost the same speed as the AIM-120B But people act like the F15e altitude and speed automatically make its 120B unbeatable against the R-77-1 Come on Even if the 120B edges out the R-77-1, it’d be by a tiny margin, not some landslide victory.
And let’s talk about the jets themselves. The Su-30’s slower at Mach 1.30, but that doesn’t mean it’s helpless. Being slower and lower actually lets it notch missiles faster and pull harder turns compared to the F-15E hauling ass at Mach 1.70. Plus, the Su-30 can carry 12 R-77-1s versus the F-15E 6-8 AIM-120B Volume matters in a dogfight you can’t dodge forever
7 Likes
Now show us what happens when both start maneuvering.
6 Likes
mica is the best fox3 in wt. (and rafale is the best plane)
aim120 r77-1 pl12 derby darter mica all make make the enemy go defensive and always get notched all the same in Medium-long range.
what only matters is the close range performance which the mica is the best at since its TVC which allows you to safely launch one at 70° off bore and quickly return to the notch, aim120 carriers can’t do anything remotely close to this since it’s only 35g.
1 Like
Judging by the (aim7e vs r3s) and (aim7f/m vs r27er) periods.
The aim120b will be surpassed either last update of 2025 or first update of 2026.
1 Like
you want to know what happens when both start maneuvering? both missiles get notched the same :)
1 Like
I can’t believe people are crying about missiles that can pull 270° turns at the actual gameplay engagement ranges just because they can’t theorically be launched from impractical five billion kilometer ranges.
Range is practically meaningless past certain threshold. Agility is where it’s at.
Most ingame engagements take place at 9-19 km, followed up by WVR. Any further past 20km is just impractical because the missiles can be evaded with minimal effort.
However, having missiles that are absolutely and literally undodgeable at actual gameplay engagement ranges is really something. Yet I only see complaints that AIM-120 is supposedly better just because it can theorically be launched from ranges that achieve nothing besides being a RWR nuisance for a few seconds.
9 Likes
AIM-120 is better against notching targets, so it’s better at BVR in realistic scenarios. Which is the whole point.
2 Likes
Holy copium, if the mica were buffed it would be the best by such a huge margin balance would be blown out of the window. 😵💫 I have the Rafale, Su30, f15c, typhoon, kfir c10, and honestly the Mica-EM is the most reliable fox3 in game still. No I don’t launch them over 30km, but anything ever launched at me from 30+km away I haven’t had a problem notching and evading since the aim120 was added. I get the most consistent kills and killed the most consistently with micas under 10km, and truthfully if you are struggling to get to 10km of the enemy you need to learn how to fly better.
Couple the micas amazing performance on the most agile airframe with great countermeasures and all of a sudden you have a total beast that can lock down the close range. The micas do not need a buff.
God forbid red force gets a competitive missile that NATO mains have to actually use chaff for 💀
15 Likes
you talk to much but zero good information
1 Like
insane how you throw all what i said and try to bring the drag card like come on be better the plane you shot at with r77-1 wont move anyway until 16km r77-1 would have more speed even if has more drag it will equal that to 120b but can do a 50g until Mach 1.50 or something so faster pull more and more metaa so what’s your point
im grinding f18c and i will show yall what aim120b lunch from f18c would be like and i bet isnt going to break Mach 4
Depending on what do you think dominance, at range, clearly the AIM-120B is better compared to others, at close ranges I’d say MICA-EM, maneuverability R-77 and so on.
And as someone said (couldn’t find to quote), it’s dominant because is the most used, as most countries in War Thunder has this missile in their respective top tier airplanes,
In scenario where only USA had AIM-120B and other model of AMRAAM were the most used, despite the performance of the AIM-120B, this other missile would dominate matches by the quantity not quality, which is the AIM-120B’s situation.
1 Like
Why wouldn’t it move ?
AIM-120 slingers can reach the altitude quicker with more speed, so they’ll be launching first. You don’t need to fly straight into the enemy in order to guide your missiles until they go active.
1 Like
the only way the 120 is no longer king is if we start seeing newer missiles like IRIS-T, and we will have a bigger problem
The AIM-120 will be as dominant as players using them are skilled.
The AIM-120C1 is quite literally an AIM-120B with clipped wings and slight changes to the electronics.
AIM-120s are not over-performing.
The R-77’s drag when not turning its fins is very low, its drag when maneuvering is high, and I can’t dispute that cause the fins do have a large surface area to help with turning.
1 Like
Totally agreed. It’s not just about speculation, but stats of AIM-120A and B are better ingame (especially range) than all I has found on internet…
Can’t be approved sources but…
The AIM-120 has long ceased to be an imbalanced missile. Its speed and maneuverability have been cut. It can no longer even catch up with an aircraft in a straight line. And its maneuverability does not even allow it to turn toward an aircraft that has made a simple maneuver. That is why Soviet aircraft now occupy the first places in AB.
2 Likes
AIM-120 35g
R-77 50g.
B - Balance.
1 Like
Range? AIM-120 is launched from 15-20 km, as far as I know R-77 and other missiles are launched from the same distance.
meanwhile 50g mica-em, R-77 50G missiles…
3 Likes