Although we are entering the new stage of War Thunder of adding in Fox-3 missiles like the AIM-120 and MICA, I think its been long overdue to fix the Sparrow issue. The AIM-7M has been an absolute let down for modern jets in the US tech tree due to their easy to lose lock issues, and although was slightly fixed, them detonating before they reach their target. AIM-7Ms have been to be recorded to use to use IOG, and even DL, with it being upgraded into later variants.
It’s fairly obvious how the 7Ms were a copy of the 7Fs since being introduced.
The F-16s, F-15s, as well as the F-14B use them, but its preferrable to use all slots to have AIM-9s instead in several cases, especially with the frequent matching into smaller matches.
If anything with this new update and in the future, AIM-7Ms should be buffed to be more viable long-range options worth carrying at times. It’s a bit annoying how nations with the R-27ERs (domestic and import variants) dominant at longer ranges (Notably the SU-27 and J-11with their large payload capacity of 6 radar missiles).
On top of that, we should have perhaps the researchable option of the AIM-7P on aircraft capable of carrying them, or as the alternative instead of the AIM-7M