IRIS-T - The pinnacle of IR guided Short Range Air to Air Missiles

thats all great but this is still the post about the IRIS-T…

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Youre right. Thats enough off-topic.

i love my tornado but i have to agree with ya bro. no one has a right to get kills. you have to earn them

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You wont be able to use the high offbore capability on the Tornado. It neither has the HMS (although this probably could be somewhat compensated using the radar) nor does it have the digital data bus required for using IRIS-T to its full potential, only relying on the analogue bus originally meant for Sidewinder.
This means your lockon angles are limited to the same you already have with AIM-9L (red on the graphic), only after lock on the seeker gets fully unlocked (violet)
head-on-engagement-irist-a

yep they did this to allow for backwards compatibility with 9L platforms

Want to add something to all the comparisons. The ASRAAM can be used in a 360 degree field of combat can be launched and then target aircraft directly behind the aircraft. This comes from a document from Australia when detailing the combat envelopes of ASRAAM against R73. Also from a slide from MBDA detailing the missile. Now I know other missiles have similar capabilities but from what I’m aware only ASRAAM is the one that can launch and target aircraft directly behind.

thats just kinda a thing with all(at least western) SRAAMs. IRIS-T, ASRAAM, MICA-IR, AIM-9X Block II all do that.
For the IRIS-T i believe its mentioned in some of Diehl’s brochures but it was also said to be the case by Lw pilots.
In the video series with JP Performance the pilot specifically said that with the IRIS-T he could look behind himself and launch the missile and it would do its job.

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Don’t forget the Python 5!
Plus the Mica IR cannot really be shot at 360° without an allied datalink or an HMS.
The Mica IR only has a 60° glimbal compared to the 90° of all the other modern IR missile which means it has a harder Time for HOB shot.

Otherwise all those missile can turn 180° but the question is : In how mutch time?
The Asraam is probably the slowest ( no TVC and low surface control) while the Iris T / A darter are probably the fastest (180° in less than 3 sec)

the ASRAAM has thrust vectoring tho iirc

It does not

really? ok wow, nvm then. I thought I read that somewhere, besides basically every modern missile has it, just seems odd the ASRAAM doesnt have it.

The ASRAAM trades the thrust vectoring for having a big ass booster motor compared to the thrust vectoring missiles

mhm makes sense, was wondering how it achieved such a long range in comparison to other missiles

a combination of loal, big thrust, and body dynamics that do offer good maneuverability, focus on sustaining speed

big thrust and long thrust.
the rocket motor in the ASRAAM is significantly bigger than in other missiles like the IRIS-T or AIM-9X

i wonder how much it affects maneuverability

no, only P3I ASRAAM

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maybe that was the one i read about, i dont remember

That’s not entirely true, at least when used on Rafale.
Rafale’s weapon system uses sensor fusion to generate tracking data for the missiles.
This includes the 360° passive IR sensors, so as long as the IR sensors can see the threat, a Rafale should be able to fire a MICA onto it without the help of a friendly aircraft.
IMO this is part of the reason why the french airforce really didn’t rush to integrate an HMS on the Rafale.

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Amusing discussion since all sources should be classified. IRIS-T is acknowledged by many to be the best short range ir guided missile, with other misisles such as A-Darter or Python 5 obviously being very close.
No one can tell which does in fact have the best performance or is the most reliant when fired under ideal circumstances.

we might get some info on their performance vs russian helicopters as the SLS(basically the air launched one but surface launched with little to no modifications) has just started to be delivered to Ukraine