Its also just an erroneous understanding of what his source states, seeing as it specifies “the feature is a method of minimizing energy consumption by the drive” and speeks of the hinge moment.
This is literally just talking about how the missile minimizes how much effort the fins actuators (or drives) must work…
AIM-120C-7 initially seems to use the +5 motor from the AIM-120C-5, but later replaces the “SCAS” (shortened control actuator section) with “VCAS” (value control actuator section) and also received a replacement rocket motor from the firm “NAMMO”.
From what i understand , the C7 initial upgrade was new software to improve the resolution and interference immunity of the WGSN.
Later from lot27+ the use of a more modern oand compact element base (VCAS?) made it possible to increase the length of the engine bay and so more propelant = more range (120km vs 105km Max range)
The NAMMO remplacement motor was only a motor that could be use in cold temperature (ie Norway) because the initial one wasn’t working well for higth altitude cold air shot. I don’t think the motor was better in way than the atk one in performance.
NAMMO motor seems to have been offered at some point but only to those with VCAS modification which is why I presume it has higher performance similar to the lot27+ motors made by Orbital ATK but could be wrong. I also see no reason NAMMO couldn’t have helped produce both motors as well.
This is the data of the aircraft of both sides in the China-Thailand military exercise. The Aim-120 has a range of 80km, but the R-77 has a range of 50 km?
I did the test in following setup.
F-14 on 5000m at Mach 1 against two side by side targets at 70km.
I fire two Aim-54 in quick succession, then two targets turn away from each other by 30 degrees, both Aim-54 followed.
Then, after two seconds, both targets turn towards each other for 60 degrees, both Aim-54 followed, RWR was still not triggered.
Then I turn off TWS and both targets turns away from each other by 60 degrees, both missiles did not follow.
This test can be replicated easily if you have friends and see for yourself. However, you have to act fast and complete the test before Aim-54 goes pitbull.
Also, it is less accurate due to reduced TWS scan rate on F-14’s radar, not loft.
IIRC, launch distance in China usually means the distance at the moment of launch when flying at Mach 1 on 10,000m going head on. But that may not always be the case (and I could have remembered it wrong).
F-14A was tested with it, however by the time the F-14D retired all it required was software and the correct pylons to fire the AIM-120 iirc. Political discourse prevented the funds from being sent to equip the navies F-14D’s with AMRAAMs as they wanted to simply retire the F-14 at that point.
All F-14D’s were wired for the AMRAAM, but the developmental work for the adapters was not completed. the AIM-120 is listed in the 1985 SAC for the F-14D on the last page. There are also photos of them being flight tested on a number of airframes.
All of that is great but imo they should first focus on the missiles actually going where you aimed them. Literally no other missile behaves like the sparrows
The code isn’t special to the AIM-7. All other missiles share the same mechanics.
Further, your choice of how / when to launch the missile has quite a lot to do with why it was performing so poorly.
Well it might not be exclusive to the Sparrows but I have never, not once, seen it affect the R-27s or the 530s. And for the love of god dont pull that “how/when” bull****. Everyone has seen sparrows go for the ground regardless of altitude and attitude. You can be up at 30k with a single hot target on your radar and there is still a 50/50 chance the sparrow is going to have a seizure and just not track anything