Classified until at least 2036 pending further extensions.
even for Aim-120A model?
That is the issue, they are all lumped into the same category. Since AIM-120A shares practically nothing but dimensions with the AIM-120D imo should be classified separately but… any time a new AIM-120 iteration was produced the classification was extended.
Now that AIM-260 aims (pun intended) to replace the AMRAAM… it may stop being extended. I’ve put in FOIA specifically in request of AIM-120A SMC sheets which should contain the relevant information but they’re usually denied outright.
damn that sucks. Are you a US citizen by any chance? Arent we (US citizens) allowed to have this information cuz of the FOIA?
Information that is classified is exempt from FOIA in 99% of cases without some higher authority forcing the classifying authority to declassify it.
What was the magazine article from? I cannot see attachment thanks.
Does it talk about Mach+ launches or just maneuvering?
It says (among other things):
The Magic’s firing envelope is the same as the flight envelope for the carrier aircraft
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That is way too vague and should not be considered as it’s just a magazine article.
Cpt Bel should have extensive research on the Magic I am going to message him.
It is a magazine article, but that sentence is supposedly a direct quote from a Matra official.
Yeah, but Matra is a business and executive “officials” will say whatever they can to make sales. Especially in a magazine interview.
It’s like taking James Taiclet of Lockheed Martin’s word for anything on Aim-120 technical capability/limitations though he has never done anything outside of business other than fly a C-130 in the gulf war.
How is AIM-120 in terms of high high off boresight shots?
AIM-120C is said to have high-angle off-boresight capability and the latest versions have “improved” that capability.
Which C version are you referring to: C3, C4, C5, C6, or C7? And I imagine that by HOBS, you mean a better gimbal angle. Does HOBS have a specific minimum gimbal angle?
No, the gimbal angle is fine +/- 55 degrees or so as far as I’m aware… the AIM-120 is a very relaxed stability design… on launch the motor propellant weight brings the center of gravity towards the rear leaving it a little unstable and able to make tighter turn radius than earlier models such as AIM-120A/B thanks to a lighter electronics section.
I believe the AIM-120C-5 was the first to have true “high-angle” off-boresight capability, the shortened control actuator section allowed for a longer motor and more propellant. They switched to an all-boost instead of boost-sustain design that allowed the missile to make the rapid turn around and then chase targets after firing in head-on type scenarios.
This seems to be the same source as the AIM-7F(M) chart.
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They were grossly mistaken in the AIM-7F / AIM-120’s range. I estimate 70-75km for AIM-120A in the same conditions the AIM-7F would reach 98km.
In AIM-7F Standard Missile Characteristics - January 1977 it mentions that the 7F could reach 53nm if both carrier and target are flying at 2.0 Mach at 40,000ft head-on. But it would be vastly limited by the seeker performance.
-edit-
Yes, the 98km range figure seems to be from 2 mach as you stated.
Ah, I just thought 53nm x 1.8523 almost equal to 98km, which is where the in-game stat card got its info from.
I see, yes I forgot the SMC was using 2 mach as launch parameters for that data. That’s interesting, I’ll revise my statement. This is what happens when one “assumes” something at 4am without checking.