Missile performance
aren't absolute numbers. Airspeed / Altitude and aspect of
the launching aircraft play a crucial role in improving those
numbers.
I have doubts of that
article's argument as I have trouble believing this statement :
-
With a thrust vectoring engine capability
(TVC), the Flanker driver has the option of making himself into a
very difficult endgame target for the AIM-120 regardless of
the capability of his jamming equipment.
I never truly
believed how TVC can be used to avoid missiles. TVC when activated
slows the aircraft down significantly. Slow targets are dead
targets.
Also, if the current
models of AIM-120s are in the air, his Jamming equipment will only
serve as a bright beacon for the AIM-120 to home in on due to the
"Home-On-Jam" capability.
The author is also
biased the way he set up his scenario, allowing the Flanker to
shoot at longer ranges with the R-27s, assuming that the defending
aircraft has no self-protection jammers, while allowing the Flanker
to have "modern DRFM monopulse" jammers. He might as well
assume the target to be an unarmed Cessna 172.
If the target
aircraft is an F-16C and above, its jammers would have denied the
Flanker it's R27 shot opportunity, forcing the Flanker to fly
closer to burn through the jamming signal.
The single biggest
flaw of his whole argument against the effectiveness would be the
issue of combat record. The AMRAAM has shot down Flankers, Fulcrums
and Foxbats alike in Iraq and Serbia with good accuracy and
effectivness. The reverse cannot be said about the R-27 (and
all its SARH, IR, ARH and whatever fart-sniffing variant), and
the R-77.
They cannot prove
their effectivness by simply discrediting the AMRAAM's performance
thus far. They can only prove it by matching or
out-performing it, and they have yet to do so.
True enough, Russian BVR is largely mass and saturation of multiple
seeker types. But thus far, none of their Missiles have
proven to be effective in any measure. However, AMRAAM allows
its equipped air force to handle such "mass" problems as well by
Grinding larger formations away with just a few flights of aircraft
supporting. And thats as far as I will go into tactical
discussions of the AMRAAM.
yeah, i did mention the report was slightly biased but its one
of the few open source articles that i can quote from
unfortunately.
anyway, i do agree the AMRAAM is definitely more capable
and has a proven track record. unfortunately the russians didn't
export their weapons to customers good enough to score some
positive results for them. the only customers that have the Su-30
type that might get some results, the world policeman doesn't wanna
go into conflict with them yet.
i was just trying to make a point that the combat effectiveness
of the AMRAAM no doubt is good, but the hit probability of the
missile decreases especially if you go up against BVR aware type of
targets who possess similar type of missiles and self-protection.
they might also emply similar weapon employment tactics, especially
if they have also operate western aircraft, plus access to russian
aircraft. maybe it s a rojak of everything for their tactics? might
confuse them instead.
in any case, just fire more to guarantee a hit lor. :P
hahaha.
