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By: - 27th May 2016 at 11:07 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I don't think the defending aircraft would have to accelerate towards the incoming missile, the SACM has its side thrusters to change direction after launch. I would imagine it would be better to try and intercept the missile when it is not to close because it would be maneuvering at less Gs.
From what I can see, the SACM might be some sort of CUDA derivative with short motor and a warhead.
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By: Armed Update - 25th May 2016 at 05:54
How difficult is to intercept and air-air missile with another air-air missile. I hear claims such as the IRIS-T and R-77 series are advertised to intercept enemy air-air missiles and surface-air missiles. US is also making the SACM/MSD to take out enemy air-air missile.
The one who fired a shot likely would be traveling faster and have the initiative in acceleration. The defending fighter has to accelerate at the incoming missile, to match a similar acceleration. Since most BVR missiles both travel at relatively similar speeds, does a bit more speed of the shooter matter? Although air-air missiles are fast, they don't really maneuver till the last phases of flight, and since most types travel the same speed, they will be similar to taking out an enemy ballistic missile with an ABM probably. (most air-air missiles are just ballistic weapons at BVR, since they run out of fuel fast). Of course the offensive BVR missile can be programmed to maneuver in flight, however, that may lessen it's effective range against a maneuvering target fighter.
Of course the shot has to be detected, which I doubt is a huge problem with modern day infrared sensors. They then have to find the range, velocity, angle aspect, of the really fast missile of course which can be done with a inverse synthetic appeture radar such as the one on the F-22 or a radar and a IRST. The missiles RCS will be relatively small(around 0.001m2 I heard for a Pihrana/Sidewinder diameter missile, maybe larger for an AMRAAM). The defender has to wait until after apogee to see if it is headed his direction.
With all these parameters, how possible is it? In the future? What are some attacker's countermeasures?(jamming enemy seeker to defeat tracking of a such small missile, using midcourse updates to divert the missile, firing at WVR, using stealth missiles, using dual pulse missiles etc?) Would it be much more practical for the defender to do evasive manuvers/runs right when he sees the incoming missile?