Originally posted by Shotgun:
I'm not familiar with the avionics on the sukhoi, but lets try it this way.
If i have a range advantage (adder) over the amraam. I can simply squeeze off 2 adders instead of 1 right? (now i reduce closure rate and forward airspeed) After all, the lock-on maintains.
After i get a missile warning tone, I can still afford to wait a lil for my first missile to go autonomous before i try to evade yes? Since i have a range advantage, my first missile would already be well on the way while the amraam was just launched. I try to evade now, I still have 1 active adder. The other adder's pk may not be as high, but heck, the other driver has his hands full with 1 adder already.
Now the amraam is about just launched, the other driver has to worry about my incoming adder, and I have to worry about an incoming amraam. If the other driver chickens, I have a better chance of defeating the amraam. If he doesn't chances of my missile killing him is higher, while my chances of getting killed is also higher. But not as high as his, (He is still trying to get his amraam to pitbull) since I have already commenced my evasive manuever.... (beaming or running).
I would guess the norm would be to just launch the amraam, and commence evasive manuevers immediately, rather than to try to ensure a high pk amraam. What is not taken into consideration so far is the effectiveness of AWACS, which is a pivotal role in BVR combat.
hmm the original article said that the thing that they worried about was the IR missile shot using IRST, not the R-77, which according to the article, "Air Force analysts believe U.S. electronic warfare techniques are adequate to spoof the missile's radar"
furthermore, the eagle can squeeze off two amraams like the flanker did in your above scenario, though the Pk would still be less. however someone did mention that the AIM-120C5 has an equal range with the R-77. so the playing field is rather even when you bring in WVR with HMCS and R-73 and AIM-9X
The eagle and flanker are rather large aircraft, and both have rather powerful fire control radars as well. hence IMO, most combat between these two would be BVR.
