Complete Guide To Air To Air Missiles (2024)

[@TimsVariety]

Complete guide to aircraft radar: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZbKmZ6VZ6mjnKM Complete guide to radar warning receivers: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoCqkq2LnLqXqbM

[@nichendrix]

@TimsVariety we may not get a college credit for the extra information on waveforms, specially as I already went though coege and graduate school. Also as a Physicist, that often uses small tabletop radars and laser based measurement devices (like some types of Lidars. I would love to get know how it is used for missiles, even though I know it probably many similarities with the kind of radars I use.

[@bakunincervantes4372]

Thanks for the videos. Looking forward for the position tactics one.

[@downwindfish1]

Tim how does it feel to be doomed to making the same 5 videos every year because Gaijin keeps changing things

[@TimsVariety]

Cursed like Sisyphus... But I gotta deliver for my subscribers...

[@dotEXCEI_]

​@@TimsVarietywe appriciate your sacrifice

[@EstellammaSS]

@@TimsVarietysubbed for this comment

[@brandonfrye2902]

Job security is how he sees it🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@TimsVariety]

@@brandonfrye2902 You're not wrong. On one hand, I hate how opaque some of this information is and how bad of a job the snail does at explaining some of this stuff to new players, but from a more personal angle its great for my channel stats.

[@BrinklyWollox]

22:34 "... you're not getting college credit for watching this ..." * angrily screws up notes, throws paper at bin, misses because not locked on *

[@luuk341]

paper bin launched chaff

[@PerfectedVenus_Monsoon]

@@luuk341 Notched and activated ECM

[@JakeWhoArtASnake]

The theme of this video is "again, not itemized on the stat card"

[@TimsVariety]

The snail loves NOT telling us things...

[@juancarlospinzonmedina6377]

19:00 *brøther, I cräve the forbbiden heat signature*

[@Squeaky_Ben]

28:10 R-24R against F-4C is just the biggest gaijin moment ever.

[@sooryan_1018]

As a Russian main, I feel horrible for those poor F-4C. Atleast make them F-4D with countermeasures or keep them at 10.3

[@Squeaky_Ben]

@@sooryan_1018 Honestly, they could have stayed at 10.0 Their missiles are nothing special (the 7D can be dangerous at like 5+ km of altitude, but only marginally and the 9E is a 9E) the gunpod makes it heavy (but the gun itself is good) and obviously no countermeasures in a plane that cannot exactly outmaneuver a missile easily.

[@therealavenger3537]

​@@sooryan_1018even the regular F-4C could irl carry a countermeasure pod, AIM-9J, and AIM-7E.

[@sooryan_1018]

@@therealavenger3537 F-4C getting countermeasures would automatically make it's current BR okayish, if anything

[@astonbailey-fong1178]

19:23 “You can’t shoot down the sun, even if you try really hard.” Challenge accepted.

[@toastoftriumph]

The air-to-space, anti-satellite ASM-135 was just the beginning. Introducing the anti-stellar ASTM-9999 - with an anti-matter warhead of 3.0×10^24 kg, this revolutionary missile will tell your enemies (and disobedient kids) "lights out"!

[@Atlessa]

Calm down Icarus.

[@PaiSAMSEN]

40:35 Tim :"...don't forget to like and subscribe" Me : okay Tim : "...and all those engagement stuff." Me [brain still thinking about all tye missile stuff] : Me : "oh, sorry, not that kind of engagement".

[@sleipnirpemolspa2287]

Wake up babe, a new Tim's Variety guide just dropped!

[@LackingToast]

I must say, I really respect the punctuality on this video being revised. Love that in a creator

[@TimsVariety]

It would have been sooner, but my freetime has been limited recently.

[@aescobar32]

WT veteran here, GREAT info, not just for missile newbies. Thanks!

[@MrJknight3135]

You are a scholar and a gentleman. I love the inclusion of the sensor view side by side in the in gameplay sections.

[@okrion9]

must be a right pain updating this every year... I very much appreciate how concise yet understandably laid out everything is! no excess info, clean layman-friendly visuals, distinct terms (carryover of not just using several sidewinder variants) etc. I think it may be a good idea to shift talk about the WEZ/MAR & energy bleed to the back (as part of live usage), and shift the technical info about the missile system itself in front first? to flow between tech & subsequent capability

[@TimsVariety]

The layout is always something I second-guess myself on in a longer vid like this.

[@rags417]

4:05 - That's an F-16 versus a Ryan Firebee (BQM-34A), a common US target drone. Well played !

[@TimsVariety]

Glad someone recognized it :-)

[@Groffili]

How do you praise a post like this without going into total overhype mode? It's so extremely helpful for players on all levels of expertise, and combined with the radar posts, an absolute must-watch.

[@HappyMistakes]

The amount of effort you put into keeping these guides up to date is wild. Also, I've used them as background audio to fall asleep to lol. Pretty chill 👍

[@crazedfeel5775]

24:08, I have thousands of hours in this game and I've never noticed this ! 😮 Great guide, you always learn something new even if you're a long time player !

[@CapaUno1322]

I have a 1000+ hours in WT and I mostly play biplanes, no sonic booms.....look at the trees and stuff.....😅

[@crazedfeel5775]

@@CapaUno1322 that's the way xD !

[@TheGuyYouLostTo]

Hey Watson! Air to Air Missile.

[@RiznNuke]

Liked, as always. Buuuuut: HARM is one specific ARM (namely, the AGM-88). Precursors were the Shrike and the Standard ARM. There's also the ALARM and several Soviet types. And probably some others, too. But positively surprised you mentioned A2A ARMs. Interesting tidbit: A Wild Weasel F-4 once blew up the back of a B-52 with a HARM by accident, because it targetet the B-52's tail gunner's radar.

[@ChaoticEnigma-]

18:55 I am still upset there is no secret steam achievement for shooting a missile at the sun

[@sethcanning4170]

Beautiful work each and every time

[@enterchannelname8981]

8:10 I will never stop thinking that IRCCM is a goofy acronym. Great guide by the way, I just think that "counter countermeasures" is such a ridiculous thing to name a weapon feature

[@squishy024]

Fantastic lesson! The line between concise enough to keep the viewers attention, and detailed enough to cover all of the important bits in a complex topic like this is a difficult one to master, but you've nailed it. If I were to add one thing, it'd be a brief mention of an IR missile's (unitemized) seeker track rate. A notable example is the aim-9H, which is functionally the same as the G model but with nearly twice the tracking rate; yet the statcard shows them as identical.

[@ImHellaToxic]

I just want to say that I found this channel early last year and since then it’s been my go to! These videos have genuinely made me a better AIRRB pilot and raised my KDA significantly (on my Hungarian MiG 21 BIS…literally my favorite jet in the entire game) now knowing how my own jet works and my opposition. Keep up the great videos man! Loving this stuff!

[@UnPokemon]

Babe, wake up, Tim made another updated amazing missile guide

[@daniel_f4050]

Very, very well done. You’ve shown not only how to use the various guidance systems but where the Snail shortcuts or just gets it wrong for a variety of real world and in game reasons. Thumbs up and subscribed

[@swtpnkckie]

Anytime a new player needs help I show them your videos and it always helps them so thank you for the amazing content

[@TimsVariety]

I live to serve o7

[@zachthepizzaguy]

Best guide maker on yt !

[@magicmissile7533]

Love your dictation, you're the easiest out of all of the WT CCs to understand, keep up the good vids!

[@justpoppynfamily.2990]

just found your stuff new to the game just got the su34 Extremely helpful keep up the good work!

[@mab2187]

Thanks Tim

[@SlicerJen]

Tim is my teacher. May he always make updated videos.

[@ashtinleaman]

Thank you for your videos Tim! Super in depth while still being able to follow really easily. You have single handedly taught me everything I currently know and use to play the game.

[@TimsVariety]

I live to serve!

[@navyeod_24]

I'm really glad this video came out. I got to top tier not too long ago in the F-16C, and even though I thought I knew a lot I learned even more. Thanks Tim!

[@Wtsmyageagain]

You have the best presentation and personality of any War Thunder creator. You're appreciated and I look forward to any and all content you produce.

[@TimsVariety]

Just make sure to watch/binge my low-tier vehicle reviews, everyone skips them lol

[@Wtsmyageagain]

@@TimsVariety I live in 2.7-4.0! Dogfighting & tactics are more prevalent there I find, plus I just unlocked the F-86 so I’m having to relearn a whole new world of speed is king. Also as a US player I’m considering switching to Germany; sick and tired of being on a team that doesn’t climb and goes up against planes that do everything better except speed essentially.

[@TimsVariety]

@@Wtsmyageagain As a shameless plug, somewhat recently I posted a vid covering the transition from props to jets.

[@p7outdoors297]

I honestly don't listen to these. I have a lot going on and having your videos in the backgrounds is wonderful. I hope you know that you mean more to some people than an instructor. To some you're a rock

[@Mr_3raqi]

The best, most in depth, most comprehensive aam explanation out there on youtube, thanks!

[@buschacha]

Pouring another out for Tim as he prepares to remake all of his guides (he just re-re-released them).

[@darthmaul8912]

Thank you very much for those guides and even more for constantly updating them.😊

[@_Ladiesman217]

Buddy, idk if any of us tell you enough - we love you.

[@Thunderous117]

Great work as always Tim, you a real asset to this community!

[@henrique1240]

Today I played my first game with air-to-air missiles. Your video helped me a lot! Thank you! (I played with the F9F-8 Cougar)

[@ulfhedtyrsson]

When you take the time to think about it, it sure is an incredible experience that gaejin has built-up.

[@camaradeKC]

ty again for this little tutorial it helps a lot to improve the playerbase level

[@TJ042]

Great stuff, your guides are wonderful in all aspects (not just rear). Right amount of information, good presentation of the information, well organized, good use of graphics, and good use of real-game examples.

[@killswitch69698]

Swift f7 is my baby. Not a lot of people know about how the missiles work

[@TimsVariety]

Its required by law to laugh like a maniac when people try to flare them.

[@fkHerm]

As always, great guide, cheers!

[@redkaladin6864]

I'm so glad you make these.

[@TimsVariety]

I live to serve.

[@EB-Ghost6]

Need a missile warning mod saying “you’ve got mail”

[@TimsVariety]

Sounds like a fun RWR sound mod :-)

[@Mnjetster]

Great work again! Thank you very much

[@solvdev]

Tim, I think I’ve clocked about 30 hours watching your guides on radar and air to air as they get updated over the years 😭

[@TimsVariety]

Its tough to keep them up to date, but I gotta deliver for the subscribers.... o7

[@Juho-uf8si]

awesome guide, i already had a pretty good knowledge on most of them but i got to fill some empty spots.

[@mey.tomhero4876]

Yet another great video from Tim! Time to binge it!

[@ArcaneActual]

Love the "it's a game. Not a nato pre flight" hahaha great vid

[@Skynet_15]

Tim released a new video, quick gaijin completely change all the missile mechanics

[@Hovado_Lesni]

new guide from the guide master!!!!!! thank you

[@chaosinsurgency6636]

12:18 recommend you make the combo middle mouse button+WASD so you can still control where you’re going with mouse aim and even shoot

[@petitbonum9958]

Great job as usual, thks a lot for your great tuyorials Tim

[@jordanflores8574]

i just wanna say i fucking appreciate all this knowledge and the time you take to make these videos because god damn, thats a whole lot to learn and remember not to mention teach or break down. Much love, man!

[@TimsVariety]

I live to serve. o7

[@Yee20234]

The legend made another video

[@evanvassallo8174]

A legendary creator you are man! I really enjoy your Vids!

[@5W0RD5M4N]

Awesome guide again

[@Thaapprentice]

I love how informative your videos are.

[@langweilerkanal7894]

Thanks to you, I can now somewhat enjoy my Mig 23 ML

[@razvy6949]

Straight to the subject and well explained, love the videos man! 👍👍

[@toastoftriumph]

I love you. This video is amazing! You always joke that Gaijin makes changes right after your vids. I hope this video inspires them to expand the stat cards, lol. Love the side-by-side footage at 29:30! I know it would be very subjective (and invite a lot of arguments), but I've always wanted a "tier list" of AAM to try to compare them head to head. Granted, missiles are intertwined with features from the plane (helmet mounted targeting, the plane's radar features, the plane's speed at launch, etc.), but given the overwhelming amount of missiles in game it'd be nice to have some sort of simplification (and also super interesting to see each KZbinr's take on which ones they prefer). Other games like Smash Bros constantly have tier list discussions, but for whatever reason I don't see it often for War Thunder. Keep doing what you're doing! Definitely going to recommend this video to some teammates.

[@notimportant8882]

Hey Tim, hope you're well Great video for the snail as always

[@longnguyenngoc2617]

Very Informative! Love your contents.

[@chasechandler8733]

This dude is the goat

[@LightningFox512]

Whooooo I’ve been waiting for this

[@chillypenguin4449]

perfect time for this vid to be released... just unlocked F-16AM and my first fox 3 carrier

[@paperno3865]

Woohoo tim posted

[@edwardblomstrand7203]

Amazing info. Thank you.

[@blydon4954]

im a simple man, i see tim dropped a new video, i click and like

[@cyanman8423]

thanks 😃

[@jyralnadreth4442]

IR missiles have another form of IRCCM - IR/UV Contrast seekers. The FIM92B Stinger uses a Ultra Violet contrast seeker to compare data with its IR seeker as under UV Light the Aircraft and the flares look very different whilst appear more similar under Infra Red. The AIM-9X uses a Imaging Infra Red seeker which is pretty much a Thermal imager like the ones High Tier ground forces use - this can clearly distinguish flares from vehicles (The Type 91 Kai missile, Mistral 3 and AIM-9X use this) Speaking of HARMS....USS Douglas in the US Coastal tree is currently using the incorrect missile - the RIM-24 Tartar was never and could never be fired from Asheville Gunboats. They have the wrong Radar to fire them. What the Douglas should have is 4x RGM-66D Anti ship missiles which use a passive radar seeker from the AGM-78 ARM. These missiles are SM-1 airframes with said different seeker

[@TimsVariety]

I'm expecting the AIM-9X and/or Python 4 (which uses BOTH types of IRCCM) to get added soon as a way to make my guide outdated. The snail loves doing that.

[@skantilles75]

Damn, I am working. Need to see this guide later 😢

[@TimsVariety]

It'll be waiting for you :-)

[@CaptKarel]

Tks, now I know what that icon for secondary weapons are for. Never tried to use the mouse to select a specific weapon.

[@Quilfish_]

I needed this. Somehow I have trouble understanding radar locks and missile tracking

[@Veselinius_III]

YOU! ARE! GOLDEN!!!

[@TimsVariety]

I live to serve. o7

[@volkerball6110]

Hey babe wake up New Tims variety vid just dropped

[@VikkieEule]

Silly tim, Im already subscribed

[@IceSki117]

19:15 As Bo likes to call it, the forbidden heat signature.

[@ayanamikai]

24:15 i'm pretty sure the second circle has nothing to do with signal strength but rather indicates what are the odds of missile getting to the target from current position if the target maintains the direction and speed it has at the moment. you can see the second circle full locking a plane going straight at you 30km away but have it show you no odds to hit from 5km chasing someone at full speed

[@TimsVariety]

As far as I've been able to tell in controlled testing, its indicating signal return strength (which ends up being a major factor in PK). I asked a snailstaffer for confirmation a couple of years ago and was told "yes that's basically it"... however ... they've told other people that it indicated the accuracy of direction/range tracking based on the current radar mode, so your mileage may vary. Regardless, still a good idea to wait until its red to fire.

[@ericpilloni6903]

Definitely looking forward to the positioning guide. Just entered the 8.7 realm and struggling with the AIM 9B.

[@pholandsc2]

You said in this video you wanted to make a video about positioning. Have you made it? interested in Fox3 positioning gameplay. Thank you for all your hard work, my fav warthunder content creator!

[@krm5164]

Lets goo missile guide

[@BlitZnGodzilla117]

Gaijin just waiting for this to release before they completely re-build how the missiles work lol

[@Raj-df7wf]

Gaijin is going to find a way to add another type of missile (oh god AIR-2 Genie). Thank you for increasing the diversity of the game XD

[@joelvandebijl5316]

Tim video = like first then watch!

[@dodo-ur5os]

how long did it take you to get that fireflash kill? i had the displeasure of seeing one in person the other day

[@TimsVariety]

Not long, first or second match trying to hit with one. They changed the flight profile on it to "drop launch" a little more severely, but I've used SACLOS missiles enough to still have a good feel for it. When I first got the Swift, I couldn't hit with them to save my life though - just comes with a lot of practice. What was a REAL pain was actually getting a maneuvering dogfight kill with the AA-20 Nord when I did the previous update last year - actually bagged a Mig in a turnfight with it. This time I got lucky, and had a Tu-4 in my very first match looking for AA-20 kill footage.

[@dodo-ur5os]

@@TimsVariety i can imagine MCLOS missiles are even more annoying to use than SACLOS. perhaps we need some kind of mind controlled missile

[@WarScribe82]

I'd love to see HARM and ALARM missiles added for SEAD purposes, would add a nice angle to Ground/Combined battles, though I would also just settle for the AS.34 Kormoran on the IDS MFG getting some genuine usability

[@rodolfohernandez3303]

What new video from Tim? Let's watch and take notes

[@HarimauBergaring]

It’s crazy I’ve played this game so long I’ve played wt so many of u KZbinrs.

[@Russertlog]

thx getting close to my f4j need to use arh on f14

[@thatgemini.official]

21:18 love how the missle chased at a radar locked missle that died after i launched then when you locked do a different one, the misssle just j turned onto the new enemy and killed it. See the missle smoke

[@TimsVariety]

Textbook example of IOG keeping the missile "hot" until my radar gives it something else to chase.

[@thatgemini.official]

@@TimsVariety ohhhhh thank you for giving me the explanation!!!!

[@two-six5756]

Gaijin is going to release a major rework of every missile type within the week

[@soarece8792]

Just wait until Gaijin adds non-inertial/dl ARH missiles and everyone keeps wondering why they don't work like AIM-120.

[@firestar7890]

Great video, however, I would like to say that the seeker shuttering IRCCM on the 9M and others is much more effective in side aspect shots rather than head-on ones, as the seeker only sees flares for a short amount of time before they disappear from the fov, whereas in a headon, the flares are almost always in the fov of the seeker.

[@TimsVariety]

Its only more effective if the target maintains their turn and doesn't maneuver at all to change direction/angle. I'll be covering that in more detail if/when I get the time to do a longform guide on missile evasion and countermeasures.

[@firestar7890]

@@TimsVariety True, but in head on and rear aspect shots the “flare flower” or flaring whilst rolling is similarly effective at deterring the missile. Not objective evidence, but from my personal experience throwing side aspect shots seems to work better than head-on or rear aspect ones. If you do make a missile evasion guide that would be great. When I was first starting jets, your radar and AAM guides were extremely helpful to me- especially the keybinds section. I love the high quality and informational content.

[@flak8842]

great video there Tim so i have um something to just get a general pointers about missiles fired at high altitude so does it mean that if i am at like top tier jets for example and let's say and AIM-120 fired at me from like 40 or 50km away can i just drain it out of energy at high altitude faster once the motor burns out

[@TimsVariety]

If I understand what you're asking, the TLDR is "kindof" - a missile will glide farther at higher altitude for longer range, BUT can't maneuver as well especially if its low on energy, so will be easier to dodge (or zig-zag stuff to run it out of energy) up at high altitudes. If/When I have time, I'm planning to do one of these guides for missile evasion and countermeasures, and will explain in more detail.

[@RiznNuke]

If the game is realistic, the best defense should be turning cold and dumping your altitude, since the missile loses more energy through air-friction at low altitude than it gains from gravity.

[@flak8842]

@@TimsVariety also when manuvering with IR missiles to it's max Gimbal limit could make the seeker sees the aircraft engine without seeing flares ?

[@TimsVariety]

@@flak8842 That's ... a far more complicated topic, dealing with flight angles and airspeeds. The short answer is "it depends what direction they're flying".