Complete Guide To Air To Air Missiles (2024)

Published 2024-07-22
This complete guide to air to air missiles in War Thunder goes over basic missile concepts, guidance types, keybinds, and how to use them in the game. The idea is to take an absolute beginner and get them a basic level of competence in understanding and operating these weapons.


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Uncaged IR Seeker gimbal clip by M. Begenat, Used under Creative Commons


TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction
00:46 Missile Flight Profile
02:51 Weapon Engagement Zone (WEZ)
04:25 Missile Energy Diagrams
05:49 No Escape Zone & Minimum Abort Range (NEZ & MAR)
06:44 Missile Agility
07:35 Reading Missile Stat Cards
09:52 Unitemized Missile Features
11:31 Manually Guided Missiles (MCLOS)
12:46 Beam Riding Missiles (SACLOS)
14:07 Infrared Missile Basics & Caged-Seeker (IR)
16:27 Uncaged Seeker Infrared Missiles
17:58 All-Aspect Infrared Missiles
18:54 You Can't Shoot Down The Sun!
19:22 Infrared Missile Radar Slaving
20:00 Infrared Missile FOV
21:12 Semi-Active Radar Basics (SARH)
23:01 SARH Pulse Missiles
25:16 SARH CW Missiles (Shoot Down-Front-Aspect)
27:24 Inertial Observer Guidance (IOG)
28:25 Datalinks (DL)
29:40 Active-Radar Homing (ARH) Beyond Visual Range
33:34 ARH Within Visual Range "Hot Off The Rail"
34:30 Weapon Selection And Cycling
35:18 Lofting
36:18 IRCCM (FOV Gating)
37:38 IRCCM (Shuttering)
38:43 Thrust Vectoring
39:28 Passive Radar Seeking (HARM)

All Comments (21)
  • @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 *
  • @downwindfish1
    Tim how does it feel to be doomed to making the same 5 videos every year because Gaijin keeps changing things
  • @RyThatOneGuy1
    I must say, I really respect the punctuality on this video being revised. Love that in a creator
  • @orion8266
    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
  • @MrJknight3135
    You are a scholar and a gentleman. I love the inclusion of the sensor view side by side in the in gameplay sections.
  • @aescobar32
    WT veteran here, GREAT info, not just for missile newbies. Thanks!
  • @UnPokemon
    Babe, wake up, Tim made another updated amazing missile guide
  • @swtpnkckie
    Anytime a new player needs help I show them your videos and it always helps them so thank you for the amazing content
  • @buschacha
    Pouring another out for Tim as he prepares to remake all of his guides (he just re-re-released them).
  • The theme of this video is "again, not itemized on the stat card"
  • @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.
  • @skantilles75
    Damn, I am working. Need to see this guide later 😢
  • @_Ladiesman217
    Buddy, idk if any of us tell you enough - we love you.
  • @ArcaneActual
    Love the "it's a game. Not a nato pre flight" hahaha great vid
  • perfect time for this vid to be released... just unlocked F-16AM and my first fox 3 carrier