HQ-7 evasion tactics.

[DmitriKozlowsky]

Short of not flying into engagement range of HQ-7, how does one evade one , especially optically fired HQ-7, in a fast jet? Turning, burning, notching (for HQ-7 radar), flares, chaff, seems not to help.

[Tippis]

1 hour ago, DmitriKozlowsky said:

Short of not flying into engagement range of HQ-7, how does one evade one , especially optically fired HQ-7, in a fast jet? Turning, burning, notching (for HQ-7 radar), flares, chaff, seems not to help.

I suppose it qualifies as a variant of not flying into engagement range, but altitude is its main weak point — low altitude, that is. The way the guidance works, it essentially uses Vikhr logic and thus yo-yos a lot on launch. If you're low, chances are very high (during the first two or three oscillations) that it will just hit the ground while still trying to stabilise. The AI isn't entirely aware of this problem and will happily launch at targets that will unfailingly and unavoidably result in a lost missile. But of course, that only works if you're at — or very close to — that low altitude at the moment of launch ± 5 seconds.

 

It can be notched. The problem is that unless it's just a lone launcher, you have to be in that <10m/s v_rad window relative to all the radars, which is tricky, or even impossible with the right spacing. It's also not the fastest thing in the world so in some aircraft, you can simply outrun in — or at least not let it close fast enough…