Aim 9 is useless against Helicopters now After Latest update

[cm2]

So After Latest update. Aim 9M seems useless against helicopters. Before it could hit Helicopters even if they dropped flares If I launched at least 2 Aim9s. now it couldn't.

Recorded the test:

https://youtu.be/JW_4o2COuwc

 

Edited April 5 by cm2

[cm2]

Tried it again. Attached is the trk file.

Aim9Helistest.trk

[DSplayer]

I think this would be better reported in the Weapon Bugs section but I think this is normal behavior considering you're engaging an Apache in the front aspect.

[Dragon1-1]

Helos are difficult targets for heaters. Their turbine exhaust is colder, and they tend to have IR suppressors specifically to reduce it further. A heater can see a helo, but if it starts dumping flares, they're much brighter than the fuselage and even the exhaust.

[cm2]

Problem is a helo can easily turn its direction towards an approaching fighter. If I ambush it from behind or the sides yes it behaves like before the latest update. But if the Helo is actively gunning for your fighter or knows your location no matter how I approach it, either from behind or the sides, from up high or not it always manages to turn toward me and thus forcing me to engage it from the front especially if the AI of the helo is Ace.  With the current zero probability of an Aim 9 hitting a helo from the front even with a salvo of Aim 9s, engaging a Helo is currently super tiring. Especially in a single player campaign where you have to conserve your weapons for other engagements.

Edited April 5 by cm2

[Dragon1-1]

They are a "super thing" IRL, too. Hunting helos in a fast jet is hard. If you're flying a lower tech fighter like the Phantom, it's super-hard. Helos fly low, slow, are hard to see, and don't produce much heat. At J-CATCH, Cobras routinely took out (with guns!) F-15s before Eaglejets even saw them. If you have a good radar, Sparrows or AMRAAMs are your best bet, but if you don't, the helo will most likely disappear into ground clutter. Helo hunting combines the worst parts of ground pounding and air to air, especially if the terrain is rough and they can terrain mask.

Yeah, in a campaign, you better hope the creator remembered this, and wasn't going with the old "helos are easy, helpless targets" thing from old games. In the Tomcat, I always ended up nailing them with the gun, which due to it being mounted at an upwards angle, led to me flying under the Hind I just shot the tail off of. However, if the crew knows you're coming (and AI usually does), this is extremely risky.

[cm2]

Yea with guns is risky. With AMRAAMs or Sparrows are safer and easier, But if the story campaign allows you only AIM 9s then either that or the super risky guns. I tried a different tactic against 2 ace level Helos. From up high dived down fast and fire an AIM 9 super close managed to take down one from the front and circled around a couple of times managed to take out the other Helo with an AIM 9. Guess changing the tactic is the only way. Attached the trk file with the new tactic I tried/tested.

Aim9Helistest2.trk

[cm2]

Using the Aim 9 as a decoy then going in for the kill with guns seems makes killing the Helo safer and easier with guns from the front. Tried and recorded it:

 

Edited April 5 by cm2

[silverdevil]

i have a mission that was released with the P-51 "Alamo" which i have modified. i use, most recently, the F-16. most of time i do have to rake them (HIND) with the gun. i have some success with aim-9. i believe the less skill of chopper crew helps too. i have skill level randomized in the mission.

[cm2]

Tried another tactic vs ace Ka 50s. So if you time it right and you attack it from above at an angle, it's possible to take out Ka 50 from the front with 2 Aim 9s. I Fired the first Aim 9 as a decoy then kept reselecting the Aim 9 missile until the seeker head locked onto the Chopper and not the flares it ejected and fired the second Aim 9 while maintaining the angle of attack from above the chopper. Recorded  it:

 

With the Aim 9 seeker head behavior though, does the real Aim9 seeker behave like this? locking onto flares even if the radar is locking the chopper and not the flares before the Aim 9  is fired? @DSplayer

Edited April 6 by cm2

[DSplayer]

1 hour ago, cm2 said:

With the Aim 9 seeker head behavior though, does the real Aim9 seeker behave like this? locking onto flares even if the radar is locking the chopper and not the flares before the Aim 9  is fired? @DSplayer

I mean this situation is just the seeker switching targets to track the flares and not the helicopter anymore. It's entirely within the realm of possibility, especially with non-imaging infrared seekers like the 9X.