Offline competition - show your longest Phoenix hit

[AndrewDCS2005]

There are definitely proficient pilots and RIOs here who mastered AN/AWG-9 and kinetics of AIM-54, so I thought of a small offline competition - show your longest air-to-air hit with a Phoenix

Let's measure it as a straight-line distance to the aerial target at the moment of missile separation, and the missile has to hit the same target. Otherwise no additional limits and conditions for target, launch parameters, weather, etc.

My best result so far: 114nm. Used AIM-54C-Mk60, Locked Tu-160 at 117.5nm, launched at 114nm, Phoenix climbed to 120kft ASL at Mach 2.75 and killed the target. Track attached (Caucasus map for simplicity of viewing).

AIM-54C-Mk60-114nm-kill.trk

[AndrewDCS2005]

A bit surprising there are no responses - I was thinking longer shots are feasible with Phoenix and expected to see some advanced techniques. 
Will try a bit more myself.

[Ivandrov]

5 hours ago, AndrewDCS2005 said:

A bit surprising there are no responses - I was thinking longer shots are feasible with Phoenix and expected to see some advanced techniques. 
Will try a bit more myself.

Not really, you are hitting the max range of acquisition at this point for the Blackjack. You may be able to see them in PD search but they drop off in the acquisition mode, until about this range. At this point, the only difference you can make is to go through the controls faster.

The TU-95 or the A-50 can be acquired out from farther but they don't move fast enough to permit that high range of a shot.

The Tu-22m3 will be the one that you can actually acquire at a range that stretches the Phoenix to it's absolute limit. Just under 150nm I've done, but closure needs to be 2100+ knots . Further ranges are impossible as the battery doesn't last long enough to go out farther.

Edited Saturday at 11:08 PM by Ivandrov

[AndrewDCS2005]

@Ivandrov cool stuff, thanks for hints!

After few tests I've got a kill on Tu-22M3 incoming at M1.8, from F-14B at M1.9 both 35kft ASL, launched AIM-54C-Mk60 from 139.8nm

Missile flew for 3m 15s before hit, which is just 5s short of its battery life at 200s, and covered 84nm ground distance.

You've mentioned hit under 150nm - can you share the track please? My attempts to shoot at a bit longer distance end up with missile battery dead within 2-3s before potential hit, and timing a shot for few sec later brings the distance under 140nm.null

AIM-54C-Mk60-140nm-kill.trk

[JupiterJoe]

Amazing that so much detail is modelled.  A 140 mile kill during that era is astonishing.  Particularly when the target my not even be aware of the missile until it was too late.

[Ivandrov]

7 hours ago, AndrewDCS2005 said:

@Ivandrov cool stuff, thanks for hints!

After few tests I've got a kill on Tu-22M3 incoming at M1.8, from F-14B at M1.9 both 35kft ASL, launched AIM-54C-Mk60 from 139.8nm

Missile flew for 3m 15s before hit, which is just 5s short of its battery life at 200s, and covered 84nm ground distance.

You've mentioned hit under 150nm - can you share the track please? My attempts to shoot at a bit longer distance end up with missile battery dead within 2-3s before potential hit, and timing a shot for few sec later brings the distance under 140nm.null

AIM-54C-Mk60-140nm-kill.trk 1.29 MB · 2 downloads

Not at the moment, it was a while ago. Try using the Mk.47 motor. It's more efficient at high altitudes than the Mk.60. An F-14A can also achieve Mach 2.0+ with a single missile for extra speed.

Edited 7 hours ago by Ivandrov