missiles AIM-120 AMRAAM: History, Performance & Discussion

[MiG_23M 1,684]

1 hour ago, Flame2512 said:

 

Well the report is discussing the integration of an American PD missile (the AIM-7F) into American aircraft (the Phantom), and it also states that the Americans prefer to the the AIM-7F in CW mode where possible. So I doubt this is a case of the British just being worse than the Americans at radar. It's worth noting that your document from the F-18 is almost 10 years newer than the reports I have, so radar technology would have moved on in that time (on both side of the pond).

 

I also suspect that your report is over simplifying a bit. It states there is "no difference" in performance between CW and PD; but longer lock on range is a pretty widely reported benefit of PD illumination, so you would expect that to be mentioned.

Yes that's what I said, radar technology improved. Likely the American F/A-18 radar had no issues with CW or PD and saw no benefits to using the CW at all and removed it to improve reliability.