Quick answer on missile ranges

I’m looking for some quick and dirty numbers on missile ranges, specifically a comparison with the aim120c And the r77.

I’m not interested in brochure range but the actual performance inside dcs, I understand there are variables to consider like altitude and speed of the launching aircraft. I was wondering if there is anyone who can give me a ballpark figures maybe at low med and high altitudes, or just a given altitude that a missile is commonly employed.

Using the search functions in the forums gives me little information in comparisons compared to performances of the individual missiles that seem to be discussed more from a physics point of view within dcs.

Can anyone fill in the blanks for me?:thumbup:

I’m looking for some quick and dirty numbers on missile ranges, specifically a comparison with the aim120c And the r77.

 

I’m not interested in brochure range but the actual performance inside dcs, I understand there are variables to consider like altitude and speed of the launching aircraft. I was wondering if there is anyone who can give me a ballpark figures maybe at low med and high altitudes, or just a given altitude that a missile is commonly employed.

 

 

Using the search functions in the forums gives me little information in comparisons compared to performances of the individual missiles that seem to be discussed more from a physics point of view within dcs.

 

Can anyone fill in the blanks for me?:thumbup:

Which numbers? Are you talking about Rmax, Raero, Rmin, etc?? Head on aspect, beaming, tail aspect? Far too many variables and too many dynamic things to take into account to have a single number.

To elaborate assume that its a high aspect head on shot against a mig29 non maneuvering and lets say 20k feet just for the sake of it and in a BVR scenario.

what maximum range am i expected to get from either missiles?

Currently the encyclopedia in DCS says 55km for the AIM-120 (assuming this is the C-5 variant) and for the R77 which says 50km assuming this is the Rmax figure.

I would like to know if there is any experience here that can tell me if this figure is close or way off when actually used.

I appreciate there is a deeper level of complexity that could be talked about here but im looking for figures based on user experience, or what you would consider an Rmax shot based on the scenario above.

Just quickly set a scenario with a MiG-29S VS any AIM-120 launcher aircraft, record and watch the results with Tacview. 5 minutes effort.

To elaborate assume that its a high aspect head on shot against a mig29 non maneuvering and lets say 20k feet just for the sake of it and in a BVR scenario.

 

what maximum range am i expected to get from either missiles?

 

Currently the encyclopedia in DCS says 55km for the AIM-120 (assuming this is the C-5 variant) and for the R77 which says 50km assuming this is the Rmax figure.

 

I would like to know if there is any experience here that can tell me if this figure is close or way off when actually used.

 

I appreciate there is a deeper level of complexity that could be talked about here but im looking for figures based on user experience, or what you would consider an Rmax shot based on the scenario above.

AIM-120C: 60 km; R-77: 48 km

Thanks for the info Ironhand, roughly what altitude would aim for to make most of your shots?

Thanks for the info Ironhand, roughly what altitude would aim for to make most of your shots?

:) As high as you can get...with the target's cooperation.

EDIT: Just wanted to come back and illustrate what I mean. If you can get your target to hang out at 11,000 m altitude with you, then the AIM-120C's range in your specified scenario increases to 100km; the R-77's to 61 km.

R-77 in DCS is the RVV-AE, and is very worthless relatively speaking. It was ready in 1994, same year as AIM-120B.

AIM-120C is from the 2000s and another class of weapon. Take AIM-120C range in any given situation and divide by about 2, thats your R77 equivalent range. If you compare it to AIM-120B, you will find DCS R-77 to be about 65-70% of its range in any given situation.

Chaff / notch resistance is roughly on par with AIM-120B, inferior to 120C. It is very smokey compared to both AIM-120, so expect people to spot the launch.

R-27ER and R-27ET are your main weapons, use R-77 only together with them or in spots where neither are an option for some reason. If you are in such a spot, launch it within 8 kilometers hot, maybe a few kilometers higher if you have a tremendous altitude advantage (many thousand meters).

If you want a good active missile (like R-77-1), ask ED to model russian fighters. Until then deal with soviet equipment that can not hold its own vs anything past the 90s.

From my understanding the 77-1 was never really put into production if I remember right there were maybe a 100 rounds were bought for testing but it never really went anywhere till 2015 where interest was once again raised (don't know where it went from there though).

From my understanding the 77-1 was never really put into production if I remember right there were maybe a 100 rounds were bought for testing but it never really went anywhere till 2015 where interest was once again raised (don't know where it went from there though).

(Public Source https://de.topwar.ru/163650-rakety-ili-muzejnye-jeksponaty-chem-rossijskie-istrebiteli-budut-voevat-protiv-zapada.html )

( Public Source http://www.rusarmy.com/forum/threads/semejstvo-su-30.13065/page-27 )

( Public Source http://www.rusarmy.com/forum/threads/semejstvo-su-30.13065/page-27 )

From my understanding the 77-1 was never really put into production if I remember right there were maybe a 100 rounds were bought for testing but it never really went anywhere till 2015 where interest was once again raised (don't know where it went from there though).

You are thinking of the original R-77 - it was officially adopted by the Russian MoD in 1994, but like you said, doesn't seem to have been procured in any large numbers, except perhaps for small batches for testing purposes. However, the export version(RVV-AE) was put into production and sold to export customers as part of the armament for various types of combat aircraft.

The "R-77-1" is a new version of the missile - it looks practically the same, but is a little longer(and heavier), has a new bigger rocket motor and updated electronics. AFAIK it entered production a few years ago.

Yup ^ as I recall the 77-1 was developed a while ago well before the interest in 2015 and now it seems possible production of the latest variants.