The AIM-9 Sidewinder (AIM standing for Air Intercept Missile) is a short-range, heat-seeking, air-to-air missile developed by the US Navy's China Lake Facility in the early 1950s. It was the AIM-9B version which first entered service with the US Navy in 1956 and the US Air Force in the mid-1960s, later evolving into the AIM-9D/E/G/H/J models with minor improvements between each other. The missile has a cylindrical body with a roll-stabilizing rear wing and detachable control surfaces. It uses an infrared homing guidance system and either a high-explosive fragmentation or high-explosive continuous-rod warhead, depending on the model. The AIM-9B model can reach Mach 1.9 with an effective range of 2 to 6 kilometres, regularly limited to 4km by lock-on distance.
AIM-9 Sidewinder
Abilities
Common Attributes - Mechanical
Smart Munition
The Cold War introduced a number of weapon systems designed to strike out at specific targets, either using their own sensors or through a data link.
EFFECT:
This munition cannot be mounted on a vehicle without a modern Fire Control System (FCS) to guide it. Typically, the presence of such a system is hinted at in the vehicle's description. However, the most surefire way of knowing is through the Electronics Technology 🔋 tag and/or the presence of either an Airborne Radar or a Surface Radar with (Missile Guidance) in its inventory description.
Heat-Seeking
This smart munition tracks its targets through an infrared seeker which locks on to hot surfaces such as engines, flares or occasionally the Sun.
EFFECT:
This munition can only target vehicles which are moving or have recently moved.
It may be fooled by decoy flares.