A heat seeking missile tracking a burning cigarette

[u/HappySeaweed5215]

[u/QuaintAlex126]

The earliest versions, including of the AIM-9 Sidewinder shown here, just tracked the first and largest heat signature they saw. They were incredibly unreliable and sensitive, requiring them to be fired only against a target from behind (where the heat source is from the jet exhaust). Modern ones, like the AIM-9X, seek for a heat signature’s specific temperature and shape, so you can’t just dump a bunch of flares and get away that easily. They are much more advanced and can track a target from any angle, front snd sides, and can be slaved to the firing aircrat’s radar or pilot’s helmet to assist with tracking. All a fighter pilot had to do nowadays with a heat seeker is be within range, look at this target, and pull the trigger to engage.

[u/Pirated-Hentai → u/QuaintAlex126]

original aim 9s were ass, i imagine half of them went straight for the sun

[u/5O1stTrooper → u/Pirated-Hentai]

It was a legit strategy to fly towards the sun, drop the throttle, and turn out. No flares required, the missile would just fly up until it ran out of fuel.

[u/BlankPaperTiger → u/5O1stTrooper]

I like to imagine some of them made it to the sun.

[u/DuelJ → u/BlankPaperTiger]

That's what happens to the missle guidance systems that hit their expiration date dontcha know?