Ive been curious about SAMs. After watching Behind Enemy Lines i wanted to know more about the missiles, radar, etc. How does a missile detonate when near an aircraft? in the movie when the missile gets near the f-18 it ejects something and shoots a billion bullets at the wings and then explodes. Does anyone out there know some stuff about these stuff? How do the radars track on? how does the missile lock on? if anyone knows some stuff could you tell me? that would be cool thanks
2007-12-06 13:27:40 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Take a look at the Wikipedia link about the Patriot missile. It might answer you question. I tried to post it here but Yahoo! wouldn't allow it for some reason.
2007-12-06 13:36:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
SAMs lock on you primarily through a heat sensor picking up the heat off of your engines. That is the reason why flares are deployed as counter measures against them since a flare will burn hotter than your engine and hopefully the sensor which is tied to the navigation system locks in on the flare and not you. They also can lock on you magnetically as well and so what they call chaf is also dispersed much like flares are to confuse the sensors and cause it to lock on something other than the aircraft. When the SAM detonates it breaks up sending tiny bits of metal, and ball bearings out which cause damage to the wings and fuselage of an aircraft as well as get taken in through the intake and engine. Just a few ball bearings or small pieces of metal in a jet engine will greatly retard its ability to run at high speeds or run at all.
2007-12-06 23:09:58 · answer #2 · answered by samuraiwarrior_98 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋