Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

58 FIGHTER WEAPONS
(RWR), that an enemy missile is airborne, possibly intended for his aircraft?
The pilot's first defensive reaction is dependent on the situation;
namely, what type of warning he receives, the direction and range of the
threat, and the particular type of weapon approaching him. RWRs usually
give the pilot a good idea of the direction of the guidance platform and,
often, a fairly good idea of the type of missile that has been launched, but
they do not usually provide adequate information on the range of the
threat. In addition, some weapons, particularly passive homers, may not be
indicated at all by a RWR. IR or Doppler warning systems, however, may
detect a missile's approach.
Visual detection of the missile, and possibly the launch platform, provides
probably the best early defense against this weapon. Such a sighting
furnishes a reliable threat direction, often a good indication of range, and
possibly knowledge of the type of weapon involved. Because of the small
size of many AAMs (particularly when viewed from the head-on aspect),
their great speed, and the often limited relative motion they generate,
visual range estimation can be very difficult. Visual acquisition of the
launching platform at the moment of firing usually provides a better
reference. Intelligence, RWR indications, and identification of the launch
platform may provide reliable threat classification. The more information
the target pilot receives in a timely fashion, the more effectively he can
defend.
There is nothing, absolutely nothing, to describe what goes on inside a pilot's
gut when he sees a SAM get airborne.
Commander Randy "Duke" Cunningham, USN
If the defender receives any warning at all, it is usually a rough indication
of the threat direction by RWR or voice call. With only this information
he is forced to assume a worst-case situation, i.e., imminent missile
impact by an unknown weapon. Even so, he is usually far from helpless.
Immediate employment of ECM, chaff, flares, and decoys is appropriate.
Simultaneously a break (hard as possible) turn should be made, accompanied
by a quick power reduction if any possibility of a heat seeker exists.
There are several purposes for this break turn. One is to increase the LOS
rate, making it more difficult for a missile to track and maneuver to an
intercept. A second is to degrade seeker and guidance performance by
rotating the heat source away from a rear-hemisphere IR missile or by
gaining a beam aspect against a radar weapon. Attaining a beam aspect also
may degrade fuze and/or warhead effectiveness. In addition, particularly
when the threat has appeared in the rear hemisphere, the break turn allows
the earliest visual acquisition of the missile and launch platform.
Just as [my] missile left the rail the MiG [-21] executed a maximum G, tight
turning, starboard break turn. He couldn't have seen me. Either his wingman
called a break or his tail warning radar was working. I had an instantaneous
plan view of him and he was really hauling.... The missile couldn't handle it,
exploding out of lethal range.
Commander Randy "Duke" Cunningham, USN