AIM-7F Sparrow
Contents
Description
Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.
Vehicles equipped with this weapon
General info
The AIM-7F is a long-range air-to-air missile equipped with a sustainer motor, making it one of the two missiles in the game with this attribute (the other being the R530 family). It is capable of engaging targets at over 30km away and can reliably hit maneuvering targets at ranges of 15km.
Effective damage
The AIM-7F is equipped with a warhead 4kg of TNT larger than that of the AIM-7E and AIM-7E-2, as such, it is capable of destroying an aircraft that it hits or proximity bursts every time.
Comparison with analogues
The AIM-7F is one of, if not the best missile in the game. It compares favorably against the AIM-7E and is on slightly better footing than the Skyflash and AIM-7E-2 once range exceeds 6km. With a 25G pull that can be sustained for nearly the entire flight thanks to the sustainer motor, the maneuverability of the AIM-7F is unparalleled.
Usage in battles
The AIM-7F is essentially an AIM-7E-2 with much longer range. As such, whereas one may not launch an E-2 until the enemy is within 6km, the F can be launched from over 15km. The AIM-7F is approximately 40kg heavier than the E-2, however, so acceleration is slightly lower, along with turning capability. This must be taken into account when engaging with the AIM-7F.
The 7F is best suited to high-altitude, long-range engagements, where it currently has no competitor. Due to the sustainer motor, overall travel time is less and the missile is capable of a higher top speed in all but the most extreme situations. Additionally, the missile is able to retain its speed for far longer, meaning it keeps its 25G maneuvering capability, often until the target gets hit. However, the AIM-7F can generally be used in any situation where the E-2 can be used, save for extremely close range shots.
Pros and cons
Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.
Pros:
- Extremely long range (over 35 km in good conditions)
- Sustaining motor, so it keeps its speed and maneuverability at long ranges
- Very maneuverable, second only to the AIM-7E-2 and Skyflash in their first few seconds of flight
- Very long tracking time (75 seconds)
- Large warhead (>15 kg of TNT)
- Maneuvers straight off the rails, so no leading is required like the AIM-7E
Cons:
- Slightly lower acceleration than contemporaries
- Almost 40 kg heavier, so 4 AIM-7Fs will weigh almost 160 kg more than 4 AIM-7-E2s
- Very long burn time, so the red diamond will be visible for a very long time, giving enemies ample time to notice it
- Glides less than the AIM-7-E2
History
Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />.
Media
See also
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- reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;
- references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.
External links
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- topic on the official game forum;
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