AIM-7C Sparrow

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This page is about the American air-to-air missile AIM-7C Sparrow. For the other versions, see AIM-7 Sparrow (Family).

Description

The AIM-7C Sparrow missile (scale is approximate)


The AIM-7C Sparrow is an American semi-active radar-homing air-to-air missile. It was introduced in Update "Starfighters".

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

General info

The AIM-7C Sparrow is a SARH guided missile with a 15G overload and is the earliest version of the AIM-7 found in-game.

Missile characteristics
Mass 172 kg
Guidance SARH
Signal CW
Lock range 12 km
Launch range 25 km
Maximum speed 3 M
Maximum overload 15 G
Missile guidance time 20 secs
Explosive mass 11.52 kg TNTeq

Effective damage

The AIM-7C Sparrow contains enough explosive to devastate any target. In most cases, this missile will instantly destroy any plane on contact.

Comparison with analogues

The AIM-7D, is faster, has a better lock-on range, and a missile guidance time twice as long as the AIM-7C. The AIM-9C and R-3R both turn better off the rail, have a better guidance time, but lack the same damage as the AIM-7C. Both are better at closer ranges.

Usage in battles

Using the AIM-7C Sparrow can be quite tricky as it requires many variables to align for proper tracking. As with many other AIM-7 Sparrows, the missile has a 1.5 second tracking delay upon launch, which can make leading a target difficult. Due to this and the missile's average G overload tolerance, it is generally best to use this from 4-5 km away on slow moving, high altitude targets who will give the missile ample time to track. However, some success can also be found in head-on engagements when launched from a 5-6 km distance to the target.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • All aspect guidance
  • Matchmaking can result in games where many opponents do not have RWR or chaff countermeasures

Cons:

  • Requires a constant radar lock
  • Generally does not work at low altitude due to early radar systems
  • Has a 1.5-second delay after launch before it begins tracking
  • Quite short range, making the optimal launch window small
  • Will sometimes completely fail to track, even under optimal circumstances

History

The AIM-7C Sparrow was the first missile produced in the US Armed Forces' 3rd generation of Sparrow missiles. Despite being a 3rd generation missile, it was the first fully operational Sparrow missile, as the previous generations contained only prototypes that were never used in live service. At the time, it was designated AAM-N-6, and entered service in 1958. It would keep this name until 1963 when the Air Force and Navy agreed on standardized naming conventions for their missiles. However, due to its short-range only 2,000 units were ever produced, and it was quickly replaced by the AIM-7D in 1959.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Related development

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


Missiles
USA 
AAM  AIM-54A Phoenix · AIM-54C Phoenix · ATAS (AIM-92) · AIM-120A · AIM-120B
Sparrow  AIM-7C · AIM-7D · AIM-7E · AIM-7E-2 · AIM-7F · AIM-7M
Sidewinder  AIM-9B · AIM-9C · AIM-9D · AIM-9E · AIM-9G · AIM-9H · AIM-9J · AIM-9L · AIM-9M · AIM-9P
AGM  AGM-22 · APKWS II (M151) · APKWS II (M282) · BGM-71D TOW-2
Bullpup  AGM-12B Bullpup · AGM-12C Bullpup
Hellfire  AGM-114B Hellfire · AGM-114K Hellfire II
Maverick  AGM-65A · AGM-65B · AGM-65D · AGM-65G · AGM-65L
ATGM  LOSAT/MGM-166A
TOW  BGM-71 · BGM-71A · BGM-71B · BGM-71C
SAM  FIM-92 Stinger · MIM-72 · MIM146
Naval SAM  RIM-24A
Germany 
AAM  AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder · Flz Lwf 63 · Flz Lwf 63/80
AGM  9M14M Malyutka · Flz Lwf LB 82 · HOT-1 · HOT-2 TOW · HOT-3 · PARS 3 LR
AShM  AS.34 Kormoran
ATGM  HOT-K3S
SAM  Roland
Naval SAM  Strela-2M
USSR 
AAM  9M39 Igla · R-3R · R-3S · R-13M1 · R-23R · R-23T · R-24R · R-24T · R-27ER(1) · R-27ET(1) · R-27R(1) · R-27T(1) · R-60 · R-60M · R-60MK · R-73(E) · R-77
AGM  9K127 Vikhr · 9M17M Falanga · 9M120 Ataka · 9M120-1 Ataka
  Kh-23M · Kh-25 · Kh-25ML · Kh-29L · Kh-29T · Kh-29TE · Kh-29TD · Kh-66 · S-25L · S-25LD
ATGM  3M7 · 9M14 · 9M113 Konkurs · 9M114 Shturm · 9M123 Khrizantema · 9M133 · 9M133FM3 · 9M133M-2
SAM  95Ya6 · 9M311 · 9M311-1M · 9M331 · 9M37M
Naval SAM  Volna-M
Britain 
AAM  Fireflash · Firestreak · Red Top · Skyflash · Skyflash SuperTEMP · SRAAM · R-Darter
AGM  AGM-65E · AS.12 · ZT-6 Mokopa
AShM  AJ.168
ATGM  BAe Swingfire · MILAN · MILAN 2 · ZT3
SAM  Starstreak
Japan 
AAM  AAM-3 · AAM-4
AGM  Ki-148 I-Go Model 1B
ATGM  Type 64 MAT · Type 79 Jyu-MAT
SAM  Type 81 SAM-1C · Type 91
China 
AAM  PL-2 · PL-5B · PL-5C · PL-5EII · PL-7 · PL-8 · PL-12 · SD-10(A) · TY-90
AGM  AKD-9 · AKD-10 · HJ-8A · HJ-8C · HJ-8E · HJ-8H
ATGM  302 · HJ-73 · HJ-73E · HJ-9 · QN201DD · QN502CDD
SAM  HN-6
Italy 
AAM  Aspide-1A
AGM  AGM-65H · CIRIT · L-UMTAS · Spike ER
ATGM  Spike-LR2MR
Naval AShM  Nettuno
SAM  Mistral SATCP
France 
AAM  AA-20 Nord · Matra R511 · Matra R530 · Matra R530E · Matra Super 530D · Matra Super 530F · Matra R550 Magic 1 · Matra R550 Magic 2 · Mistral · MICA-EM
AGM  9M14-2 Malyutka-2 · AS-20 Nord · AS-30 Nord · AS-30L Nord · HOT-1 · HOT-2 TOW · HOT-3 · Spike ER
ATGM  HOT · SS.11
SAM  Roland · VT1
Sweden 
AAM  RB24 · RB24J · RB71 · RB 74 · RB 74(M) · RB 99
AGM  Rb05A · RB 53 Bantam · RB 55B Heli TOW · RB 55C Heli TOW · RB 75
ATGM  Rbs 55 · Rbs 56
SAM  Rbs 70
Israel 
AAM  Shafrir · Shafrir 2 · Python 3 · Derby
ATGM  Spike-LR2 · Spike-MR
  AAM = Air-to-Air Missile   AGM = Air-to-Ground Missile   AShM = Anti-Ship Missile   ATGM = Anti-Tank Guided Missile (Ground mounts)   SAM = Surface-to-Air Missile