https://old-wiki.warthunder.com/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=U110890528War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]2026-05-09T12:05:23ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://old-wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=AIM-7D_Sparrow&diff=180408AIM-7D Sparrow2024-01-16T13:34:07Z<p>U110890528: /* Media */</p>
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<div>== Description ==<br />
<!-- ''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.'' --><br />
[[File:WeaponImage AIM-7E Sparrow.png|thumb|left|420px|The AIM-7D Sparrow missile (scale is approximate)]]<br />
{{Break}}<br />
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an American [[Air-to-air_missiles#Semi-Active_Radar_Homing_.28SARH.29_missiles|semi-active radar-homing air-to-air missile]]. It was introduced in [[Update "Raining Fire"]].<br />
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=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===<br />
<!-- ''List out vehicles that are equipped with the weapon.'' --><br />
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* {{Specs-Link|f-4c}}<br />
* {{Specs-Link|f-4ej}}<br />
* {{Specs-Link|f-4ej_adtw}}<br />
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== General info ==<br />
<!--''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the missile.''--><br />
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
! colspan="2" | Missile characteristics<br />
|-<br />
| '''Mass''' || 197 kg<br />
|-<br />
| '''Guidance''' || SARH<br />
|-<br />
| '''Signal''' || CW<br />
|-<br />
| '''Lock range''' || 15 km<br />
|-<br />
| '''Launch range''' || 45 km<br />
|-<br />
| '''Maximum speed''' || 4.0 M<br />
|-<br />
| '''Maximum overload''' || 15 G<br />
|-<br />
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 40 secs<br />
|-<br />
| '''Explosive mass''' || 11.52 kg TNTeq<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
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=== Effective damage ===<br />
<!-- ''Describe the type of damage produced by this type of missile (high explosive, splash damage, etc)'' --><br />
The warhead of the AIM-7D Sparrow is large, the AIM-7D packs enough explosive to destroy almost any aircraft caught in its blast. Even those lucky enough to not be blown to bits will certainly take a significant amount of critical damage.<br />
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=== Comparison with analogues ===<br />
<!-- ''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.'' --><br />
The Soviet SARH missiles most comparable with the AIM-7D are the R-23R and the R-3R.<br />
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The [[R-23R]] is a similar long-range SARH missile mounted on the MiG-23 Flogger. It carries a warhead almost twice as powerful (20.8 kg TNTeq). The R-23R has a higher maximum overload (20 G), making it more effective against manoeuvring targets. The Sparrow however has a higher maximum speed (4.0 M vs 3.0 M), allowing it to hit targets faster.<br />
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The [[R-3R]] is a comparable Soviet SARH missile meant for short-to-medium range engagements, and is primarily mounted on MiG-21 Fishbed jets. Although it cannot compete with the range (9 km vs 45 km) or speed (1.7 M vs 4.0 M) of the Sparrow, it is much more manoeuvrable, making it better in a head-on and in dogfights.<br />
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== Usage in battles ==<br />
<!-- ''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc.)'' --><br />
The AIM-7D is primarily used by the F-4C Phantom II. Due to the somewhat short firing time of the rocket motor, long-range engagements near the advertised maximum range are really only possible at high altitude, where the reduced air drag gives the missile a much better acceleration.<br />
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The AIM-7D can engage targets at low altitude, but it will not be nearly as fast as at higher altitude, and will decelerate quicker as well, meaning it cannot be used at its maximum range. Manoeuvrability is not the AIM-7D's strong suit, and therefore it can be defeated by manoeuvring alone. A strong lock is required in order to guarantee that the missile tracks, otherwise it will self destruct soon after launch due to failing to find its lock.<br />
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=== Pros and cons ===<br />
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.'' --><br />
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'''Pros:'''<br />
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* Can be launched from long ranges<br />
* Can catch opponents off-guard and can be launched in head-ons<br />
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'''Cons:'''<br />
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* Needs a radar lock, meaning it doesn't work very well on targets near the ground due to ground clutter that interferes with radar<br />
* Not fire-and-forget, you need to follow the target to keep a radar lock until the moment the missile hits<br />
* Takes around 1 km before it starts tracking<br />
* Has a tendency to not track and just blow itself up a few seconds after it's fired<br />
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== History ==<br />
''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: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''<br />
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== Media ==<br />
[[File:AIM-7F and AIM-7E Sparrow variants cutaway.png|thumb]]<br />
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''<br />
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== See also ==<br />
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''<br />
* ''reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;''<br />
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.'' --><br />
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;Related development<br />
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* [[AIM-7C Sparrow]]<br />
* [[AIM-7E Sparrow]]<br />
* [[AIM-7E-2 Sparrow]]<br />
* [[AIM-7F Sparrow]]<br />
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== External links ==<br />
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''<br />
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* ''topic on the official game forum;''<br />
* ''other literature.''<br />
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{{Missiles}}<br />
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[[Category:Suspended armaments]]</div>U110890528