You have to defeat the missile long before it enters terminal guidance. ECM and a wall of chaff can still allow you to defeat a radar homing missile, but you really have to know what you're doing and where the missile/enemy is (very difficult against stealth+AMRAAM combo). 13 AMRAAMs have been fired in anger, 9 resulted in kills. If you're within the kill envelope of a modern IR dogfight missile your chances are very slim indeed.
That is the point. There are many ways to full radar homing missiles:
- Stealth (from medium range and above)
- ECM
- Chaff
- Decoys: like
ALE-55 or
X GuardAnd all this works because the radar beam resolution is relatively low.
For IR missiles with CCD seeker that actually
sees the target it is impossible to fool it with a simple decoys unless you can "clone your aircraft" in midair
And modern IR missiles has huge range so virtually - it becomes not fire and forget - but rather fire and kill (at least it looks like).
The IRIS-T is told to have
Anti-missile capabilities is it reflected in modern A2A combat tactics?
Stealth?
Does not really work against IR missiles also every stealth aircraft is much fatter target that is easier to spot because of all internal bays.
