{"id":29235219,"date":"2026-10-23T10:45:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T08:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/"},"modified":"2026-10-23T10:45:34","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T08:45:34","slug":"how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/","title":{"rendered":"How Does a Radar-Guided Missile Work? From Sparrow to AMRAAM"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n\n\n\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background .15s,color .15s}\n.mfsh-trigger:hover,.mfsh-trigger:focus-visible{background:#0F1720;color:#fff;outline:none}\n.mfsh-trigger svg{width:18px;height:18px;display:block;flex-shrink:0}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-bottom{margin:8px 0 28px}\n.mfsh-meta{position:relative;padding-right:190px}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta{position:absolute;right:0;bottom:0;margin:0;height:30px;padding:0 8.9px;font-size:13px}\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta svg{width:16px;height:16px}\n.mfsh-overlay{position:fixed;inset:0;background:rgba(15,23,32,.55);z-index:99999;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s}\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open{opacity:1;pointer-events:auto}\n.mfsh-sheet{width:100%;max-width:520px;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;padding:18px 20px 28px;transform:translateY(24px);transition:transform .22s;box-shadow:0 12px 32px rgba(15,23,32,.25);font-family:inherit;max-height:92vh;overflow:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch}\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open .mfsh-sheet{transform:none}\n@media (min-width:640px){.mfsh-overlay{align-items:center}.mfsh-sheet{padding-bottom:20px}}\n.mfsh-head{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;margin:0 0 14px}\n.mfsh-head strong{font-size:18px;font-weight:800;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;line-height:1}\n.mfsh-head strong svg{width:18px;height:18px}\n.mfsh-close{background:none;border:0;padding:6px;margin:0;cursor:pointer;color:#0F1720;line-height:0;box-shadow:none}\n.mfsh-close svg{width:18px;height:18px}\n.mfsh-preview{display:grid;grid-template-columns:96px 1fr;gap:12px;border:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:#F5F7FB;padding:10px;margin:0 0 12px;align-items:center}\n.mfsh-preview img{width:96px;height:72px;object-fit:cover;display:block;margin:0}\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-kicker{font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#5C91FF;margin:0 0 4px;line-height:1.2}\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-title{font-size:14px;line-height:1.3;font-weight:700;margin:0;display:block}\n.mfsh-list{display:grid;margin:0;padding:0}\n.mfsh-item{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:14px;height:50px;width:100%;border:0;border-top:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:none;padding:0 4px;margin:0;text-align:left;font-family:inherit;font-size:15px;font-weight:600;color:#0F1720;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;line-height:1}\n.mfsh-item:hover,.mfsh-item:focus-visible{background:#F5F7FB;outline:none}\n.mfsh-item svg{width:20px;height:20px;color:#5C91FF;flex-shrink:0;display:block}\n.mfsh-item small{margin-left:auto;color:#5B6674;font-weight:500;font-size:12px}\n.mfsh-item.mfsh-done svg{color:#1E9E5A}\n.mfsh-toast{position:fixed;left:50%;bottom:32px;transform:translate(-50%,10px);background:#0F1720;color:#fff;padding:10px 16px;font-weight:700;font-size:13px;font-family:inherit;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s,transform .2s;z-index:100000}\n.mfsh-toast.mfsh-show{opacity:1;transform:translate(-50%,0)}\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.mfsh-overlay,.mfsh-sheet,.mfsh-toast,.mfsh-trigger{transition:none}}\n<\/style>\n<svg width=\"0\" height=\"0\" style=\"position:absolute\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-share\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M12 3v12M8 7l4-4 4 4M5 12v8h14v-8\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-close\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"m5 5 14 14M19 5 5 19\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-wa\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M12 2a10 10 0 0 0-8.6 15.1L2 22l5.1-1.3A10 10 0 1 0 12 2Zm0 1.8a8.2 8.2 0 1 1-4.2 15.3l-.3-.2-3 .8.8-2.9-.2-.3A8.2 8.2 0 0 1 12 3.8Zm-3 4.4c-.2 0-.5 0-.8.4-.3.3-1 1-1 2.4s1 2.8 1.2 3c.1.2 2 3.2 5 4.4 2.5 1 3 .8 3.5.7.5 0 1.7-.7 2-1.4.2-.7.2-1.3.1-1.4l-.5-.3-2-1c-.3 0-.5-.1-.7.2l-.9 1.1c-.2.2-.3.2-.6.1-.3-.2-1.3-.5-2.4-1.5-.9-.8-1.5-1.8-1.7-2-.2-.4 0-.5.2-.7l.4-.5.3-.5v-.5l-.9-2.2c-.2-.5-.4-.5-.6-.5H9Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-x\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M17.8 3h3l-6.7 7.7L22 21h-6.2l-4.8-6.3L5.4 21h-3l7.2-8.2L2 3h6.3l4.4 5.8L17.8 3Zm-1.1 16.2h1.7L7.4 4.7H5.6l11.1 14.5Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-fb\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M13.5 22v-8h2.7l.4-3.2h-3.1V8.8c0-.9.3-1.6 1.6-1.6h1.7V4.4c-.3 0-1.3-.1-2.5-.1-2.5 0-4.1 1.5-4.1 4.2v2.3H7.4V14h2.8v8h3.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-li\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.5 8.5H3V21h3.5V8.5ZM4.8 3a2 2 0 1 0 0 4 2 2 0 0 0 0-4ZM21 13.4c0-3.4-1.8-5.2-4.5-5.2-1.6 0-2.7.8-3.2 1.7V8.5H9.9V21h3.4v-6.4c0-1.7.6-2.8 2.1-2.8 1.4 0 2 1 2 2.8V21H21v-7.6Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-rd\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M22 12.1a2.4 2.4 0 0 0-4.1-1.7 11.7 11.7 0 0 0-5.5-1.7l1-4.5 3.1.7a1.7 1.7 0 1 0 .2-1l-3.6-.8a.5.5 0 0 0-.6.4l-1.1 5.2a11.8 11.8 0 0 0-5.8 1.7A2.4 2.4 0 1 0 3 14.3v.5c0 3.4 4 6.2 9 6.2s9-2.8 9-6.2v-.5a2.4 2.4 0 0 0 1-2.2ZM7.5 13.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 3.4 0 1.7 1.7 0 0 1-3.4 0Zm8.9 4.5c-1.2 1.2-3.4 1.3-4.4 1.3s-3.3-.1-4.4-1.3a.5.5 0 0 1 .7-.7c.7.8 2.4 1 3.7 1s2.9-.2 3.7-1a.5.5 0 0 1 .7.7Zm-.6-2.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 0-3.4 1.7 1.7 0 0 1 0 3.4Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-tg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M21.9 4.6 18.7 19.9c-.2 1-.9 1.3-1.7.8l-4.9-3.6-2.3 2.3c-.3.3-.5.5-1 .5l.4-5 9-8.2c.4-.3-.1-.5-.6-.2L6.4 13.5 1.6 12c-1-.3-1.1-1 .2-1.5l18.8-7.2c.9-.3 1.6.2 1.3 1.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-mail\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"M3 6h18v12H3z\"\/><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"m3 7 9 6 9-6\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-link\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M10 14a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 0l3-3a4 4 0 0 0-5.7-5.7l-1.5 1.5M14 10a4 4 0 0 0-5.7 0l-3 3a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 5.7l1.5-1.5\"\/><\/symbol>\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-more\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><circle cx=\"5\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"19\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/symbol>\n<\/svg>\n<span class=\"mfsh-top-slot\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger\" data-mfsh-placement=\"top\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button><\/span>\n<script>\n(function(){\n  if (window.__mfsh) return; window.__mfsh = true;\n  var SECTION = 'afterburner';\n  function meta(p){ var m=document.querySelector('meta[property=\"'+p+'\"]'); return m ? m.getAttribute('content') : ''; }\n  function pageUrl(){ var c=document.querySelector('link[rel=\"canonical\"]'); return (c && c.href) || (location.origin + location.pathname); }\n  function pageTitle(){ var h=document.querySelector('h1.entry-title'); return (h && h.textContent.trim()) || meta('og:title') || document.title; }\n  function slug(){ return location.pathname.replace(\/\\\/+$\/,'').split('\/').pop() || 'home'; }\n  function kicker(){ var c=document.querySelector('.et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category tag\"], .et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category\"], a[rel=\"category tag\"]'); return 'Afterburner' + (c && c.textContent.trim() ? ' \u00b7 ' + c.textContent.trim() : ''); }\n  function shareUrl(ch, placement){ return pageUrl() + '?utm_source=share&utm_medium=' + ch + '&utm_campaign=' + SECTION + '&utm_content=sheet_' + placement; }\n  function track(ch, placement, extra){\n    window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];\n    var ev = { event:'share', share_channel:ch, share_variant:'sheet', share_placement:placement, page_section:SECTION, content_id:slug() };\n    if (extra) for (var k in extra) ev[k]=extra[k];\n    window.dataLayer.push(ev);\n  }\n  var CH = [\n    ['whatsapp','WhatsApp','mfsh-i-wa',''],\n    ['x','X','mfsh-i-x',''],\n    ['facebook','Facebook','mfsh-i-fb',''],\n    ['linkedin','LinkedIn','mfsh-i-li',''],\n    ['reddit','Reddit','mfsh-i-rd','r\/aviation, r\/WarplanePorn'],\n    ['telegram','Telegram','mfsh-i-tg',''],\n    ['email','Email','mfsh-i-mail',''],\n    ['copy','Copy link','mfsh-i-link',''],\n    ['native','More','mfsh-i-more','Instagram, Signal, AirDrop']\n  ];\n  var overlay, toastEl, toastT, placement = 'top';\n  function build(){\n    overlay = document.createElement('div'); overlay.className = 'mfsh-overlay'; overlay.setAttribute('role','dialog'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-modal','true'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-label','Share');\n    var img = meta('og:image');\n    var items = CH.filter(function(c){ return c[0] !== 'native' || !!navigator.share; }).map(function(c){\n      return '<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-item\" data-mfsh-ch=\"'+c[0]+'\"><svg><use href=\"#'+c[2]+'\"\/><\/svg>'+c[1]+(c[3]?'<small>'+c[3]+'<\/small>':'')+'<\/button>';\n    }).join('');\n    overlay.innerHTML = '<div class=\"mfsh-sheet\"><div class=\"mfsh-head\"><strong><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share<\/strong><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-close\" aria-label=\"Close\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-close\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>'\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-preview\">' + (img ? '<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"'+img+'\" alt=\"\">' : '<span><\/span>') + '<div><div class=\"mfsh-kicker\">'+kicker()+'<\/div><span class=\"mfsh-title\">'+pageTitle()+'<\/span><\/div><\/div>'\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-list\">'+items+'<\/div><\/div>';\n    document.body.appendChild(overlay);\n    toastEl = document.createElement('div'); toastEl.className = 'mfsh-toast'; document.body.appendChild(toastEl);\n    overlay.addEventListener('click', function(e){\n      if (e.target === overlay || e.target.closest('.mfsh-close')) { close(); return; }\n      var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-item'); if (b) act(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-ch'), b);\n    });\n    document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e){ if (e.key === 'Escape') close(); });\n  }\n  function open(p){ placement = p || 'top'; if (!overlay) build(); overlay.classList.add('mfsh-open'); track('open', placement); }\n  function close(){ if (overlay) overlay.classList.remove('mfsh-open'); }\n  function toast(m){ toastEl.textContent = m; toastEl.classList.add('mfsh-show'); clearTimeout(toastT); toastT = setTimeout(function(){ toastEl.classList.remove('mfsh-show'); }, 1600); }\n  function act(ch, btn){\n    var url = shareUrl(ch, placement), t = pageTitle(), enc = encodeURIComponent;\n    if (ch === 'copy') {\n      var done = function(){ toast('Link copied'); btn.classList.add('mfsh-done'); setTimeout(function(){ btn.classList.remove('mfsh-done'); close(); }, 900); };\n      track(ch, placement);\n      if (navigator.clipboard && navigator.clipboard.writeText) navigator.clipboard.writeText(url).then(done, done); else done();\n      return;\n    }\n    if (ch === 'native') {\n      track(ch, placement, { share_result:'opened' });\n      navigator.share({ title:t, text:t, url:url }).then(function(){ track('native', placement, { share_result:'completed' }); close(); }).catch(function(){});\n      return;\n    }\n    var target = {\n      whatsapp: 'https:\/\/api.whatsapp.com\/send?text=' + enc(t + ' ' + url),\n      x:        'https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=' + enc(t) + '&url=' + enc(url) + '&via=MiGFlug',\n      facebook: 'https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=' + enc(url),\n      linkedin: 'https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=' + enc(url),\n      reddit:   'https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=' + enc(url) + '&title=' + enc(t),\n      telegram: 'https:\/\/t.me\/share\/url?url=' + enc(url) + '&text=' + enc(t),\n      email:    'mailto:?subject=' + enc(t) + '&body=' + enc('Thought you would like this, from Afterburner, MiGFlug\\'s magazine:\\n' + t + '\\n' + url)\n    }[ch];\n    track(ch, placement);\n    if (target) { if (ch === 'email') location.href = target; else window.open(target, '_blank', 'noopener,width=680,height=560'); }\n    close();\n  }\n  var mq = window.matchMedia('(min-width:981px)');\n  function place(){\n    var t = document.querySelector('.mfsh-trigger[data-mfsh-placement=\"top\"]'), slot = document.querySelector('.mfsh-top-slot');\n    var meta = [].slice.call(document.querySelectorAll('.et_pb_title_meta_container, .et_post_meta_wrapper .post-meta, .single .post-meta')).filter(function(m){ return m.offsetParent !== null; })[0];\n    if (!t || !slot) return;\n    if (meta && mq.matches) { meta.classList.add('mfsh-meta'); t.classList.add('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== meta) meta.appendChild(t); var a = meta.querySelector('a'); if (a) { var pr = document.createElement('span'); pr.style.cssText = 'display:inline-block;width:0;height:0;vertical-align:baseline'; a.appendChild(pr); var base = pr.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; pr.remove(); var fs = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(a).fontSize) || 14, mb = meta.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; t.style.bottom = Math.max(0, mb - (base + fs * 0.12)) + 'px'; } }\n    else { t.classList.remove('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== slot) slot.appendChild(t); }\n  }\n  if (document.readyState === 'loading') document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', place); else place(); window.addEventListener('load', place); if (document.fonts && document.fonts.ready) document.fonts.ready.then(place); window.addEventListener('resize', place);\n  if (mq.addEventListener) mq.addEventListener('change', place); else mq.addListener(place);\n  document.addEventListener('click', function(e){ var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-trigger'); if (b) { e.preventDefault(); open(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-placement') || 'top'); } });\n})();\n<\/script><!-- \/mfsh:top -->\n\n\n\n<p>A heat-seeking missile chases something it can feel: the hot exhaust of an engine. A radar-guided missile chases something it cannot see at all until a radar wave bounces off it. That difference is why radar missiles can kill from beyond visual range, and why for decades they were also the least trusted weapons on a fighter.<\/p><p>There are two basic ways to do it. In <strong>semi-active radar homing<\/strong>, the fighter&rsquo;s own radar lights up the target and the missile simply listens for the echo. In <strong>active radar homing<\/strong>, the missile carries a small radar of its own and finishes the job by itself. The AIM-7 Sparrow made the first one famous; the AIM-120 AMRAAM made the second one standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:18px 22px;margin:28px 0\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117;font-size:17px\">Quick Facts<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0;font-size:15px;color:#333\"><strong>Semi-active (SARH):<\/strong> Launch aircraft illuminates the target; missile homes on the reflected energy<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0;font-size:15px;color:#333\"><strong>Typical SARH missiles:<\/strong> AIM-7 Sparrow, R-27R, Skyflash, Aspide<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0;font-size:15px;color:#333\"><strong>Active (ARH):<\/strong> Missile carries its own radar transmitter and receiver<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0;font-size:15px;color:#333\"><strong>Typical ARH missiles:<\/strong> AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-120 AMRAAM, R-77, Meteor<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0;font-size:15px;color:#333\"><strong>Midcourse:<\/strong> Inertial navigation plus datalink updates from the launch platform<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0;font-size:15px;color:#333\"><strong>Brevity calls:<\/strong> &ldquo;Fox One&rdquo; for semi-active, &ldquo;Fox Three&rdquo; for active radar missiles<\/p><p style=\"margin:5px 0;font-size:15px;color:#333\"><strong>First AMRAAM combat kill:<\/strong> 27 December 1992, F-16D versus Iraqi MiG-25<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Semi-active homing: the fighter does the looking<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>A semi-active radar-guided missile is, in effect, a very fast passive receiver. Before and after launch, the fighter&rsquo;s radar keeps the target illuminated, usually with a continuous-wave signal, since most modern fighter radars are pulse-Doppler but have a CW mode for missile guidance. The missile&rsquo;s seeker in the nose picks up the energy reflected off the target and steers towards it.<\/p><p>A second antenna at the back of the missile listens to the launching fighter directly. Comparing the two signals gives the missile a reference, which helps it reject some jamming and decoys. Modern semi-active missiles can also fly much of the way on inertial guidance and only switch to the seeker near the end, saving energy for the final turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bBeY_gPIP6o\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:0 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Sparrow, Skyflash and Aspide: the age of semi-active radar homing (Millennium 7 HistoryTech).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The weakness is obvious. The fighter has to keep its radar pointed at the target until the missile hits. It cannot turn away, it cannot easily shoot at a second target, and the enemy&rsquo;s radar warning receiver knows it is being tracked the whole time. In Vietnam, U.S. Air Force and Navy fighters armed with the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-4-phantom-ii\/\">F-4 Phantom<\/a>&rsquo;s AIM-7 Sparrows scored a success rate of barely 10 percent, a figure blamed on unreliable 1960s electronics, tough rules of engagement and crews firing outside the envelope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-img1.jpg\" alt=\"AIM-120 AMRAAM missile on display at the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Center\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An AIM-120 AMRAAM at the Smithsonian&rsquo;s Udvar-Hazy Center. The nose houses its own small radar seeker. (Photo: Balon Greyjoy \/ CC0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Active homing: fire and forget<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>An active radar-guided missile carries a complete radar transmitter and receiver in its nose. Because a rocket-powered missile has no generator, that radar runs on batteries, so it is small and short-ranged. The trick is to get the missile close enough for it to matter.<\/p><p>So the flight has three phases. After launch, the missile flies on inertial navigation towards where the target is predicted to be. During this midcourse phase, the launching fighter, or another aircraft such as an AWACS, can send updates over a datalink if the target manoeuvres. Close to the target, the missile switches on its own radar. Pilots call the moment it becomes self-sufficient &ldquo;pitbull&rdquo;, and from then on the launching jet can turn away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gOWvmMYVCfI\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:0 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Active radar homing: the guidance of the AMRAAM, MICA and R-77 (Millennium 7 HistoryTech).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is what fire-and-forget really means: the fighter can launch, break off and engage someone else, or simply leave. It is also why the brevity call changes. A pilot firing a semi-active missile calls &ldquo;Fox One&rdquo;, a heat-seeker is &ldquo;Fox Two&rdquo;, and an active radar missile is &ldquo;Fox Three&rdquo;. The <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-14-tomcat\/\">F-14 Tomcat<\/a>&rsquo;s AIM-54 Phoenix was the first operational active-radar air-to-air missile, and Iranian Tomcats used it in combat in the 1980s.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The first AMRAAM kill<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>The AIM-120 proved itself on 27 December 1992 over southern Iraq. An Iraqi MiG-25 crossed into the no-fly zone of Operation Southern Watch, and Lt. Col. Gary &ldquo;Nordo&rdquo; North, flying an <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-16-fighting-falcon\/\">F-16D<\/a> as &ldquo;Benji 41&rdquo;, was cleared to fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;Someone was going to die within the next two minutes, and it wasn&rsquo;t going to be me or my wingman.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Lt. Col. Gary North<\/strong> &mdash; U.S. Air Force, recalling the 27 December 1992 engagement, as quoted by The War Zone<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>North fired one AIM-120 from about three nautical miles, according to The War Zone. It was the first AMRAAM kill in combat and the first U.S. F-16 air-to-air kill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;I saw three separate detonations, the nose and left wing broke instantly&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Lt. Col. Gary North<\/strong> &mdash; describing the AIM-120 hit on the Iraqi MiG-25<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-img2.jpg\" alt=\"Four-frame sequence of an AIM-120 AMRAAM test shot destroying a QF-102 target drone\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An early AIM-120 test: an F-16 launches past an F-4 chase plane and the missile destroys a QF-102 target drone. (U.S. Air Force photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Where radar missiles are going<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Today the contest is about range and the no-escape zone, the distance inside which a target cannot outrun the missile even if it turns and runs at once. Ramjet-powered missiles such as the European Meteor keep their motor burning for longer to widen that zone, and new U.S. weapons such as the AIM-260 and the Navy&rsquo;s AIM-174B push range further still. The principle, though, has not changed since the Sparrow: a missile is only as good as the radar picture that sends it on its way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2eMl93Oo65c\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:0 0 24px;font-style:italic\">From failure to redemption: the AIM-7 Sparrow (Australian Military Aviation History).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Sources: Wikipedia (Semi-active radar homing; Active radar homing; AIM-7 Sparrow; AIM-120 AMRAAM), The War Zone, U.S. Air Force<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>How does a radar-guided missile work?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A radar-guided missile homes on radar energy reflected from its target. In semi-active homing, the launching fighter illuminates the target and the missile listens for the echo. In active homing, the missile carries its own radar and switches it on near the target, after flying the first part of the way on inertial guidance and datalink updates.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is the difference between semi-active and active radar homing?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">With semi-active radar homing, such as on the AIM-7 Sparrow, the launch aircraft must keep its radar on the target until impact. With active radar homing, such as on the AIM-120 AMRAAM, the missile has its own radar seeker, so the launch aircraft can turn away once the missile is guiding itself.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What does pitbull mean for a missile?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Pitbull is the brevity call for the moment an active radar-guided missile such as the AIM-120 switches on its own seeker and no longer needs guidance from the launching aircraft. After pitbull, the fighter can break away and the missile completes the intercept on its own.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What do Fox One, Fox Two and Fox Three mean?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">They are brevity calls pilots make when firing air-to-air missiles. Fox One is a semi-active radar-guided missile such as the AIM-7 Sparrow, Fox Two is an infrared heat-seeking missile such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder, and Fox Three is an active radar-guided missile such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why did the AIM-7 Sparrow perform badly in Vietnam?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">U.S. fighters firing AIM-7 Sparrows in Vietnam achieved a success rate of barely 10 percent. Unreliable 1960s electronics, firing outside the missile envelope and rules of engagement that required visual identification all contributed.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When was the first AMRAAM kill?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The first combat kill with an AIM-120 AMRAAM came on 27 December 1992, when U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Gary North in an F-16D shot down an Iraqi MiG-25 that had entered the Operation Southern Watch no-fly zone. It was also the first U.S. F-16 air-to-air kill.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How does a radar-guided missile work?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A radar-guided missile homes on radar energy reflected from its target. In semi-active homing, the launching fighter illuminates the target and the missile listens for the echo. In active homing, the missile carries its own radar and switches it on near the target, after flying the first part of the way on inertial guidance and datalink updates.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the difference between semi-active and active radar homing?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"With semi-active radar homing, such as on the AIM-7 Sparrow, the launch aircraft must keep its radar on the target until impact. With active radar homing, such as on the AIM-120 AMRAAM, the missile has its own radar seeker, so the launch aircraft can turn away once the missile is guiding itself.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What does pitbull mean for a missile?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Pitbull is the brevity call for the moment an active radar-guided missile such as the AIM-120 switches on its own seeker and no longer needs guidance from the launching aircraft. After pitbull, the fighter can break away and the missile completes the intercept on its own.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What do Fox One, Fox Two and Fox Three mean?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"They are brevity calls pilots make when firing air-to-air missiles. Fox One is a semi-active radar-guided missile such as the AIM-7 Sparrow, Fox Two is an infrared heat-seeking missile such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder, and Fox Three is an active radar-guided missile such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why did the AIM-7 Sparrow perform badly in Vietnam?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"U.S. fighters firing AIM-7 Sparrows in Vietnam achieved a success rate of barely 10 percent. Unreliable 1960s electronics, firing outside the missile envelope and rules of engagement that required visual identification all contributed.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When was the first AMRAAM kill?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The first combat kill with an AIM-120 AMRAAM came on 27 December 1992, when U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Gary North in an F-16D shot down an Iraqi MiG-25 that had entered the Operation Southern Watch no-fly zone. It was also the first U.S. F-16 air-to-air kill.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-heat-seeking-missile-infrared-seeker-works\/\">How a Heat-Seeking Missile Works, and Why Flares Stopped Saving You<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/radar-warning-receiver-rwr-explained\/\">Radar Warning Receivers: How a Fighter Knows It Is Being Hunted<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/chaff-flares-countermeasures-how-jets-defeat-missiles\/\">How Jets Trick Missiles Into Missing<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/jalil-zandi-iranian-f-14-tomcat-ace-iran-iraq-war\/\">Jalil Zandi: The Iranian Pilot Who Became the Top F-14 Tomcat Ace<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Share this story A heat-seeking missile chases something it can feel: the hot exhaust of an engine. A radar-guided missile chases something it cannot see at all until a radar wave bounces off it. That difference is why radar missiles can kill from beyond visual range, and why for decades they were also the least [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":29235172,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[665,664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29235219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aviation-world","category-military-aviation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Does a Radar-Guided Missile Work? | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How a radar-guided missile works: semi-active homing in the AIM-7 Sparrow, active homing in the AIM-120 AMRAAM, datalinks, Fox One, Fox Three and pitbull.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Does a Radar-Guided Missile Work? | MiGFlug\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How a radar-guided missile works: semi-active homing in the AIM-7 Sparrow, active homing in the AIM-120 AMRAAM, datalinks, Fox One, Fox Three and pitbull.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Afterburner - MiGFlug&#039;s Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-23T08:45:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-23T08:45:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-featured.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1536\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"864\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/da89e4a5834c9a932ee20751ed75569c\"},\"headline\":\"How Does a Radar-Guided Missile Work? From Sparrow to AMRAAM\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-23T08:45:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-23T08:45:34+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1362,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-featured.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Aviation World\",\"Military Aviation\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/\",\"name\":\"How Does a Radar-Guided Missile Work? | MiGFlug\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-featured.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-23T08:45:19+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-23T08:45:34+00:00\",\"description\":\"How a radar-guided missile works: semi-active homing in the AIM-7 Sparrow, active homing in the AIM-120 AMRAAM, datalinks, Fox One, Fox Three and pitbull.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-featured.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-featured.jpg\",\"width\":1536,\"height\":864,\"caption\":\"U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle firing an AIM-7 Sparrow radar-guided missile\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How Does a Radar-Guided Missile Work? From Sparrow to AMRAAM\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"name\":\"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"width\":897,\"height\":278,\"caption\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/MiGFlug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/migflug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/migflug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MiGFlug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/migflug.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.ch\\\/migflug\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/da89e4a5834c9a932ee20751ed75569c\",\"name\":\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald\"},\"description\":\"Max Gr\u00fcnwald writes MiGFlug\u2019s technical deep-dives \u2014 engines, avionics and weapons systems, with every number checked twice.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/author\\\/maxgruenwald\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How Does a Radar-Guided Missile Work? | MiGFlug","description":"How a radar-guided missile works: semi-active homing in the AIM-7 Sparrow, active homing in the AIM-120 AMRAAM, datalinks, Fox One, Fox Three and pitbull.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How Does a Radar-Guided Missile Work? | MiGFlug","og_description":"How a radar-guided missile works: semi-active homing in the AIM-7 Sparrow, active homing in the AIM-120 AMRAAM, datalinks, Fox One, Fox Three and pitbull.","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/","og_site_name":"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","article_published_time":"2026-10-23T08:45:19+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-23T08:45:34+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1536,"height":864,"url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-featured.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@migflug","twitter_site":"@migflug","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/"},"author":{"name":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/da89e4a5834c9a932ee20751ed75569c"},"headline":"How Does a Radar-Guided Missile Work? From Sparrow to AMRAAM","datePublished":"2026-10-23T08:45:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-23T08:45:34+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/"},"wordCount":1362,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-featured.jpg","articleSection":["Aviation World","Military Aviation"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/","name":"How Does a Radar-Guided Missile Work? | MiGFlug","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-featured.jpg","datePublished":"2026-10-23T08:45:19+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-23T08:45:34+00:00","description":"How a radar-guided missile works: semi-active homing in the AIM-7 Sparrow, active homing in the AIM-120 AMRAAM, datalinks, Fox One, Fox Three and pitbull.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-featured.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam-featured.jpg","width":1536,"height":864,"caption":"U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle firing an AIM-7 Sparrow radar-guided missile"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/how-radar-guided-missile-works-semi-active-active-sparrow-amraam\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How Does a Radar-Guided Missile Work? From Sparrow to AMRAAM"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","name":"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","description":"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization","name":"MiGFlug GmbH","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","width":897,"height":278,"caption":"MiGFlug GmbH"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","https:\/\/x.com\/migflug","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/migflug\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MiGFlug","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/migflug.com\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.ch\/migflug\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/da89e4a5834c9a932ee20751ed75569c","name":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a7af37924a5c24d0712babd0e5eafec09d37b3a41831dd4c4ee30f54ebfc1a7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald"},"description":"Max Gr\u00fcnwald writes MiGFlug\u2019s technical deep-dives \u2014 engines, avionics and weapons systems, with every number checked twice.","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/author\/maxgruenwald\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29235219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29235219"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29235219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29235278,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29235219\/revisions\/29235278"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29235172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29235219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29235219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29235219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}