Missile Detection

[LordTravi]

I'm sorry if this stuff is classified or something you're not supposed to talk about.

I've been wondering for a while how the planes detect missile launches. I guess with radar guided missiles they could pick up the radar, but what about heat seekers? Aren't heat seeker guidance systems pretty much passive toward the aircraft, as they pick up heat signatures without having to send anything?

Does the plane's radar notice a small, fast thing and figure out that it's a missile?

I guess getting told by your plane that a missile is coming is one of the scariest things in the world..

Thanks

 

[phrogpilot73]

I'm sorry if this stuff is classified or something you're not supposed to talk about.

I've been wondering for a while how the planes detect missile launches. I guess with radar guided missiles they could pick up the radar, but what about heat seekers? Aren't heat seeker guidance systems pretty much passive toward the aircraft, as they pick up heat signatures without having to send anything?

Does the plane's radar notice a small, fast thing and figure out that it's a missile?

I guess getting told by your plane that a missile is coming is one of the scariest things in the world..

Thanks

We can go into all sorts of classified material here... Mods, can you lock this one? Sorry.

 

[Schnugg]

Do a google web search and you will most likely find unclass info out there on the subject you seek.

Because of what most of us do here for a living, our answers could be on the edge of being classified. Thus the lock down.