Use of the Sidewinder: Use without Radar

Use of the Sidewinder

Switch on the cooling of the AIM-9 search head. (IRCOOL NORM)
Turn off the radar. (RADAR OFF)
Activate weapon main switch. (MASTER ARM)
Weapon selector switch on the control stick to Sidewinder. (WEAPON SELECT SIDEWINDER)
The main mode is automatically changed to Air-to-Air. (Check MASTER MODE A/A)
From now on you will hear the sound of the seaker head as a permanent growl.

You can't set anything in the SMS. But you see the following information:
Release the seeker head by pressing the CAGE/UNCAGE button. (UNCAGE)
Normally the seeker head is already in the released state. If not, press the button.
Bring the target into the AIM-9 seeker boresight target circle (BORESIGHT).
The better the seeker detects the heat source, the higher the squeal will be.
When you have a good shooting position and the growl sound becomes a squeal it is good. Now you have two options:
- Press the Cage/Uncage button to lock target (CAGE). This is useful, for example, if the angle is not yet optimal and you don't want to shoot the missile until you achieve a better aspect.
- Or pull the trigger and release the missile immediately. (FIRE).

As soon as the rocket flies, you can't do much else. That's why it's called a Fire-and-Forget missile.
If the angle was too severe or the enemy drops flares, it's possible that the missile may look lock and miss, or it may hit and fail to do sufficient damage. If so, try again.