Originally Posted by
Kitbag
Using ORACs link 18 of 45 kills were BVR so roughly 1/3. As a layman, in a conflict with overwhelming air superiority in favour of the coalition I find it surprising that such a small proportion were BVR.
Was 1991 the last conflict were the RoE enabled BVR engagements in a practical sense?
In several of the engagements you will find that the Iraqis would execute a turn away from the F-15C when they locked on to the target. This would result into a tail chase many times. Because of the dynamics of a tail chase, the distances at missile launch will many times be within “visual range”. Note how many of the “visual range” are listed as AIM-7 missiles. That is because of the longer range of the AIM-7 vs. the AIM-9 in a tail chase. Now that the F-15Cs are being up graded with APG-63(V)2 radars with ESA antennas and AIM-120, there is no longer a need to “lock onto the target” which will greatly reduce the various radar warning receivers ability to warn the target pilot.