AmirPatriot
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The main problem with low altitude flight is that sensors, no matter which type, are line-of-sight (LOS) limited. So if the target has X seconds to react, it also means the attacker has the same X seconds to acquire it. AWACS changed the equation in favor of the defender by extending the detection horizon one-way.
These Russian missiles fly at high altitude for most of the flight, I presume to extend but this would also allow them to keep the target in sight. Forgive me for not giving a source (I tried to find it), but I read somewhere that the Sunburn hunts in packs - a group of sunburns would attack together. Once in low level flight, one sunburn would "pop up" to re-acquire the target, share the information with the other missiles, then go back down to low level flight. If the "spotter" is destroyed, another one in the pack can take its place.
You can point out on paper all the limitations of an AWACS but in reality, the moment that aircraft is airborne, the wise commander would assume the worst -- the AWACS sees all -- and prepare compensating tactics, if there are any
Well in this doctrine, air defence destroyers and fighter aircraft would attempt to keep the AWACS far away and busy enough that it does not detect the Mach 3 cigar flying at low altitude. I understand that AWACS has a very long range, but this is a relatively small target flying very low.
Also, the idea is that it would appear over the horizon too late and be too difficult to destroy for CIWS and RAMs to shoot it down. These have their own radars and FCS.
Are you sure about Mach 13. The air resistance allow on re-entry would pull it down a couple of notches. Hypersonic at best but Mach 13 is farr to fast to be true.
That's probably true. There is no data concerning ballistic missile terminal speed at impact, so I just went with the largest figure. But Mach 13, Mach 10, Mach 8 are all very high speeds.
I think I know the missiles you are referring to but, these missiles do not have the range capable for A2/AD outside of gulf of Oman at the very best.
We have the technology!
We can mount these sorts of guidance systems on any missile. The Chinese have mounted it on their DF-21 MRBM.