The AIM-9D is an American Infrared homing air-to-air missile. It was introduced in Update 1.93 "Shark Attack". Vehicles equipped with this weapon F8U-2 Phantom FG.1 Phantom FGR.2 General info The AIM-9D is a member of the Sidewinder family of missiles, it incorporates a number of improvements over the AIM-9B, from which it was developed. It should be noted that the AIM-9E was also a development of the AIM-9B rather than the AIM-9D; while the AIM-9D was developed for the US Navy, the AIM-9E was a separate development for the US Air Force. In game the AIM-9D is generally similar to the AIM-9E, but there are distinct differences between the two. The AIM-9D has the best effective range of any missile currently found on fixed wing aircraft in the game. Effective damage Like the AIM-9B & AIM-9E Sidewinders the AIM-9D is fitted with a 4.5 kg TNT warhead and 5 m proximity fuse. This amount of explosive mass is in the vast majority of cases enough to either outright destroy an enemy aircraft or cause non-survivable critical damage; however there are some occasions where an enemy aircraft can survive a hit and make it back to base. Comparison with analogues Compared to other Sidewinders The AIM-9D is a substantial improvement over the AIM-9B. The key improvements are: More effective fins Overload of 16 G instead of 10 G Rocket motor burns for 3.5 instead of 2.1 seconds Max speed of 1,000 m/s instead of 800 m/s Has an uncaged seeker Better IR seeker range Seeker gimbal limit of 40° instead of 25° Better tracking rate These changes make the AIM-9D a far superior all round missile. The uncaged seeker makes maintaining a lock prior to launch much easier and allows you to lead the missile. Once the missile is launched it tracks targets much better than the AIM-9B and has far superior speed and range. The AIM-9D is very similar to the AIM-9E, with the following key differences: More effective fins Overload of 16 G instead of 10 G Rocket motor burns for 3.5 instead of 2.1 seconds Max speed of 1,000 m/s instead of 800 m/s The increased overload and improved fins mean the AIM-9D can track targets better than the AIM-9E. The other changes mean that the AIM-9D has a far superior effective range than the AIM-9E. While both missiles can theoretically fly 18,000 m from their point of launch; the AIM-9D's much longer burning motor and higher maximum speed means that it holds it's speed much better at longer ranges and can remain effective at ranges where the AIM-9E would have lost too much speed to do so. It is not uncommon for AIM-9Ds to be able to hit targets in excess of 5 - 6 km from their point of launch (an even in excess of 7 km some times). However unlike the AIM-9E the AIM-9D cannot be slaved to an aircraft's radar. Compared to other miss ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ppareqXnHY