The Semi-Active Air-to-Air Missile (SAAM) is a long-range air-to-air missile present in most Ace Combat games since Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

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Overview

The SAAM utilizes a missile guidance system known as semi-active radar homing. After being selected in flight, a large green reticle appears on the aircraft's Head-up display. After firing the missile at a specific target, the target must be kept inside of the reticle for the missile to continue tracking until it makes impact. This data transfer is what classifies the SAAM as "semi-active," in that it requires a consistent data transfer between itself and the launch aircraft.

One SAAM is powerful enough to destroy most enemy aircraft; as such, it is the weapon of choice for long-range assaults on a single aerial target. SAAMs are best utilized at their maximum range, since the target's angle of evasion is minimal and the risk of counterattack is low. However, the launch aircraft is vulnerable to counterattacks from other aircraft (or even the target aircraft) while it is still transmitting data to the missile. In one example, the target aircraft or other pilots in the same flight could be equipped with missiles that have an equal range to the SAAM, and are free to counterattack (and sometimes perform maneuvers if their long-range missiles are fully guided rather than semi-active).

Game Analysis

Trivia