Do missiles actually chase fighter jets from behind like in movies?

[GKABS]

No, not even close for a number of reasons.

They fly much faster than their target so they do not have to chase; they overtake you quickly without any problem from behind and with little if any maneuvering. They are 3 times faster than you. The average time of rocket burn for a missile is only 3 -5 seconds. Of course their flight will last considerably longer as they glide and slow down but still track.

They normally fly in a straight line or curvilinear path with very few corrections. They either hit you quickly on one pass, or they miss you forever. There is no “chasing”. The average of time of flight for a missile was only a number of seconds depending upon its range from target.

The missile launches I have seen in movies are ridiculous.

Does a bullet “chase” its target? While a SAM may change its trajectory somewhat in flight, it still flies more like a bullet and chasing is out of the question. How Long Can a Missile Follow an Enemy Fighter Jet?

“A U.S. Air Force Republic F-105D Thunderchief trailing fire and smoke just after interception by an SA-2 missile on February 14, 1968. The SA-2 did not actually hit an aircraft — the warhead was detonated by a command from the tracking radar or by a proximity fuse in the missile when it neared the target, throwing deadly fragments over a wide area. The pilot, Robert Malcolm Elliot (1929-1968), was killed. His body was not recovered until 1998.” (Wikipedia)

By John Chesire

Former Fighter Pilot