Anti-Air Rocket



The Anti-Air Missile Launcher is a Surface-to-Air missile launcher designed to lock-on to helicopters that is featured in Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction and in Mercenaries 2: World in Flames.

Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
The explosive damage is less than the anti-tank missile, but most helicopters are destroyed in one or two missile hits (except the Mi-35 Gunship, which takes three or four). Use this weapon sparingly; it has less reserve ammo than the RPG-7 and its use is limited to airborne helicopters.

Generally the Air Superiority airstrike can deal with helicopters more effectively but is far less cost effective. The Anti-Air Missile launcher can sometimes be seen in the possession of a few KPA soldiers, but the anti-air missile launchers are favorites of the SKU and the PLA. Some AN soldiers may have them, but getting them to drop their weapons is  difficult; unless the player is willing to risk faction loss and can spend the extra cash, otherwise it is better to order it in from the Merchant of Menace store.

Although the Anti-Air Missile launcher is designed to target helicopters, it is also able to free-fire which allows it to be used against ground vehicles and level buildings.

Found in

 * Anti-air kit
 * Hands of SK, NK, PLA, and AN Heavy soldiers

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
The Anti-Air Missile makes a return in the second game. It is used by all the factions in the game apart from the PLAV and UP. The missiles launched from this weapon are do similar damage to RPGs but fly faster, though still slower and not as powerful as Surface-to-Air or Air-to-Air Missiles from SAM vehicles, stationary SAM platforms and helicopter gunships. The troops carrying Anti-Air Missile launchers are always heavy troops (except for the Pirates who do not have heavy troops).

The main threat from these launchers is that there are often a several SAM troops and it is hard to know if an area will have air defenses or where they are located. Soldiers with this launcher do not show up with the 'SAM Diamond' on the minimap and do not block SAM dependent support calls (though these will interfere with Ewan's support options). SAM rocket troops move around and their positions are less predictable than Anti-Air dedicated vehicles. There is no warning when being locked onto by a portable Anti-Air Missile launcher; an anti-air missile alert will sound in a helicopter when when the missile is fired even if it is not at the player's helicopter. This makes the Anti-Air Missile more of a threat to player controlled helicopters than vehicle SAMs since ATGMs can often lock onto and destroy them before they lock on to the helicopter.



Found in

 * The Anti-Air Kit is sold by the Allied Nations and China for a neutral price of $22.5k and friendly price of $15k
 * 1 Anti-Air Kit can be found on Isla de la Fortelaza beside the North-Western barrack (has no markings on the crate).
 * Carried by VZ rocket infantry near destruction bounties or contract target buildings (especially in Guanare and Merida)
 * During 'Into the Green Zone', there are at least four AA rocket troops on buildings in Maracaibo and two or three more in Altagracia on the third level.
 * During one of UP's story missions, the player will be provided with Anti-Air Kits to shoot down helicopters.
 * Carried by Pirate rocket troops on the Pirate HQ island
 * Rarely carried by AN and PLA rocket troops, usually troops in guard towers.

Tactics
When using the Anti-Air Missile, the most effective tactic is to lock onto an airborne helicopter. It is possible to use the weapon on ground-based targets, though you need to be at extremely close range, and the target is hard to hit if mobile, as the reticule is hard to use, making aiming without the guidance feature is nearly impossible. If locking onto a target, keep in mind that it takes about three seconds to get a lock onto an air unit; when fired, the missile will track the target which it locked onto. The missile has much slimmer chances of hitting the target if the target is moving in a perpendicular direction to the launcher's general direction. Since the missile does not lead ahead of the target, it will often miss and orbit around the target until it hits something or self-destructs (makes an explosion sound).

It takes about one and a half shots to down a light helicopter like such as a Rogue type helicopter (unless the blast kills the pilot). It will take up to three to four hits to destroy the heaviest helicopters. The drawback is that the weapon is extremely specialized and if not locked-on when fired, the missile will skitter off in an unpredictable spiraling direction. This makes it hard to use against ground vehicles and buildings, the missile will likely hit the ground or fly beside the target.

When shot at by an Anti-Air Missile while in a helicopter, it is a good idea to wait for the missile to get close before dodging because the missile has a limited turning radius.

Real Life

 * The missile launcher appears to be based on the FIM-92 Stinger.

Trivia

 * In Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, if the player locks onto a nearby landed helicopter, looks the other way and fires, there is a rare chance that the missile will perform a 180° turn and hit the helicopter.