[bobmoretti]

The Sparrow and Standard are "semi-active radar homing missiles", meaning that they have a radar seeker head and no emitter. They require an external illumination radar (from the aircraft or launch platform) to light up their target.

The AIM-120 uses a datalink to guide the missile close to the target, after which the missile's internal radar emitter goes active, and the missile locks onto the nearest target that it finds. This is because the radar on the missile is not nearly as powerful as the radar on the aircraft. So it's not truly a "fire and forget" missile, at least if a high probability of kill is desired. I believe the Phoenix is similar.

[hga]

Per what I've read elsewhere, and the Wikipedia article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_missile), for long range attack the Phoenix has a rather unique flight profile, it climbs to 80,000 or so feet and cruises there, then dives down. Per the article, at 11 miles it activates its radar, and I'll bet given the distance and its bigger size, bigger antenna, it gets a bigger view than the AIM-120. Still, it has the capability of and uses course corrections from its plane.

[poof131]

I believe the Phoenix usually falls off its plane (the F-14) directly into the ocean. The Tomcat pilots then RTB to the bar and tell each other how great they are. The Phoenix is the Yugo to the AMMRAM's Ferrari. They are different generations of weapons.