That's roughly how the original Sidewinder worked. The original concept was to reduce near-misses. If the pilot could get on the target's tail and aim at the engines, it usually got a hit. That was the same task as getting into firing position for guns. Hit rate about 8% in combat.

Later versions allowed launches from longer ranges and from off-angles.

I believe there was a similar weapon being developed in the west, only recently, which involved a missile with contra rotating halves joined by a clutch. The fixed fins caused it to always steer one way. It flew straight by releasing the clutch to spin up the front half, negating the steering effect. Grabbing the clutch caused it to stop spinning and veer off in one direction.

Presto! Two axis continuous flight control with a 1-bit input.

Edit: my memory wasn’t far off. It’s Starstreak: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starstreak

Strike a light in front of a parked but otherwise active fin guided heat-seeker and its freaky to watch it come alive like a lazy beagle eyeing a treat.

That frugal, creative mindset is also the default for people of modest income everywhere in the world - borne of necessity.

This is shockingly similar to microbial motility mechanisms. Like random walk plus chemotaxis.

This sounds like the early Sidewinder or other 1940's/1950's attempts at infrared homing missiles.

Unless it was nighttime or the engagement happened at low altitude on a cloudy day, wouldn’t that usually lock onto the sun?

Similar to how moths guide themselves toward light

> That still didn't explain how this was able to guide a missile

That does explain why it lands on civilian areas tho

Incredible

that sounds like crude-fied version of first Sidewinders.

> with no "brain" at all

It seems this is how Russia moves in general. Hopefully, this will end at some point.