History Main / MissileLockOn

* In ''VideoGame/GhostSquad'', the boss fight against the helicopter in the Mansion mission equips the player with rocket launchers. Each player has a crosshair that will slowly converge on the target the longer it's aimed at, together with the usual rising beeps and lock-on prompt.

!Examples

[[folder:Anime]]

* ''Film/ANewHope'': Targeting computers come up for both lasers and proton torpedoes, especially during the Death Star run. Even though they lock on they can't hit the target, until Luke shuts off his compiuter and uses the Force to hit the target.

* Film/IronMan uses this somewhat, though it doesn't exactly seem to take him long. He is also on the opposing side in ''Film/IronMan2'' when he is chased by War Machine and the Hammer drones.

* ''VideoGame/MetalGear''
** Stinger missiles feature in most of the games and feature the traditional lock-on behavior, with potential targets being marked with a diamond that the crosshairs must be aimed at until it turns red to indicate a lock on. The missiles were first introduced in ''VideoGame/MetalGear2'', where they functioned more as rockets: to hit the target, you had to fire the missile as it was making a turn, as otherwise the target was too fast and could evade the missile. There was no lock-on, ''per se'', but firing at the right time instead guaranteed a hit.

* The ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' games both feature missile launchers in both the single player and multiplayer modes. The Javelin includes a targeting screen that highlights potential targets with green boxed that turn red when locked onto. The [=AT4=] and Stinger missiles have no screen, and use only the lock-on tone to indicate when a target is being acquired and then locked onto. The RPG is dumb-fire only. For the other end of things, when you are controlling the [=AC-130=] killstreak in multiplayer, you will hear the lock-on warning when you're being fired upon by missile-wielding enemy.
* The move Lock-On in [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Pokémon]] is based off of this, enabling the user to (usually) guarantee a hit on the next turn.

* A staple of the ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' series.
** Being a western-made, Tom Clancy-verse based clone of ''Ace Combat'', VideoGame/{{HAWX}} has it too.

* Rockets and normal torpedoes in ''[[VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefront Battlefront 2]]'' take some time to acquire target lock, but [[GameBreaker homing missiles]] have an instant lock-on.
* In most of the ''VideoGame/StarFox'' series Arwings and Landmaster tanks can lock on and fire homing bombs and charged laser blasts.

* ''Videogame/BattleZone1998'' and its sequels have a wide variety of flavors for lock-on missiles; some given lock-on tones to the user, but enemies never hear a warning. In both games, TAG missiles fire a tracer dart, then MacrossMissileMassacre, Shadowers/Comets/Hornets use visual/radar/infrared targeting (respectively) to lock on and then fire. In the sequel, Fire-And-Forget and Swarm (combat) missiles go for the first they detect after being dumbfired, while Swarm (assault) missiles sequentially lock missiles and fire them in succession; from a single rocket to MacrossMissileMassacre. It's possible for NSDF, ISDF, and CCA units to avoid certain locked missiles if they have the proper stealth system fitted on their tank, though Scions have to suck it up and tank the damage.
* In the original ''Videogame/PlanetSide'', the Terran Republic's empire specific anti-vehicle weapon could lock onto targets, but the crosshair had to remain on the target or the missiles would lose the signal. In the sequel, all factions have access to generic anti-vehicle, anti-air, and combined rocket launchers that require a variable amount of time to lock (based on distance) but are fire-and-forget and can only be avoided with flares or some radical evasive actions. The TR Striker and NS Coyote missiles are completely fire-and-forget; simply spray wildly in the direction of a target and the missiles will [[RoboTeching robotech]] into anything that gets in their detection radius.
* The ''Franchise/{{Unreal}}'' series has had by tradition a lock-on function on the rocket launcher, activated when the user holds the crosshair on the enemy for at least one full second. Better yet, the launchers in the series can load up multiple rounds (up to ''six''), for a person-scale {{Roboteching}} MacrossMissileMassacre.

* Targeting computers come up in ''Film/ANewHope'' for both lasers and proton torpedoes, especially during the Death Star run. Even though they lock on they can't hit the target, until Luke shuts off his compiuter and uses the Force to hit the target.
%% ** The first shot didn't hit because it wasn't ''actually'' locked on; the beeping merely indicated that the craft had reached the optimum firing position. Same with the targeting system on Darth Vader's custom [=TIE=].

* The lock-on tone for the American AIM-9 Sidewinder series of air to air missiles isn't a beep, but a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_RjqWinRLQ growling-razor type of sound.]] The louder, and more constant the growl, the more solid the lock. Coupled with "SHOOT!" that appears on a pilot's HUD this is an indication that the pilot has achieved weapons perimeters, can safely launch his missile, and guarantee a hit/kill.

** Stinger missiles feature in most of the games and feature the traditional lock-on behavior, with potential targets being marked with a diamond that the crosshairs must be aimed at until it turns red to indicate a lock on.
*** The missiles were first introduced in ''VideoGame/MetalGear2'', where they functioned more as rockets: to hit the target, you had to fire the missile as it was making a turn, as otherwise the target was too fast and could evade the missile. There was no lock-on, ''per se'', but firing at the right time instead guaranteed a hit.
** For both the first two ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' games, you get the Stinger in order to fight flying bosses or the eponymous HumongousMecha. Of course, you can [[NoKillLikeOverkill use them on regular guards]] if you're feeling so inclined.
*** Both games have Stinger specific missions in the VR training add-on missions.
** Averted in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'' as the game is set in the 1960's and so the only launcher is the dumb-fired RPG-7.

* The ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' games both feature missile launchers in both the single player and multiplayer modes. The Javelin includes a targeting screen that highlights potential targets with green boxed that turn red when locked onto. The [=AT4=] and Stinger missiles have no screen, and use only the lock-on tone to indicate when a target is being acquired and then locked onto. The RPG is dumb-fire only.
** For the other end of things, when you are controlling the [=AC-130=] killstreak in multiplayer, you will hear the lock-on warning when you're being fired upon by missile-wielding enemy.

* Activating the Tenta Missiles in ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' will bring up a targeting reticle that shows the location of all enemies on the stage, and it allows you to lock on to up to five[[note]]While teams in ''VideoGame/{{Splatoon}}'' only consist of four players each, the [[CaptureTheFlag Rainmaker]]'s shield can also be targeted[[/note]] targets. After you've locked on to your targets, a barrage of missiles will be unleashed upon each of them.