The long range SAMs are really a PITA.

- first arm with about 40% fuel, with maximum AIRS-T and a handful of AIM 120
- take your time to take off, and keep quite far of the main battle, wait until a few ennemy planes are down, then fire AIM 120 to remaining ones. If you get locked by the long range missiles, try to locate the smoke trail, aim with the IR missiles, and shoot the incoming sol-air-missile, while flying straigth. Otherwise apply usual evading techniques like flying into the sea to lead the missiles to crash.
- once the red diamonds of the boats appear on the nav map (or the TGP if you get close enough), mark all 5 boat coordinates with GPS, and get the hell away ASAP !
- land at the carrier, refuel and rearm with all 7 AGM-89, and a few AIRS-T in case you need SAM defense.
- I found it easier to first sink the escorting ships and then only the ennemy carrier
- take off and make GPS paths for the cruise missile, so the come front for the front boat, from the left side for the side boat, etc. They will get less AA hits that way. Note that at the last GPS point of a path the missile must see a target roughly in front to target it.
- as soon you are IN RANGE, target the first GPS point of the path and fire. Now climb a bit, do a 360, and fire a second missile right behind the first. That way even if AA destroys the first, the second has a better chance to success. You can see your missiles advancing on the NAV map, and the last missile can be followed with the S-CAM
- now fly away and to one side of the enemy group, select GPS path for next boat, and repeat previous step (or wait first until you see your missiles hitting the target or being destroyed by AA)
- repeat until all ships disappear from the NAV map
- you won ! you can continue flying, to see from upclose the smoking remains of the ennemy carrier group, very satisfying, then go back to the carrier and land for full role play.

Good luck pilots !