This article is about the weapon. For the mission in Grand Theft Auto III, see S.A.M.
The Surface-to-Air Missile (S.A.M.) is an unmanned guided weapon system in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto Online.
Description[]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
The surface-to-air missiles encountered in GTA San Andreas are mounted on pods. Each pod supports four missiles, and they use a radar-targeting system to fire heat-seeking missiles towards aircraft or helicopters. Four sites are located around Area 69 and two in the Easter Basin Naval Station on the LHD-069 amphibious assault ship, both of which are no-fly zones, as mean of defense against aerial intrusions.
If the player flies any aircraft, or the Jetpack, near or over these zones, several heat-seeking missiles that track the movement of the player's vehicle will be launched, even when the remove wanted level cheat is enabled. The player can hear a warning sound (except when the player is using a jetpack) and a small red blip on the radar when a missile has been launched. These missiles can severely damage the airplane's wings or engine (or the player, when using a jetpack), making it harder to fly. Depending on the durability and health of the player's vehicle, a few to some direct hits will destroy the vehicle and kill the player if they do not eject.
The launchers can be temporarily destroyed and will respawn once the player is far enough away from them. During the mission Black Project, the sites around Area 69 can be disabled temporarily from within the underground labs for the rest of the mission. Excluding the first part of the mission Vertical Bird, the SAM Sites on the amphibious assault ship in Easter Basin are permanently disabled and will not shoot when the player flies over or near the Naval Station (this is probably a bug or intentional as the ship is docked, unlike those at Area 69, that function normally).
These sites can be destroyed by simply shooting, using explosive weapons or rockets, and even melee attacks. When destroyed, they will explode, harming the player only if they are close enough.
Like other heat-seeking missiles, the SAMs can be deterred by using the Hydra's secondary fire, which launches flares.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
A S.A.M. site in GTA Online.
Surface-to-air Missile launchers return in Grand Theft Auto Online, in the Doomsday Heist update, S.A.M. sites are largely similar to the GTA San Andreas rendition, but they have a simplistic design. They behave the same way as before, detecting a nearby aircraft and shooting a homing missile.
They appear during the setup mission "Air Defenses", where the players have to destroy several S.A.M. sites around Mount Chiliad using the Volatol bomber plane.
S.A.M. launchers based on the RIM-116 system can be found on the USS Luxington introduced in the Heists update, however, these are part of the scenery and are never seen in use.
S.A.M. launchers reappear in The Cayo Perico Heist update. They are located throughout the island of Cayo Perico, having been installed by Juan Strickler, in order to protect his compound. During The Cayo Perico Heist Finale, the player has the option to disable the island's main air defenses, allowing air support from hired crew members and the option to escape the island using an air vehicle. The compound's air defenses, being independent from the main ones, cannot be disabled.