You're right that the current setting is too close, but 30 km is way too far. MANPADS like the Stinger and Igla only go 4.8 and 5.2 km respectively.

At 30km you'd be better off using something like the Patriot, it's way too far for SHORAD.

I do agree that the locking range on MANPADS is too short to feel effective, but it doesn't need to be that long, just enough to provide a sense of security to the operator, and a sense of threat to the aircraft.

I believe the OP is talking about the AASRAMs which are mounted on helicopters.

You also have to consider even though it's not something I want to have to myself, but the ingame islands are slightly smaller than in real life, which means small adjustments might have to be made though I would prefer realism over artificially chnaged weapons.

I also agree that 30km is not needed in Arma 3 , I dont think the map is that large.

here's the article that I posted from , I was wondering if our military had
become stupid recently , I guess not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air-to-air_missile

Air-to-air missiles are broadly put in two groups. Those designed to engage opposing aircraft at ranges of less than 30km are known as short-range or “within visual range” missiles (SRAAMs or WVRAAMs) and are sometimes called “dogfight” missiles because they emphasize agility rather than range. Most use infrared guidance and are called heat-seeking missiles. In contrast, medium- or long-range missiles (MRAAMs or LRAAMs), which both fall under the category of beyond visual range missiles.

I think that since theses are guided missiles then "visual range" is mute.
in an ARCADE GAME you must point the aircraft directly at the enemy aircraft
in order to get a lock on the target.

in a SIMULATION you only need to select the target on the radar screen
which would SIMULATE target selection.

I played in a server today that had a single enemy helicopter guarding one
of the mission objectives , after dispossing of several billion dollars worth
of AH 99 aircraft , I took it out with the minigun on a pawnee !!!

at the expence of only 2 pawnee aircraft.

I have heard that the AH 99 platform subtracts from the GAME because it
does not allow as many kills for everyone else , my responce to that is
that it should do what it is designed to do.

if people do not like the effectiveness and kill capabilities of the
AH 99 then they should just go buy any one of the hundreds of ARCADE GAMES
that are currently available.

or

quit claiming that Arma 3 is a simulation.

Yes, ARMA 3 is not simulator but just a military game what have some realistic and semi-realistic behaviors.

I would be happy game in mind when MANPAD is capable to be fired at target 4-5km ranges.

But A-A missiles could have even up to 15km range, as it is long flight time and target can do maneuvers and flare/chaff to get lock off.

15km in game is huge distance, but in main island it is not actually so long distance.
Finally on one vanilla map it is possible to have a beyond visuals combat between jets and have space to do dog fight "in own space" and it would be as well possible to execute well played CAS or SEAD missions without everyone flying around "same space" shooting everything what moves.

Fighters and helicopters pilots should feel MANPAD threat and especially if enemy gets air superiority some part of the island that you just don't go there so easily and stay there long.

But I would not take realistic A-A missiles ranges, as both sides would have missiles capable to fly around the map (Easter side having maybe about 4x longer ranges what NATO has).

Some SAM should have nice range although like 15-20km so they would be very serious deal breaker and would require SEAD missions, special force strikes etc to take them out before jets can step on arena.

So you want anti aircraft missiles to be able to lock on and take you out from afar while you have flares that work unreliably and no form of jammers?