I agree radar is easily spoofed.
IR, not so much. Depending on where the sun was relative to the ‘target.’ I understand the 9X has a REALLY good thermal discriminator.
Another poster wrote the AIM 9X got a lock, so .... i will go with ‘real’.
I understand, but having flown fighters (and with AIM-9X at Nellis), and with a sensitive IR pod, to me, absent other clues, I’d say just as likely a ghost return of some sort like I’ve experienced.
Not saying there is nothing there in the world, but not all locks are “real.”